Mr Banaszak EA Rapporteur for the CoR opinion on the "The role of local and regional authorities in the implementation of the Health Strategy 2008-2013" welcomes the decision of the CoR Bureau for setting-up of the inter-regional group on health as of 1 January 2011. The aim of creating the group is to enable the CoR members to debate openly and to share their points of view on EU health issues, as well as to discuss other public health matters in depth, without impinging upon the remits of the NAT Commission. The activities of the group would focus on the topics related to public health, such as healthy living, health inequalities, healthy work force, nutrition, cross-border healthcare and use of structural funds on health purposes.