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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Jim Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Health Council held in Brussels on 14 December. [143618] Ms Stuart: I attended the Health Council in Brussels on 14 December with Jane Hutt, Health Minister for the National Assembly for Wales. A summary of the outcome of the meeting is in the table. Health Council--14 December 2000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Agenda item Issue UK position Outcome 1 Adoption of provisional -- -- -- agenda. 2 Adoption of `A' points. -- -- -- 3 Proposal for a Decision To agree the extension We support the The Council voted in of the European of six of the eight continuation of these favour of the extension Parliament and of the public health programmes programmes for a limited of the programmes. Council extending until the new public period to avoid any certain programmes of health programme is in break in continuity in Community action in the place. A further two taking forward action in field of public health programmes are due to a number of areas. For adopted by Decisions no. end on 31 December 2003 example, the setting up 645/96/EC, no. and so are not included of communicable diseases 646/96/EC, no. in the proposal. networks. 647/96/EC, no. 102/97/EC, no. 1400/97/EC and no. 1296/1999/EC and amending those decisions. 4 Proposal for a Decision This proposal was The UK broadly supports There was an orientation of the European produced by the the proposal but Ms debate with member Parliament and Council Commission in July in Stuart made the states commenting on the adopting a Community the context of a following points--that broad principles of the action programme in the Communication on an EU the UK will wish to proposal rather than field of public health. Health Strategy. The ensure that the proposal considering the text in Community action does not try to extend detail. programme will replace the scope of Community the eight existing competence and that the public health UK believes that programmes. Common although stronger position was not reached co-ordination is needed, in time for the Health this does not require Council. setting up a separate Community structure. 5 Council Resolution on Nutrition was a public The UK supports the The Resolution was health and nutrition. health priority for the Resolution. It fits in adopted. Jane Hutt French Presidency. well with UK domestic welcomed the Resolution priorities. on behalf of the UK. 6a Review of regulatory and The Commission's The UK has announced Commissioner Byrne administrative proposal for a Directive proposals for domestic announced the legislation of the banning tobacco legislation in this area Commission's intention member states on the advertising was recently and therefore supports to bring forward a new subject of advertising overturned on the the Directive. Directive on tobacco of tobacco products. grounds of its legal advertising which will base by the European cover those elements of Court of Justice. the previous Directive that the ECJ felt were justified on the grounds of internal market harmonisation. 6b Tobacco Labelling This Directive recasts The UK gave its strong The Parliament voted on Directive. three existing Internal support to the proposed the amendments on 13 Market Directives Directive and warmly December and therefore concerning the tar welcomed the Common there was not enough content of cigarettes, Position agreed at the time for the Council to oral tobacco and Health Council in June. agree its position. The labelling of tobacco The Directive text will now be products and updates complements UK proposed considered under the these provisions in the UK domestic legislation Swedish Presidency and light of recent well. The UK's response is likely to go to scientific developments to the Parliament's Conciliation. in this field. Common amendments is being Position was reached at considered. the June Health Council. The text has been undergoing its second reading. Compromise proposals were put forward to the Parliament but no agreement was reached. 6c WHO Framework Convention The FCTC is WHO's first The UK supports and is Commissioner Byrne on Tobacco Control. attempt at using its fully participating in commented on the need to powers to establish a the negotiations. revisit the negotiating global treaty. Following mandate with a view to a period of information incorporating further collection, the areas of Community negotiations began in competence (e.g. October. A mandate was taxation). agreed to allow the Commission to negotiate in areas of EU competence. 7 Council Resolution on The Resolution was The UK strongly supports The Resolution was paediatric medicines. initiated by the French the Resolution, although adopted. Presidency. Its aim is it recognises that the to invite the Commission details of any proposals to come forward with will need careful proposals which consideration. There encourage the are, for example, major development of medicines ethical considerations specifically for use in in conducting trials in the treatment of children. children. 8 Action Plan `e-Europe The Action Plan, which DH is generally content The Commission gave an 2002--An Information is now at the with the proposed oral progress report. Society for all'. implementation stage. It approach in the health includes a chapter on chapter and is liaising `Health on-Line'. closely with DTI colleagues. 9 Clinical Trials progress The Directive will The UK is very The Council accepted all report. establish a legal supportive of the the amendments approved framework for the Directive. this week by the conduct of clinical European Parliament, trials in the EU. It thus avoiding will provide safeguards conciliation. The to trial subjects and Presidency concluded aid the development of that a qualified medicines, including for majority vote existed in children, across the EU. favour of the Directive despite attempts by the Netherlands to have a further debate on specific problems of concern to them. 10a Communicable diseases: The Community Network The UK is committed to The Commission presented Implementation of the for the epidemiological the success of the the progress report. European network for surveillance and control Network, and to the surveillance and rapid of communicable `network' principle to reaction. diseases, including a achieve its objectives. Rapid Reaction Response, has completed its first year of operation. 10b Communicable disease: The purpose of this item UK (Ms Stuart) welcomed The Commission had BSE/Epidemiological was to debate a the additional measures circulated the latest situation of CJD. Commission presentation agreed in Agriculture figures showing the on nCJD trends. Council and, talked number of nv CJD cases about the UK experience across member states. on health and social The Presidency tabled care for nCJD patients Council conclusions on and their families further work on nCJD/BSE and the importance of Health Ministers being fully associated with public health issues at a European level, which were agreed. 11a Presentation of new The Recommendation The UK broadly supports The Council noted the texts by the Commission: refers to health the Recommendation which Recommendation. Recommendation on promotion, education and will complement the UK's Alcohol and the health information measures as consultation paper on a of Young People. well as `codes of National Strategy to conduct' with the Tackle Alcohol Misuse advertising and alcohol due to be published in industries. the new year. 11b Blood Directive The Directive proposal The UK is fully The Council noted the proposal. aims to ensure the committed to the Directive proposal. safety of the blood proposal and played a transfusion chain by strong role in getting setting high standards this Recommendation of quality and safety passed during the UK for the collection, Presidency in 1998. processing, storage and distribution of whole blood, and blood components. 12 Any other business The paper proposes that The UK recognises the There was no discussion European approach to the Commission develop need and the on this item. clinical trials on AIDS ideas on how to improve difficulties of research. co-ordination and establishing European support for AIDS clinical trials in AIDS clinical trials. and other diseases and supports the proposal that the Commission should consider mechanisms for co-ordinating AIDS clinical trials in light of developments on the European Research Area. _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

360 c438-42W;360 c438-41W; 143618

Session

2000-01

Subjects

ICT Alcoholism Blood Health hazards Drugs Environmental health Infectious diseases EU action HIV/AIDS Nutrition CJD Paediatrics Tobacco BSE EC Health Council Clinical trials

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk