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Monthly Newsletter edited by Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network
Civic Activism | Patients' Rights | Consumers' Rights | Support ACN


Year 3th, number 30 - June 2015

SPECIAL EDITION ON
  THE EUROPEAN CELEBRATION OF THE EUROPEAN PATIENTS’RIGHTS DAY 2015

Highlight

Towards a new Meps Interest Group on Patients’ Rights
Civic societies and patient organizations together with Members of the EU Parliament strengthen the protection of patients’ rights in the European framework. This is the main message coming from the celebration of the IX Edition of the European Patients' Rights Day, organized as always by Active Citizenship Network, the EU branch of the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva and realized last 12th May  at the EU Parliament. The idea to encourage a MEPs Interest Group focused on patients’ rights is linked to the widespread request of 80 civic and patient organizations sent to the EU Parliament to recognize officially the value of citizens’ initiatives, such us the European Charter of Patients’ Rights based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and the European Patients’ Rights Day, which has been organized every year on April 18th since 2007 at local, national and EU level. Read more

Mariano Votta
Director Active Citizenship Network

Focus

"The challenges of chronic diseases and patients’ rights in the framework of EU healthcare sustainability"
The 9th European Patients’ Rights Day has been held the 12 of May in the European Parliament in Brussels. The event has been co-hosted by the MEP David Borrelli, Co-Chair of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group and the MEP Gianni Pittella, Chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Read the meeting minutes and all the speeches

More information
The endorsement of the European Commission

European Patients’ Rights Days, What has been done
 

Why an interest group on Patients’Rights and Cross Border Care

The European Parliament has the opportunity to play an active role to improve the protection of patients’ rights in the European framework. Faced with this goal, the initiatives promoted by the new MEPs Interest Group “European Patients' Rights and Cross-border Healthcare” could contribute on it, with the hope that this European Parliament and this European Commission will be remembered for their commitment on patients’ rights. Read the reasons to encourage a MEPs Interest Group.

More information
The aims of the MEPs  Interest Group

Make the European Patients’Rights Day official!

Active Citizenship Network along with patient and civic associations from within and outside the EU, are calling to all the European Institutions to bring to your attention on the institutionalisation of the European Patients’ Rights Day. The recognition of Patients’ Rights across the European Union is due to an increasing demand from European citizens and we all know that the reinforcement of these rights will become effective only with the cooperation and commitment of all the stakeholders in each EU country. Thus it is essential to increase awareness regarding the importance of patients’ rights and everyone’s responsibilities in guaranteeing their respect. We believe that celebrating a European Patients’ Rights Day every year in all EU Member States would greatly contribute to this goal. This would be an excellent opportunity and an occasion to inform, discuss and make commitments to improve patients’ rights, which are included in the European Charter of Patients’ Rights , in Europe and in each Member State. Read more   

List of supporters of the European Patients’ Rights Day
More than 100 civic and patient organizations are supporting the call to institutionalize the European Patients’ Rights Day. JOIN US! Read more

More information
Why should the European Patients’ Rights Day be institutionalized?

The European Parliament recognize the importance of institutionalize the European Patients’ Rights Day!
The 19 May 2015 the European Parliament  approved in the Plenary the resolution “on safer healthcare in Europe: improving patient safety and fighting antimicrobial resistance” which includes the invite to the Commission and the Member States to support the European Patients’ Rights Day at local, national and EU level.  Read the document (in particular the point 34).

Call to action for the instituzionalization

What can you do?
1. Call your MEPs to join the Interest group on Patients’ Rights and Cross-border Healthcare:
Download, translate and send this letter!
Find your MEPs here

2. Celebrate the X Edition of the European Patients’ Rights Day 2016 in your Country:
We strongly encourage participants to propose creative and original ideas based on their own experience and needs. We ask you to send us a brief outline of what you plan to organize, so Register your event

Any advice on what you can do here

3. Record a video (max 30’’) with your smartphone, in English or your language, in which you support the European Patients’ Rights Day and explain why it should be instituzionalized for you. Please, the only rule is: conclude your video by saying  “Make it official!”.
Send it to mail@activecitizenship.net

4Register your interest to take part in a European meeting to be held in the second half of 2015 on the theme of improving patients’ rights at European level.

Nationals initiatives for the European Patients’Rights Day

Italy: the support of Private Hospitals National Association AIOP
From the Italian private healthcare a call to officially intituzionalize the European Patients'Rights Day. Read more (IT language)

Communication materials

The Parliament Magazine, page 22 (4 May 2015)

Quotidiano Sanità (16 April 2015)

Health First Europe attends the 9th European Patients’ Rights Day

See some of the 12 May Conference's photos

Press releases

9 May 2015 - "European Patients’ Rights Day: Make it official!”
10 May 2015 - Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva opens new office in Brussels
11 May 2015 – Make it official! The Request of 80 civic and patients organizations
12 may 2015 - Towards the establishment of the new Meps Interest Ggroup “European Patients' Rights and Cross-border Healthcare”
12 may 2015 - Nurses: A Force for Patient/Citizens Empowerment

