Background
In response to the growing burden of diseases associated with poor nutrition in the WHO European Region, several policy documents have been approved over the past few years: the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015-2020, which was approved by the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in 2014; the Action Plan for implementation of the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2012-2016 and the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity,endorsed during the WHO European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity in 2006.
To support the implementation of the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan, five Action Networks have been set up. Their aim is to coordinate proposed actions, share country experiences, establish policy dialogue and strengthen synergies. Each Action Network is led by a specific Member State (except COSI) in close collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and consists of countries committed to being active members.
These Action Networks are as follows:
- Childhood obesity surveillance Initiative
Refers to the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), which is coordinated by WHO/EURO. - Reducing marketing pressure to children, 2007
Led by Norway. WHO is a facilitator. - Reducing salt intake in the population, 2013 (ESAN- WHO European Salt Action Network)
Led by Switzerland. WHO is a facilitator. - Hospital nutrition, 2010
Led by Israel. WHO is a facilitator. - Obesity and inequities - Guidance for addressing inequities in overweight and obesity, 2014
Led by Denmark. WHO is a facilitator.
Way of working
Members of each Action Network are governmental country representatives from the WHO European Region, often the WHO nutrition counterparts or their colleagues who are perhaps more involved in the respective network area. That is why they are called Member States Action Networks. They work at ministries of health or national institutes of health or nutrition. Observers are WHO (except for COSI ), other UN organizations, EC and nongovernmental organizations.
The representatives decide among themselves how often they meet each year and provide suggestions for the agenda of each meeting. The Network meetings should be seen as an opportunity for exchange of experiences on content and implementation between governmental representatives, to foster policy dialogue in the area of nutrition, physical activity and obesity and to work at a European level on a specific nutritional area of work. In order to be a member of a network, the country would need to be an active member, which means that it is prepared to put actions forward and implement them. Countries can be a member of one or more actions networks.
The action network leading country is the host of each network meeting, thus organizes the meetings, invites the participants and put ideas forward to be put on the agenda. Should the network members want to invite external speakers in order to elaborate in-depth on a topic, it is the leading country in most cases that pays for the speakers' participation expenses. The number of participant countries in each network varies from 10 to 25 member countries; it is possible that 1-2 persons per country attend a meeting. Each meeting is by invitation only and is not a public event. Country members pay their own expenses unless the host country is able to provide financial support.
