HEAL and PAN Europe Workshop "Pesticide use reduction for better health", 7 March 2007

As the European Parliament gears up for the upcoming first reading of the new EU legislation on pesticides, the Health and Environment Alliance and Pesticide Action Network Europe have contributed to the debate by organising a workshop to call for pesticide use reduction for better health, particularly of children and vulnerable groups. The final programme, briefing and poster "Cutting back on pesticides for healthier lives", as well as presentations from the workshop are available here.

2006 PAN Europe Annual Network Conference, "Alternatives to chemical crop protection for the reduction of risks and pesticides dependency", 7-9 September 2006, Bologna

The eighth PAN Europe annual conference took place in Bologna, Italy, 7-9 September. It was organised in cooperation with SANA, the largest organic fair in Europe, and our Italian network member Legambiente and supporter AIAB- Italian Organic Farming Association. It was the first time the participants meet in Italy. Over 80 participants from 18 European and Caucasian countries took part in the conference (Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ukraine). The Network Annual General Meeting welcomed 3 new full members to the network. PAN Europe network now counts with 28 full and associate members. To access power point presentations, full programme and conference report click here.

2005 PAN Europe Annual Network Conference, "Towards better environment, health and rural economies: prospects for pesticide dependency reduction in CEECs", 7-9 November 2005, Krakow, Poland

The 2005 Annual Network Conference was attended by 56 participants from 19 different countries. 30 non governmental, not-for-profit organisations were represented in the conference, comprehending farmers’ associations, environmental and environmental health organisations, womens groups and nature conservation organisations. The Network Annual General Meeting welcomed 8 new full and associated members to the network. PAN Europe network now counts with 25 full and associate members. To access power point presentations, full programme and list of participants click here.

PESTICIDE REDUCTION PROGRAMMES IN GERMANY AND THE UK: Experiences and Contributions within a Europe wide approach, 5 July 2005, Hamburg

The aim of the workshop was to organise an exchange of views and finally identify elements for successful pesticide use reduction programmes.
Thirty two participants attended the workshop and discussed the pesticide reduction policies in Germany and the UK against the background of the development of a Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides in Europe as well as experiences in different European countries. The presentations and the workshop proceedings are available here.

Workshop "Environmental impacts on congenital diseases", 9-11 June 2005, Kos Island, Greece

The workshop was organised by the AREHNA project, lead by several independent academic physicians/toxicologists/cellular biologists from various EU countries and coordinated by Prof. Nicolopoulou - Stamati of the University of Athens. Pesticides impacts on congenital diseases were highlighted in several presentations to be found at http://www.arehna.di.uoa.gr.

Catherine Wattiez, PAN Europe Pesticides Use Reduction in Europe (PURE) campaigner, participated in the workshop and her presentation entitled "Links between in utero exposure to pesticidesand effects on the human progeny.Does European pesticide legislation protect health?" can be downloaded here.

For more information contact Catherine Wattiez at catherine.wattiez@skynet.be

Mediterranean Social Forum, 16-19 June 2005, Barcelona, Spain

The Mediterranean Social Forum was organised around 7 topics (Democracy, citizenship and human rights; Conflicts, military occupations, militarism and peace; Economic, social-cultural rights, development models, work and conflicts; Migrations; Cultural diversity and transcultural dialogues; Development model and environmental sustainability; Women and the Mediterranean). Amics de la Terra Barcelona (PAN Europe network member) was involved in the organisation and prepared several seminars, part of the Campaign against Chemical Contamination.

The seminar “Debate and Analysis of the Future Thematic Strategy for a Sustainable Use of Pesticides” had the participation of Sofia Parente, PAN Europe coordinator who addressed the importance of NGO work in the final adoption and subsequent national implementation of the Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides in the months ahead.

The presentation The Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides: backgoud, agenda and contents can be downloaded here. For more information go the Mediterranean Social Forum website http://www.fsmed.info

Round Table "Environmental Impact on Health", 23 November 2004, Brussels

PAN Europe, in collaboration with European Environmental Bureau and EPHA Environment Network (EEN), organised a Round Table for EU parliamentarians and others entitled "Environmental Impact on Health - Raising Awareness of Decision Makers" in November 2004. You can read information on the programme, participants and some of the communications at the EEN website.

2004 PAN Europe Annual Network Conference, 12-13 November 2004, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

PAN Europe’s annual network conference took place on 12-13 November 2004, with 81 participants from 15 European and Caucasian countries (Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, UK and Ukraine). Our objectives to achieve a good representation of organisations from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe were fulfilled with 11 participants from CEE and Caucasian countries and 53 participants from Catalunya, other parts of Spain and Italy. The conference was opened by the Director of the Department for the Environment of the Catalan Regional Government and closed by an officer from the Catalan Food Safety Agency, part of the Department of Health. Both Catalan departments offered significant logistical support to hosting the conference in Barcelona and 8 government officers attended, including the Catalan Centre for Workplace Health and Safety. This was an important achievement in bringing together civil society public interest groups with public sector officers working in the areas of health and environment.