Events

June 15, Brussel (Belgium): EU Civil Dialogue organized by the EU Commission
The “Civil Dialogue” discusses all matters relating to the Europe for Citizens programme, including “Remembrance” and “Democratic and Civic Engagement” and its implementation.  It encourages exchanges of experiences and good practices in those fields and contributes to the dissemination of the programme’s results. It monitors and discusses policy developments in the related fields. This dialogue involves regular meetings between the Commission and approximately 50 key European organisations actively involved in the Europe for Citizens programme, including Active Citizenship Network. From 2015, the meeting is chaired by Matthias Ruete, the Director General of the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME). To learn more, click here

June 15-19, Brussels (Belgium): Sustainable Energy Week
The EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW)  is the yearly event on energy issues and it involves numerous organizations in thirty countries.
Across Europe there will be hundreds of Energy Days and activities to promote, discuss and spread the use of renewable energy resources and the importance of energy efficiency. To find out more, click here.

June 16, Brussel (Belgium): EU Seminar “The Value of Health: Healthcare Outcomes as a Driver for Sustainable Health Systems”
Active Citizenship Network will attend the third seminar on the “Value of Health”, which will take place at the Thon EU Hotel from 10am to 4pm.
Just like the previous seminars, participants will be representatives of the European Commission, Member States, the OECD, medical professionals, academics, patient groups, public health advocates and  the medical industry. For further information, please contact: mariehelene.chevallier@fipra.com

June 16, Brussel (Belgium): Civil Society Day 2015
The annual Civil Society Day is a major European Economic and Social Committee initiative, organized in partnership with its Liaison Group with European civil society networks.  It brings together key players in the European and national civil society organizations, including Active Citizenship Network, business leaders and entrepreneurs, academics, EU policy and decision-makers, and provides a forum for a dialogue on issues that matter to civil society stakeholders at the European level. This year's edition aims at setting up principles and guidelines for a permanent and structured civil dialogue at European level in order to contribute to a better legislation which will better serve the general interest. Read the programme.

June 17, Brussel (Belgium): Health First Europe AGM
The 2015 Annual General Meeting will take place from 15.00 – 17.00 at the HFE office on Rue du Trone, 60. During the AGM, elections will be held to nominate members for the Executive Committee. Active Citizenship Network will attend for the first time as a new member. For further information, please contact: info@healthfirsteurope.org

June 23, Brussel (Belgium):  PAE General Assembly
As Board Member of PAE-Pain Alliance Europe, the European branch of Cittadinanzattiva, Active Citizenship Network, will attend the Annual General Assembly of PAE. The meeting will take place at the Thon EU Hotel. Read more

June 24, Brussel (Belgium):  Preventing Neurological and Chronic Pain Disorders
Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting of Member of the European Parliament Interest Group on Brain, Mind and Pain focus on the topic “Preventing Neurological and Chronic Pain Disorders”. The meeting will take place at the European Parliament (PHS 7C 050) and Romanian MEP Daciana Sârbu will host the event. Read more

June 25-26, Copenhagen (Denmark): Patient Advocacy Summit
The summit will convene patient advocacy groups from across the world concerned with severe mental health illness, alcohol dependence, Alzheimer's’ disease and depression. The overall theme for the summit is advocacy and strategy building and Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting.

June 29-30/July 1, Barcelona (Spain): Summit cardiovascular risk and training on advocacy
The summit will be focused on the needs of patients in treatment of hypercholesterolemia, and on the need of patient organizations in training on advocacy. Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting.

June 30/July 1, Lisbon (Portugal): Partners for Progress: changing advocacy in a changing environment
Partners for Progress is organized for patient organizations active in the field of myeloma, MDS, lymphoma and other rare blood cancers. The aim of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for everyone to learn from experts about topics relevant to your work and to give you the opportunity to share experience and expertise with colleagues from around Europe. Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting.

June 30/July 1, Basel (Switzerland): 2nd Global Patient Forum
Patient organizations coming from several Continents will meet together to  enhance the dialogue between patient leaders to continue understanding the patient experience and expectations about research. Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting.

July 2, Brussel (Belgium): Cross-Border Healthcare: is it Working for Patients Across the EU?
The event will bring together representatives of the National Contact Points (NCPs), patient leaders from across the EU, policy-makers and key health stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive. Active Citizenship Network will attend the meeting. Read more

July 2-4, Tinos Island (Greece): 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management
The meeting will be held at the Museum of Marble Crafts in Tinos Island, Greece from 2nd to 4th July 2015. The Conference is organized by the National Technical University of Athens, the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, the University of Verona and the Municipality of Tinos in collaboration with the European Compost Network. Read more

 

Credits
Director and Editor in chief: Mariano Votta
Editors: Daniela Quaggia & Renesa Islam
Coordination and Production: Giacomo D'Orazio 

To contribute, plase write to: mail@activecitizenship.net
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