About: Tonio Borg
German economy burdened by growing rate of depression
German employees are taking more and more sick leave due to depression, a recent study shows, indicating stress and a lack of leisure time as the likely culprits, causing experts to call for more investment in early recognition and prevention. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Cholesterol: The overlooked chronic disease
Europeans suffer from the highest bad cholesterol in the world, with a prevalence of 54% for both sexes, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the chronic disease continues to be neglected by policymakers, in favour of other long-term illnesses.
Commission steps up efforts to fight Ebola, after slow response
Health Commissioner Tonio Borg on Monday (20 October) told MEPs that a network of high-security laboratories have been established to ensure that EU member states will have the necessary facilities to diagnose the infected persons infected with Ebola.
Borg calls for exit screening of airline passengers to fight Ebola
The EU needs to both double its efforts to fight the deadly virus Ebola in West Africa, as well as introduce entry screening for airline passengers to enable identification of infected passengers, Health Commissioner Tonio Borg says.![[Unicef]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/09/hope_is_life_unicef.jpeg)
EU calls for wider response to the Ebola epidemic
The EU will intensify its financial assistance to Western Africa, in order to contribute to the efforts in the fight against the Ebola outbreak. At a special meeting held yesterday (15 September) in Brussels, the bloc reiterated its willingness to work hard to stop the spread of the disease. EURACTIV Spain reports.
More powers for Brussels could narrow EU’s health gap, says Borg
Giving more powers to Brussels could narrow the gap in the quality of health provision between EU countries, outgoing Commissioner Tonio Borg has said in a farewell speech.
Level of horsemeat DNA in beef drops
The European Commission's second round of coordinated pan-European testing for horsemeat DNA in beef products, launched in April this year, showed only 0.61% of the samples testing positive.
Poland to challenge EU ban on menthol cigarettes
Poland will appeal to Europe's top court over a European Union ban on flavoured tobacco products, saying it will be unfairly affected as one of the region's biggest consumers and producers of menthol cigarettes.
EU Commission champions ‘mHealth’ for chronic disease treatment
In a drive to cut healthcare costs, the European Commission is promoting eHealth, and mHealth applications, notably in treating chronic diseases. EURACTIV France reports. VideoPromoted content
EU Summit on Chronic Diseases 2014
This first EU summit on chronic diseases discussed medical, social and economic benefits of sustainable investments in health, ways to reduce the burden of chronic diseases, and how to strengthen the prevention and management of chronic diseases, with a focus on EU added value and action.
Commission wants better use of mobiles within health
The European Commission on Thursday (10 April) launched a public consultation on mobile health or mHealth, asking Europeans to help find ways to improve health with the use of mobile devices. The consultation will run until 2 July 2014.
Experts mull ways to reverse chronic diseases trend
SPECIAL REPORT / Cancer, diabetes, mental disorders, and chronic respiratory illnesses account for 86% of deaths, and 77% of the disease burden in Europe, with the main risk factors being tobacco use, alcohol abuse, poor diets and lack of physical activity. VideoPromoted content
MEPs back anti-money laundering rules
The European Parliament adopted yesterday on Tuesday an overhaul of EU anti-money laundering rules which includes the introduction of publicly accessible registers for companies and trust owners. MEPs debated on tougher rules to tackle money laundering, requiring companies to provide more accurate information about real owners. The new plan hopes to ensure more transparency and a better overview of financial transactions, making it harder to set up fake companies and transfer dirty money from one account to another. VideoPromoted content
EU Parliament approves tougher anti-tobacco laws
Increasing the size of health warnings on cigarette packets, banning flavours and new regulation on electronic cigarettes. These are some of the measures that MEPs approved on Wednesday as part of stricter EU laws on selling and marketing tobacco products. VideoPromoted content
EU set to allow cultivation of GM crop
Despite record opposition among EU member states, European ministers failed to agree on Tuesday to ban a genetically-modified maize to be grown on EU soil. With 19 votes against, 4 abstentions and only 5 in favour, the disagreement will now leave in the hands of the European Commission whether to allow or not the insect-resistant maize for cultivation. VideoPromoted content
MEPs want tougher sanctions over food fraud after horse meat scandal
One year after the horse meat scandal broke across Europe, the European Parliament on Tuesday called for more inspections of food production chains and tougher penalties for companies that commit food fraud. The controversy began last year when DNA tests revealed that some products sold across Europe were labeled as beef but in fact contained up to 100% horsemeat. VideoPromoted content
Commission launches new research projects to fight drug-resistant bacteria
The Commission is stepping up the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through funding of 15 new research projects, as data have revealed an increase in Europe of the last-line of antibiotics.
Brussels reopens 12-year old GMO cultivation request
European ministers will decide whether to approve the cultivation of variety of genetically modified maize, after the European Commission was legally obliged to pass on the 12-year-old request. VideoPromoted content
Commission backs GMO crop cultivation approval
The European Commission backed on Wednesday plans to cultivate a variety of genetically modified maize, despite concerns by NGOs that it might have a negative impact on the environment. EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg passed the decision on to the European Council of Ministers and it will now be up to EU ministers to approve the Commission's proposal.
Borg: Cardiovascular diseases should be higher on the political agenda
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the EU, but it is not yet given enough importance on the political agenda, according to Tonio Borg, who has scheduled an EU summit on chronic diseases at the beginning of next year. VideoPromoted content
Borg: EU should prioritise fight against cardiovascular diseases
In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV journalists Henriette Jacobsen and Evan Lamos, EU Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg said that fighting cardiovascular diseases should be 'higher on the political agenda', as it is the number one killer disease in the EU. Borg also announced that he is launching an EU summit on chronic diseases at the beginning of next year.
Parliament pressures Commission for better meat origin labelling
MEPs have sent a letter to Health Commissioner Tonio Borg asking for better meat origin labelling but the EU executive's position remains unclear.
Borg, EU health ministers push Parliament to adopt tobacco directive
SPECIAL REPORT / The EU's health Commissioner Tonio Borg said he was "confident" that the European Parliament would adopt the highly-debated tobacco directive in Strasbourg this week, after the first vote had been delayed.