3.1. Cost-effective promotion and prevention measures of communicable and non-communicable diseases: this will include actions towards the setting up of pan-European networks and partnerships engaging a wide range of actors in communication, education and awareness raising actions on key health issues such as the elimination of environmental health risks, mental health, smoking prevention, alcohol and drug abuse, unhealthy eating and a sedentary lifestyle within the context of tackling diet-related obesity, and health promotion programmes aimed at the general public, internal and external air pollution with a focus on the cross-border di ...[+++]mension and on Member States with no or little action on these issues, and operating in a gender-sensitive framework.

The report also underlines that the European Commission must take account of the economic importance of SMEs, by providing technical support to allow and help them to comply with binding environmental health regulations and to encourage them to make other changes which are positive from the point of view of environmental health and affect the operation of enterprises.

A. noting with interest the fact that, since 2003, the EU has based its health-protection policy on closer cooperation between the health, environment and research sectors, so that it may be hoped that a coherent and integrated European environmental health strategy will eventually be introduced,

A. noting with interest the fact that, since 2003, the EU has based its health-protection policy on closer cooperation between the health, environment and research sectors, so that it may be hoped that a coherent and integrated European environmental health strategy will eventually be introduced,

Covering roughly 30 % of the world’s land (and 40 % of the EU’s land mass), forests are integral to environmental health.

34. Underlines that, in order to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of the Action Plan, it is necessary to begin to establish adequate funding for the 2004-2007 period immediately; adds that 'environment and health' projects should be a separate subject under the Seventh Research Framework Programme (2007-2010) and receive generous funding, which should not be less than EUR 300m given the huge expectations and socio-economic issues at stake in the field of environmental health;