European Year of the Brain 2014

EBC has embarked on a major strategy, alongside its other activities to try and make 2014 The European Year of the Brain.

What is a European Year?

A European Year is a focused theme agreed by the European Institutions to be run throughout the year and throughout the member states.

For a European Year to be launched it must be proposed by the European Commission. A European Council agreement must follow (among the relevant national ministers) and this must be approved by the European Parliament which will vote on the budget. This decision making process takes several years since it requires each institution to commit to doing something concrete. It also requires the corresponding budget to be approved at European and national levels so that activities such as European, national and local-level awareness-raising campaigns and proposals for political initiatives (a new European programme, new legislation, new political objectives etc) can be funded.

What is the role of EBC and the member organisations?

EBC and its members would be the non institutional champions, facilitating dialogue, bringing interested groups together, reviewing proposals, creating a strategic and operational plan for the ‘big picture’. It would not be responsible for the budget for such a year, but would encourage the Commission, European Parliament and member states, particularly through the 6 monthly presidencies to include brain research and those affected by brain disease in their thinking and presidential priorities.

What does success look like?

A European Year of the Brain has the potential to do the following:

• Increase the profile of all brain diseases in every member state
• Draw attention to the costs and impact of brain diseases now and into the future
• Increase funding for brain research through the framework programmes and in the member states
• Increase efforts to educate, inform and advise all those living with brain diseases in order to improve their quality of life
• Recognise the increasingly important role of those who care for a person living with a brain disorder
• Promote normal brain function and development and address barriers to these.
• Draw attention to health inequalities in brain diseases
• Develop action plans at local, national, regional and European level to address specific areas related to brain diseases
• Influence policy decisions over the next 5-10 years
• Address controversial and difficult areas
• Stimulate open debate and dialogue on brain diseases
• Show the value of partnership across all of society

And there are many more......

 

TOGETHER WE MUST MAKE THE EUROPEAN YEAR OF THE BRAIN 2014 A REALITY