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Every year, about 235,000 citizens of the EU die as a result of an accident or violence and over 50 million citizens seek medical treatment for injuries and 6.8 million of these are admitted to hospital. Injuries represent, after cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases, the fourth most common cause of death in the Member States.
The Commission started supporting actions in the area of injury prevention under the former EU programme on injury prevention and has continued with its support under the current Public Health Programme. More effective action which builds on exitsting activitites is required to reduce the huge social toll of accidents and injuries, in particular by addressing risk settings and risk groups that have until now received less attention. The significant differences in accident and injury rates between Member States and within their populations indicate that there is still great potential for reducing the burden of injuries in the Community and in neighbouring countries. For example, the current injury mortality rate in the European Union ranges from 27 death per 100 000 residents in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands to more than 120 death per 100,000 in the Baltic countries (129 in Latvia and Estonia and 143 in Lithuania).
The major directions for injury related actions under the Public Health Programme are determined in the Commission's Communication on “Actions for a Safer Europe” and in the Council Recommendation on the prevention of injuries and the promotion of safety. Both documents were adopted by the Commission in June 2006 and the Council Recommendation was adopted by the European Parliament on December 12, 2006. The Council recommendation addresses Member States on the prevention of injuries and sets out Commission tasks supporting the prevention of injuries as well as the promotion of safety.
Background information
Speaking at the 1st European Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion in Vienna, 25-27 June, Commissioner Kyprianou presented the vision behind the new EC Communication, 'Actions for a Safer Europe' and the subsequent proposal for a Council Resoution. The Communication focuses on the prevention of accidents and injuries in Europe which claim the lives of about 235,000 European citizens every year. For the Commissioner's speech click here.
Earlier, at the Health Council on 2 June Commisioner Kyprianou announced the up-coming adoption of the Commission Communication on Actions for a safer Europe and the proposal for a Council Recommendation on injury prevention and safety promotion. The speaking note of this announcement is available here.
In addition to the speech, the EC Press release 'Commission acts to reduce burden of accidents and injuries is also available. A shorter version of the Press release has also been published in the July issue of the 'Health and Consumer Voice'.
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