Europe’s Declaration on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

CCB • November 17, 2017

20 Organisations sign declaration expressing serious concern about pharmaceuticals in the environment in the EU

17th November 2017
Brussels

A group of twenty organisations – lead by Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe – today sent a Declaration to European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, expressing their deep concern about the threat posed by pharmaceuticals in the environment to  European citizens, their communities, and the environment. The Declaration comes during World Antibiotic Awareness Week and on the eve of European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

The consortium of organisations, which is made up of hospitals, health organisations, professional health and student associations, and health and environment NGOs, wrote to the Commissioner to highlight the importance of introducing ambitiouslegislation in the upcoming Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (due to be released in early 2018).

The Declaration also highlights the unintended consequences of the release of increasing amounts of pharmaceuticals into the environment on both human and environmental health.
Pharmaceuticals in the environment represent a global pollution – over 631 different pharmaceutical agents or their metabolites have been detected in 71 countries on all continents.
The European Union is one of the largest consumers of human medicinal products in the world (24% of the global production), second only to the U.S. Pharmaceutical pollution, however, is an unrestricted cross-border phenomenon that affects all countries.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs, the part of the medicine that is biologically active in order to have an effect on the body) are designed to be biologically active and often remain unchanged during their passage through the body. These APIs can also enter the environment during the production phase (through wastewater) and when medicines are disposed of incorrectly (by flushing down the toilet or sink).

Even low concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the environment can have farreaching effects on ecosystems – causing reproductive failure, growth inhibition, behavioural changes, and species’ population collapse, such as the near extinction of vultures feeding on animals that have been treated with diclofenac in Pakistan.

As well as outlining the problems associated with pharmaceuticals in the environment, the group also propose solutions in the Declaration, in the form of a comprehensive set of policy recommendations, stating that: “We, the undersigned, strongly believe that [these] recommendations should be incorporated into the ‘Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment’. EU citizens have the right to live in a safe environment in order to prevent sickness and the spread of AMR. We therefore call on the European Commission to consider our position on this issue and take immediate action to protect human and environmental health.”

Speaking of the Declaration, HCWH Europe Executive Director Anja Leetz said: “Pharmaceuticals in the environment are a global pollution problem which needs to be addressed immediately. By allowing this known problem to continue we are running a global experiment with no control group. We do not know enough about the long-term and cumulative cocktail effects of small amounts of pharmaceutical residues in our water and food supply and we need to apply the precautionary principle and reduce exposure where possible. We urgently need to minimise the release of pharmaceuticals into the environment at all stages of their life cycle in order to limit the potential damage to human or environmental health.”

Read Europe’s Declaration on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment here

The Declaration is co-signed by:
• Aarhus University Hospital (Denmark)
• Doctors for the Environment (AEFU) (Switzerland)
• Aufbruch – anders besser leben (Germany)
• Comité pour le Développement Durable en Santé (C2DS) (France)
• Center for Environmental Solutions (Belarus)
• Changing Markets
• Coalition Clean Baltic
• European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
• European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
• European Academy for Environmental Medicine (Germany)
• Fundación Alborada (Spain)
• Health Action International (HAI)
• Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
• Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe
• International HCH and Pesticide Association (IHPA)
• IndyACT (Lebanon)
• IPEN (Toxics-Free Network)
• The International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF)
• Ökologischer Ärztebund e.V. (ISDE Germany)
• Pestizid Aktions-Netzwerk (PAN Germany)

PRESS CONTACT
Aidan Long, Press and Communications Manager – HCWH Europe
Email: aidan.long@hcwh.org
Phone: +32 465 10 09 40

Further information from CCB is availiable from
Eugeniy Lobanov, CCB Working Area Leader for Hazardous Substances and Marine Litter
Email:  lobanow@gmail.com ;  lobanow@ecoidea.by

 

Job vacancy: Marine Policy Officer (parental leave cover)

By CCB • February 24, 2026
Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB is a politically independent network, uniting 28 environmental non-profit organizations, as well as partners and experts from 11 countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the environment and natural resources of the Baltic Sea region by encouraging new and constructive approaches and engaging people to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. CCB Secretariat is based in Uppsala, Sweden. About the Role Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) is seeking a Marine Policy Officer (parental leave cover) to join its International Secretariat and contribute substantively to regional and EU-level marine advocacy, with a particular focus on the Baltic Sea. The Marine Policy Officer will support the implementation of EU and international marine environmental policy frameworks — notably the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD) and the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) . All work is grounded in the promotion of ecosystem-based management. The role includes close collaboration with the rest of the Secretariat team as well as CCB member organisations to deliver policy initiatives, advocacy actions, and strategic programme objectives. The Marine Policy Officer will also support the International Secretariat in fundraising, with a focus on the EU LIFE operational grant application. Key Responsibilities Policy & Advocacy Support the implementation of CCB’s strategic plan on marine biodiversity policy. Contribute to marine policy advocacy at EU and at Baltic Sea regional levels (e.g. HELCOM, EU Commission expert groups). Provide input to the implementation and revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Collect evidence and views to provide NGO inputs to the forthcoming EU Ocean Act and related initiatives. Support the implementation of the Helsinki Convention and Baltic Sea Action Plan. Engage in the revision processes related to the Marine Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD). Programme & Grant Delivery Provide critical support in fundraising, i.e. project proposal development, especially for securing core grant funding (e.g. for the EU LIFE Programme and potentially Horizon programme). Contribute to CCB´s project management, implementation and reporting activities for various projects. Coordination & Monitoring Closely coordinate marine biodiversity policy work with CCB member organisations. Monitor global, EU, and regional marine policy developments. Liaise with partner NGOs and civil society organisations. Communications & Policy Products Draft position papers, policy briefings, consultation inputs and technical reports on relevant files. Support communications and outreach on marine policy issues. Help organise workshops, conferences, and stakeholder events. Represent CCB in policy dialogues, expert groups, and stakeholder forums at the EU and Baltic Sea level. Cross-organisational Support within the Secretariat and its members Contribute to other CCB thematic working areas as required. Profile We are seeking a policy professional who is: Solutions-oriented and adaptable Experienced in advocacy or campaigning Collaborative and team-driven Passionate about marine conservation Organised, diplomatic, and stakeholder-confident Required Qualifications & Experience Demonstrable professional experience in marine or environmental policy. Working knowledge of key EU frameworks, particularly the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Knowledge of Helcom BSAP is an asset. Postgraduate qualification in marine science, ecology, conservation, water management, or related discipline with substantial marine focus. Eligibility to work and travel within the EU (citizenship or valid permit) with residency in Sweden. Excellent written and spoken English. CCB also welcomes applicants from broader environmental policy/law backgrounds who can demonstrate relevant knowledge. Desirable Skills Experience within the NGO or civil society sector preferred. Advocacy or campaigning experience within the EU, the Baltic Sea or international environmental policy processes. Working knowledge of a Baltic Sea region language (e.g. Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian).

CCB´s submission to the EU Call for Evidence on the Ocean Act

By CCB • February 19, 2026
Uppsala, February 2025 - CCB supports the Ocean Pact and Ocean Act objectives for improving coherence, coordination and effectiveness of EU ocean governance. Yet, in order to achieve this, the Act has to deliver truly ecosystem-based management of our seas and make reaching Good Environmental Status, as defined in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), a cornerstone of the Act. The Ocean Act can set us on a path to recovery of the marine environment under a sustainable and just blue economy, but only if the Act includes the points outlined below and is implemented swiftly and fully.