---

Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

My honourable friend the Minister of State (Rosie Winterton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council met on 2-3 June. I represented the United Kingdom. Items on the agenda relating to health were covered on 3 June. Items for discussion were: European Commission proposals for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on medicinal products for paediatric use; the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on nutrition and health claims made on foods; the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the addition of vitamins, minerals and other substances to food; the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of community action in health and consumer protection; obesity, nutrition and physical activity; combating HIV/AIDS; and community mental health action. On the paediatric medicines regulation, the UK supported the European Commission on the length of the supplementary protection certificate extension. The Commission was content with the proposal to incorporate a review mechanism specifically aimed at studying the reward mechanism. The UK spoke in favour of public access to the paediatric clinical trials database. This issue will need to be discussed further by Council. All member states voted in favour of a political agreement to the proposed regulation on nutrition and health claims made on food. The UK secured an amendment that safeguarded the development of ““signpost”” labelling for nutrients. The UK also made statements for the minutes concerning its disagreement on the choice of legal base and the need to ensure that opportunities were taken to reduce authorisation burdens in the next stages of the negotiation. There was a qualified majority in favour of a political agreement to the proposed regulation on the addition of vitamins, minerals and other substances to foods. The Council had its first discussion of the Commission's proposed health and consumer protection programme for 2007–13. The Council's exchange of views was structured around presidency questions focused on the health objectives of the proposal. The UK gave its support for the general direction of the new programme but stressed that it would be important to ensure that the programme respected the scope of the treaty. Ministers unanimously adopted three sets of council conclusions on obesity, nutrition and physical activity, HIV/AIDS and mental health. Ministers took note of presidency information on: the proposal to amend the council regulation on fees payable to the European medicines agency; the international health regulations; the framework convention on tobacco control; the proposal on additives other than colourings and sweeteners to food; and conferences held during the Luxembourg presidency. Member states also took note of information from   the Commission on: the follow-up to the G10 pharmaceuticals process; pandemic preparedness planning; the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; environment and health; the high-level group on health care and medical services; and follow-up to the tobacco products directive. On the follow-up to the tobacco products directive, the UK undertook to take forward any work from the Commission and the World Health Organisation that emerged on this issue during the UK presidency of the European Union. Ministers also discussed the health response to the tsunami in south Asia.