HEALTH : 2014 MAY BE EUROPEAN YEAR OF THE BRAIN.

MEPs wanted a European Year of Mental Health, but they may yet have a European Year of the Brain. The day before the vote on the European Parliament's resolution concerning dementia, Health Commissioner John Dalli announced that he would be favourable to declaring 2014 as European Year of the Brain. Responding to the other recommendations in a report by Portuguese MEP Marisa Matias (GUE-NGL), which was adopted by a large majority on 19 January, Dalli acknowledged that it was necessary to address this issue as soon as possible - every 24 seconds, a new case of dementia is diagnosed and more than eight million Europeans suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, a figure that, according to experts, could double every 20 years.

RESOLUTION GOES FURTHER

The non-legislative resolution by Matias aims to strengthen the Commission's communication on an EU initiative to combat Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, which was published in 2009. Matias proposes complementary measures to strengthen the EU's efforts, particularly so that the disease's social dimensions and their implications are better taken into account. MEPs also want member states to develop social services and health care based on the major principles of maximum coverage and equal access, demanding that such services are protected via a strict budgetary policy. In addition, MEPs want formal and voluntary care roles to be recognised and developed, for example with a...