There are still high levels of premature death arising from diseases related to lifestyle, notably cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and from accidents. In addition there are new risks to health notably from the emergence of new communicable diseases, the resurgence of old ones and the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics. There are also wide variations in health status both between Member States and between different groups within them. There is also strong evidence that death rates are higher for the poorer sectors in society. These inequalities are worrying in a European Union which is committed to raising the quality of living and ensuring a high level of health protection for its citizens.
People are rightly concerned about the dangers of smoking.
Community citizens are also anxious about the spread of communicable diseases in an open internal market and the Commission has presented a proposal for a network for their surveillance and control. I hope Parliament will play its part in taking this important initiative further as quickly as possible. And the Treaty also says that 'health protection requirements shall form a constituent part of the Community's other policies'. Article 129 of the Treaty targets Community action in public health towards activities related to prevention and health promotion, while it has left the provision of health services to the Member States. Just after the Maastricht Treaty was ratified, the Commission adopted a framework for action in the field of public health.