Continuing controversy over the European Union's entire financial framework for 2007-13 has alarmed the EU's public health community, who consider it a direct threat to implementing effective public health measures across Europe.

The European Commission's ambitious new public health and consumer protection strategy looks set to have its proposed budget almost halved from about €1.8bn (£1.2bn; $2.2bn) to less than €1bn. As a result, it may have to be totally rethought and rewritten. The strategy was drawn up after 18 months intensive consultation with many national and regional health authorities, universities, and citizens and more than 100 non-governmental health organisations.

“To say we are facing a crisis is to put it mildly,” said MEP for London John Bowis at a conference in Brussels last week. The conference was convened by European Voice (a weekly newspaper covering European issues) to discuss healthcare policy in Europe and where EU action can “add value.”

“There has never been a time of such uncertainty over the budget. Finance ministers must be persuaded that expenditure on …