EP team in Cyprus to discuss health and environment

A European Parliament delegation is in Nicosia this week from 1-4 May, with health and environmental topics under the spotlight. The visit comes two months before Cyprus takes over the presidency of Council from Denmark.

The delegation, representing the Committee of Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament, will hold meetings with high-level officials of the Cypriot government in the fields of environment, health and agriculture but also with NGO representatives. The MEPs' agenda also includes a site visit to the asbestos mine of Amiantos.

Cyprus will take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July for a six-month period and will be tasked to continue legislative and non-legislative work on environment and health matters. Topics currently under discussion at the European Parliament include: EU water policy, the LIFE programme, the Health for growth programme for 2014-2020, cross-border threats to health and the environmental impacts of shale gas and shale oil extraction.

The delegation membersb are Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines (Spain, EPP), Christa Klas (Germany, EPP), Anna Rosbach (Denmark, ECR), Andrea Zanoni (Italy, ALDE).