This Working Party ended on June 2007.

The Working Party on Accidents and Injuries (WP-AI) was established in November 2003 for the duration of the Public Health Programme (2003-2008). Members of the WP-AI were comprised of public health professionals, national data administrators, contract holders of EU granted projects and relevant stakeholders from the European Union.

The role of the WP-AI was to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of information and experience on injury prevention, thus contributing to the improvement and promotion of good health in the European Union. Moreover, it provided advice and support to the European Commission in identifying the needs and priorities to be addressed as well as for the development of effective injury prevention interventions. In addition, the WP-AI contributed to the development of a sustainable injury surveillance system (Injury Database) of data collection, analysis, interpretation and diffusion of information.

To strengthen multi-disciplinary collaboration and facilitate synergies in order to successfully endeavour the reduction of injuries in the EU, the WP-AI worked together with the other Working Parties and Task Forces of the Public Health Programme via meetings of the Network of Working Party leaders.

Priority areas
In the Communication "Actions for a safer Europe" the Commission has identified seven priority issues to initiate Community actions upon:

Safety of children and adolescents
Children and adolescents have been chosen as a priority, as injuries and its disabling consequences in this age group have a tremendous and long term impact on health and wealth in society.

Falls among senior people
The highest mortality rates due to injury are reported to relate to people at age 65 and above. Injuries and in particular fall-injuries also account for a higher than average hospitalisation rate and an excess share in the direct medical cost due to injuries in this age group.

Vulnerable road users
Children, the elderly, the handicapped, cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians are vulnerable road users. These risk groups deserve to be better represented in current actions for road safety. The EC-Injury Database (IDB) shows that vulnerable road users suffer more accidental injuries on public roads than all motorized road users.

Sport injuries
It is evident that exercise and sportive activities deliver an important contribution to health and notably to a healthy lifestyle as well as to physical, emotional, and social well-being. However a sizable proportion of these health gains are lost due to sport injuries.

Consumer safety and safety of services
Accidents and injuries that directly relate to non-food consumer products and/or certain consumer services (i.e. tourism services, sports and leisure services) are numerous. Preventability of such accidents needs to be enhanced at its highest level possible by ensuring that safety requirements are appropriate, sufficient and adequately enforced.

Self-harm
Another important cause of premature death and of hospitalisation is related to acts of self-harm and suicide. The issue of self-harm and suicide is strongly related to mental health and in particular the prevention of depression.

Interpersonal violence
Interpersonal violence is an issue of growing public concern and includes domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse and youth violence.

and three administrative initiatives:

- Other injury prevention priorities;
- Data collection research projects;
- Administrative projects.

Supported by project funding from the PHP, members of the WP AI initiated a number of projects that aim at expanding the quantity and quality of injury data exchange at EU level as well as the initiation of collaborative actions on the respective priority issues.

The Working Party was assisted by a Platform of Injury Prevention Experts coordinated by the European Association for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (EuroSafe). The following three components were key factors for success: (1) To optimise the use of a comprehensive information system on injuries in order to advocate, quantify the problems, identify risk factors and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions; (2) To focus resources and efforts in seven key areas in injury prevention in order to address the greatest injury burdens in a coordinated approach; and (3) To implement injury prevention and safety promotion evidence-based strategies in all Member States in order to effectively reduce injuries in Europe.

See Mandate of the Working Party Accidents and Injuries
See meetings of the Working Party Accidents and Injuries
See Newsletters of the Working Party Accidents and Injuries
See Injury Statistics Portal
See EU Injury Database (IDB)
See Injury Prevention action in DG SANCO