To contribute to the main goals of the European Union`s action in the field of public health, particularly in the area of information. The EBU is the largest association of national broadcasters in the world and has therefore the means to contribute to these goals, given that it has active Members in every country of the European Union and, more generally in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It was founded in February 1950 by western European radio and television broadcasters and in 1993 it merged with the OIRT - its counterpart in Eastern Europe. The EBU`s headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. From its office in Brussels, the EBU represents the interests of public service broadcasters vis-à-vis the European institutions. Thanks to its structure, the EBU is able to offer European media, and especially public broadcasters, a service assisting them with establishing, maintaining and enhancing their own health information service. The aim is: - to provide Europe`s citizens with more and better information on health issues (through television, radio, Internet, written media) - to provide a platform for health issues that have a pan-European relevance - to promote the exchange of good practices in the health sector Consequently, the EBU`s proposal is to develop and implement EHIP, the European Health Information Platform. The largest and main executive part of the project, notably the production, broadcasting and other dissemination of the TV reports, the (Internet) animations as well as the radio reports, to be under the full editorial, legal and financial responsibility of individual EBU Broadcasting Members, in cooperation with previously selected production partners under the Members` supervision and control, while supplemental coordination of the overall project management to be provided by the EBU headquarters in Geneva. To ensure the establishment of the widest partnership as possible and with the aim to provide the largest pan-European exposure to EHIP, it is envisaged in the project that, shortly after the preparatory stages, additional individual EBU Members and/or their production partners, can be entrusted with the production, broadcasting and other dissemination of the TV reports while the action is under way. Once approved by the Commission and provided that they comply with the contractual requirements for participating in EHIP, these additional individual EBU Members and/or their production partners shall act as additional Associated Beneficiaries and benefit from the same rights and obligations as the current Associated Beneficiaries under the EHIP project.

Health information strand. The establishment of EHIP has to increase and improve the information on EU health issues available through Europe`s media especially in the Enlargement countries. This is truly pan-European project aiming to further develop the circulation of information on Health issues thanks to the exchange of items and information among the partners and provide the EC Health Department with a channel to communicate with EU citizens on its health policies and to support key health issues identified at a European level

Our research focuses on information that is available within the health community as well as on identifying outstanding examples as regards safeguarding public health and providing the relevant service that the public expects from the authorities. This information is tol be used for the production of TV stories, radio reports, accompanying Internet pages and press releases, with the focus on making this information understandable and motivational. The produced material is to be reedited and completed by the different broadcasters according to their needs, to be coherently included into their Health Programmes to assure proper language and communication methods, the most suitable to each national public.

Work package n° 1 - Establishment of the Wider Partnership: The enlargement of the current partnership of six associated beneficiaries (EBU, Bayerischer Rundfunk Germany, YLE Finland, RTBF Belgium, CT Czech Republic, France 2) to eight by including RAI from Italy and MTV from Hungary up to fifteen or more in January 2006. Work package n° 2 - Implementation Plan and Web Portal: agreement within the partnership on the implementation plan that details the agreed further activities for the dissemination of public health information via the media - establishment of the public web portal on health information as well as of the project`s extranet (password protected portal) Work package n° 3 - Information Gathering: The ongoing provision of information on European public health issues so as to feed this information into the project`s outputs: television, Internet, radio, press materials. Work package n° 4 - Production: multimedia packages tol provide the participating broadcasters with video, radio sound bites, Flash animations, promotional tools and background information so as to enable them to establish their national or regional EHIP service in their language and for their audience. Work package n° 5 - Coordination and Reporting: to assure the scientific accuracy of all information passed through EHIP - to attain the project`s objectives within budget - to keep the European Commission and the project partners informed - to assure the sustainability/continuation of the ongoing elements of EHIP - to further cooperation between the health sector and the media - to professionalize reporting in the media on public health Work package n° 6 - Dissemination: to provide Europe`s citizens with more and better information on health issues (through television, radio, Internet, press releases) - to provide a platform for health issues that have a pan-European relevance The general public in Europe has to be able to see reports on public health in Europe on their TVs, to listen to pertinent reports on their radios, to consult background information on these issues on the Internet and in press releases.