Suchergebnisse

Background: The Surveillance of Rare Cancers in Europe (RARECARE) project proposed a definition and a list of rare cancers. The Joint Action on Rare Cancers (JARC), launched by the European Union and involving 18 member states and 34 partners, promoted a wide consensus effort to review the list. Patients and methods: A group of experts was set up, including scientific societies, member state representatives of JARC, representatives of the European Reference Networks dedicated to rare cancers and rare cancer patient advocates. The definition and the list of rare clinical entities, based on the incidence data provided by two European projects (RARECARE and RARECAREnet), were rediscussed through a consensus meeting of the expert panel. Results: By consensus, it was reiterated that the best criterion for a definition of rare cancers is incidence, rather than prevalence. By consensus, the experts slightly modified the composition of the tiers of rare cancers, according to the definition based on an incidence threshold <6/100 000/year, and grouped all rare cancers within 12 families of rare cancers. Even when defined conservatively this way, rare cancers are not rare collectively, since they correspond to 10%-20% of all cancer cases. Conclusions: The list of rare cancers reviewed by JARC should be viewed as a tool in the fight against rare cancers and rare diseases. It may help to appreciate that rare cancers are cancers and rare diseases at the same time, combining issues and difficulties of both. We hope that refinements to the list and a wider understanding of its implications may contribute to increase awareness of problems posed by rare cancers and to improve quality of care in a large group of patients with cancer, who may be discriminated against just because of the low frequency of their diseases.

The article covers the main areas of culture, as defined in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union and highlights the special features of Ukraine's cooperation with the European Union in the sphere of culture. It is pointed out that important areas of cooperation in the field of culture between Ukraine and the EU are the exchange of works of art and the promotion of artists' mobility. Research methods such as empirical (description) and theoretical (content analysis, climbing from abstract to concrete) were used in the writing of the article. ; У статті розглянуто основні напрямки культури, що прописані в Угоді про асоціацію між Україною та ЄС, виділено особливості співробітництва України з Європейським Союзом у сфері культури. Вказано, що важливими ділянками співпраці у сфері культури між Україною та ЄС є обмін витворами мистецтва та сприяння мобільності митців. Під час написання статті були використані такі методи дослідження як емпіричні (опис) та теоретичні (контент-аналіз, сходження від абстрактного до конкретного).

BACKGROUND: The Surveillance of Rare Cancers in Europe (RARECARE) project proposed a definition and a list of rare cancers. The Joint Action on Rare Cancers (JARC), launched by the European Union and involving 18 member states and 34 partners, promoted a wide consensus effort to review the list. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A group of experts was set up, including scientific societies, member state representatives of JARC, representatives of the European Reference Networks dedicated to rare cancers and rare cancer patient advocates. The definition and the list of rare clinical entities, based on the incidence data provided by two European projects (RARECARE and RARECAREnet), were rediscussed through a consensus meeting of the expert panel. RESULTS: By consensus, it was reiterated that the best criterion for a definition of rare cancers is incidence, rather than prevalence. By consensus, the experts slightly modified the composition of the tiers of rare cancers, according to the definition based on an incidence threshold <6/100 000/year, and grouped all rare cancers within 12 families of rare cancers. Even when defined conservatively this way, rare cancers are not rare collectively, since they correspond to 10%–20% of all cancer cases. CONCLUSIONS: The list of rare cancers reviewed by JARC should be viewed as a tool in the fight against rare cancers and rare diseases. It may help to appreciate that rare cancers are cancers and rare diseases at the same time, combining issues and difficulties of both. We hope that refinements to the list and a wider understanding of its implications may contribute to increase awareness of problems posed by rare cancers and to improve quality of care in a large group of patients with cancer, who may be discriminated against just because of the low frequency of their diseases.

While there are many textbooks about the European Union (EU), Clive Archer covers the essential elements of the EU clearly and concisely, outlining the key debates and issues it faces today.

Security has always been one of the most complex and critical issues for the EU. After decades of remarkable success in promoting peace, stability and prosperity on a continent historically marked by conflict and division, the EU's security landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years in the face of evolving security threats and changing global dynamics.
The post European Union Security in an Age of Uncertainty appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Negotiations for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between European Union (EU) and the African Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) have been on the spotlight since 2002. The negotiations seek to replace the Lome Conventions which provided for a one way non-reciprocal trading regime between the EU and the ACP countries. The paper examines the position of Namibia in relation to EPAs and the lessons that Africa can derive from Namibia's stance. Namibia which is negotiating under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has declined to sign the Interim Partnership Agreements, besides initialing them in 2007, arguing that EPAs are not consistent with the objective of advancing African economies into competitive outfits in the global economy. Some of the sticking issues that need to be addressed concern EU's demand for trade liberalization and a near elimination of import duty on all EU products to ACP zone. The paper argues that the major lessons for Africa are that EPA negotiations are much a political activity in as much as they involve the advancement of collective national interest by the EU. The paper therefore implores African countries to safeguard both political and economic interest in the process in the same manner as their EU counterparts are doing. Again, the paper exhorts Africa to negotiate from a position of strength and refuse to give in to unfair trade terms given the evident competition that is looming between the West and the East to partner Africa in development matters.

This report discusses the EU's enlargement process, which it views as a historic opportunity to promote stability and prosperity in Europe. On May 1, 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the European Union (EU), enlarging the Union to 25 members.