A3-0311/93

Resolution on public health policy after Maastricht

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mrs Caroline F. Jackson and others on health-related policies (B3-0886/91),

-having regard to its previous resolutions since 1979 on public health policy,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A3-0311/93),

A.whereas the Treaty on European Union gives the Community the responsibility of developing a coordinated public health policy,

B.having regard to health implications of Community policy on environment, health and safety at work, consumption of food and pharmaceuticals, biotechnological advances in medicine, free movement of persons, in particular health care professionals, etc,

C.having regard to the various Commission communications on health issues, the latest of which is COM(93)0198 on blood self-sufficiency in the European Community,

D.having regard to the changing population structure of the European Community in relation to ageing and mobility of the population,

E.whereas, as a result of demographic changes, the demand for health care has changed considerably both in quantitative and qualitative terms,

F.whereas Community public health policy is currently the responsibility of different Directorates-General of the Commission (primarily III, V, VIII, XI, XII, and XIII),

G.whereas other health care obligations fall to the Community both with respect to workers (Article 118 EC, Article 118a EC as added by the Single European Act, the Social Charter) and citizens and consumers (Article 100a EC as added by the Single European Act and Article 129a EC as added by the Maastricht Treaty);

1.Calls on the Commission to consult widely with health professionals, care providers and health authorities of the Member States and non-governmental organisations to develop common health policy definitions, objectives and priorities;

2.Calls on the Commission to submit urgently a full programme of measures to achieve the objectives of Article 129 of the Ec Treaty involving in particular:

(a)identification of 'high risks' and 'population at risk' in health terms,

(b)indication of the minimum levels of health care which each Member State must provide for its citizens;

3.Calls on the Commission to establish a European Epidemiological Investigation Unit to collect and examine data from Member States, establish target figures for the reduction of diseases; develop policies to reduce disparities in health caused in part by socio-economic conditions such as poverty and regional/technological under-development; and to coordinate EC-wide information campaigns, with particular reference (inter alia) to diseases related to the environment, diet, genetic factors, to communicable diseases and diseases considered "rare" within the borders of one Member State;

4.Calls on the Commission to set up a trans-frontier network to devise working definitions of notifiable diseases; to collect, update, analyze and disseminate Member State data on notifiable diseases; and to work with national and international agencies on such matters;

5.Calls on the Commission to propose plans to encourage exchange schemes for health care professionals among Member States, along the lines of Erasmus and other existing Community programmes;

6.Calls on the Commission to develop the exchange of information between national health systems;

7.Urges the Commission to review the current health competences of its various Directorates-General and appoint one of its Members to be specifically responsible for the coordination of all aspects of public health care policy, including research;

8.Calls on the Commission to begin work on a 'State of Health in the Community' report along the lines of the existing 'State of the Environment in the Community' report, which will analyse trends and assess the effects of public health policies, as well as the impact of other policies on health;

9.Calls on the Commission to introduce measures to promote and support health care at home and informal care;

10.Asks the Commission to investigate the feasibility of encouraging greater use of generic pharmaceuticals and to bring forward proposals to coordinate the conditions of use of all pharmaceuticals;

11.Calls on the Commission to investigate the feasibility of promoting the responsible use of medicines not requiring a prescription, with a view to educating patients in a responsible approach towards self-help in health care;

12.Calls on the Commission to develop and execute activities on health promotion and education, drugs and accident prevention, and on prevention of disease, including vaccinations and screening. In this context, the Commission should develop a working programme to better integrate public health requirements into other policy areas;

13.Calls on the Commission to intensify its activities concerning the fight against the scourges of cancer and AIDS; and to take into account the problems of the elderly, cardio-vascular diseases, and drug dependency when drawing up its budget;

14.Calls on the Commission to develop and commit itself to a firm timetable for the implementation of the Community's public health objectives;

15.Calls on the Commission and Council to implement Parliament's resolutions of 19 January 1984 on a European Charter on the rights of patients and 16 November 1984 on the adoption of a European emergency health card; urges the Commission to take measures to improve transfrontier access to health care;

16.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council.