EU working party on lifestyle and other health determinants (DG Sanco)

Excerpt

According to the work plan 2003, it was the objective of the European Commission, General Directorate for Health and Consumer Protection, to provide for improved health information and knowledge for the development of public health policy at the European level. For that purpose, a coordinating centre, i.e. the Scientific Secretariat of the Working Party on Lifestyle and other Health Determinants, was established at the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, in April 2004 (grant agreement -2003114, EC). Since then the main responsibility of the centre has been to provide for the coordination of efforts among EU projects in the area of lifestyle. In order to meet this objective the Scientific Secretariat created and operated a network of experts and project leaders, the Working Party on Lifestyle and Other Determinants. Working Party projects were provided with financial, scientific and administrative support. Regular Working Party meetings were organised as a platform for scientific exchange twice a year. To provide for effective exchange and use of resources, efforts of the Working Party were additionally communicated to external networks in the field of public health, such as EUPHA and ASPHER. Scientific findings were condensed into political messages to the European Commission to pave the way for evidence-based policy making. …