Download the full conference report [PDF 708KB].

Link to information in Spanish about the conference: http://www.vidasana.org/index.asp

Technical Seminar Best European and Catalan Practices in Reducing Pesticide and other Chemical Pollutants, 15-16 November 2004, Barcelona, Catalunya

The technical seminar on Best European Practice in Reducing Use of Pesticides and Other Chemicals held 15-16 November attracted 70 participants from local councils, trade unions, local offices of regional and Barcelona district agencies for public health, occupational health and safety, environmental protection, parks and gardens management centres, and NGOs and universities. PAN Europe was instrumental in selecting and inviting key speakers from the European Commission DG Environment, and from public and private agencies in UK, Germany, Denmark, France and the Netherlands to give presentations. We also presented our Pesticide Use Reduction in Europe (PURE) campaign and project work on capacity-building and advocacy for the public right to know in relation to bystander exposure to pesticides.

The Director General for Environmental Quality and Assessment of the Spanish federal Ministry of Environment attended and this was the first time that Catalan colleagues had the opportunity to speak to such a senior federal official about the serious health cases documented from exposure to agricultural and urban pesticides. The European Commission officer also valued the meeting highly in terms of making links with Spanish officials and public sector staff who take a more constructive approach to pesticide problems than those who attend meetings in Brussels. Some of the presentations are available.

PAN Europe Annual Network Conference 2003, 20 November 2003, Copenhagen, Denmark

Our 2003 conference focussed on strategy planning within the NGO network. Network members and signatory organisations to the PURE campaign can request an electronic version of the conference report from the PAN Europe Coordinator. The full programme is available and you can read on-line the 2 guest speaker presentations:

• Pesticides and cancer Prof. Dominique Belpomme, President of the French Association for Research on Treatments Against Cancer (ARTAC)
• Working with Danish farmers for pesticide use reduction Poul Henning Peterson, Danish Agricultural Advisory Service
  [text below and link to PowerPoint slide presentation PANEurope/Conference 2003/Speakers Presentations/PHPetersen Working with farmers for PURE.ppt]

Reducing pesticide dependency in Europe to protect health, environment and biodiversity

These proceedings highlight (i) new evidence on pesticide problems for health, the environment and biodiversity, (ii) the rationale for pesticide use reduction at European Union and national levels, under the precautionary principle, (iii) ways for measuring pesticide use reduction, data requirements and availability, (iv) integrated crop management (ICM), integrated farming systems (IF) and achievements in pesticide use reduction as well as , environmental and economic impact of those systems , (v) practical steps towards pesticide use reduction at EU and national levels as well as at retailers and farmers initiative. Conference proceedings available as a PDF 534KB along with additional powerpoint presentations.

Colloquium on Alternatives to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides in agriculture: organic farming, integrated crop management, 31 May 2003, Beauvais, France

With French partners Movement for the Rights and Respect of Future Generations (MDRGF) and the Picardy Organic Farming Association. This colloquium raised the profile of excessive pesticide usage in France and the rationale for PURE, with practical examples from farmers. Proceedings in French or English versions on CDRom can be obtained from MRDGF at a cost of 12.50 Euro. An order form is on the website http://perso.wanadoo.fr/francois.veillerette/ or email <mdrgf2@wanadoo.fr>.

Contents of Beauvais colloquium proceedings

• Introduction, François Veillerette, President, Mouvement des Droits et le Respect pour les Generations Future (MDRGF), France
• Introductory short speech on pesticides, Mrs Anne Ferreira, European MEP
• Pesticides and public health, Prof. Dominique Belpomme, oncologist, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, France
• Integrated control in olive growing in Morocco. Mr. Hilal, National Agricultural Research Institute, INRA, Morocco
• Integrated production in fruit arboriculture,a winning choice. Mr Jacques Denis, Founder and Chair, IPM Fruitgrowers of Wallonia (GAWI), Belgium
• Integrated protection in large-scale farming areas in Picardie. Mr. Pierre Mischler, AlternatecH, France
• Sustainable agriculture practices, economic, ecological and social. Mr. André Pochon, Research Centre for the Development of a more Autonomous Agriculture (CEDAPA), Brittany, France
• Integrated Pest Management in developing countries and lessons for Europe. Stephanie Williamson, Coordinator, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe,
• Vegetable farming and gardening. Mr. Claude Aubert, agronomist, Terre Vivante Publishing, France
• Organic farming experiences in arable crops. Mr. Raoul Leturcq, farmer and agrobiologist and chairman of Picardy Eco-friendly Farming Association, Oise Picardy, France
• Organic farming experiences in pasture systems. Mr. Jean Luc Villain, farmer and agrobiologist, Archon, Aisne, France
• Bibliography and websites