No C 105/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 4. 87 
Opinion on the 'Europe Against Cancer' Programme — Proposal for a Plan of Action 1987-
1989 including a Draft Council Decision concerning the Information of the Public and the 
Training of Members of the Health Professions 
(87/C 105/09) 
On 15 January 1987 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
programme. 
The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mrs Heuser as Rapporteur-General with 
the task of preparing its work on the subject. 
At its 244th Plenary Session (meeting of 26 February 1987) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion with two dissenting votes and 6 abstentions. 
1. General Comments 
1.1. 'Europe against Cancer' is a comprehensive 
programme in which 75 actions are proposed in four areas: 
prevention, health education, traning and research, 
epidemiological research in particular. Even if only some of 
the proposed measures are realized in the period 1987 to 89, 
decisive progress can be made in preventing and combating 
cancer. 
1.2. The programme forms a logical part of the actions 
undertaken hitherto at Community level. The Committee 
notes with satisfaction that, in line with the demands made 
in its Opinion of 27 February 1986 (*), the Commission has 
now published an overall European strategy and an action 
programme for tackling the problems of basic research, 
preventive measures and treatment. The Commission has 
also taken up some ideas put forward by the Committee in 
previous Opinions (2). 
1.3. The Commission has also submitted a draft Council 
Decision on public information and training for members 
of the health professions. First and foremost this means 
that, as the Committee suggested, there will be a 
considerable increase in the funds earmarked for informing 
members of the health professions and the general public. 
In this way an effective, extensive campaign can be 
undertaken to inform the general public and to improve the 
training of members of the health professions; as part of 
this an effort should be made to improve the supervision of, 
and support for those organizations currently responsible 
for training. 
(!) OJ No C 101, 28. 4. 1986, p. 22. 
(2) OJ No C 307, 19. 11. 1984, p. 28. 
OJ NoC 188, 28.7. 1985, p. 1. 
OJ No C 207, 18. 8. 1986, p. 21. 2. Specific Copments 
2.1. The Committee is pleased that the Commission 
intends to improve protection against occupational cancers 
(e. g. in connection with asbestos, vehicle emissions 
radiation, etc.). In this connection the Committee refers to 
the recommendations contained in its Opinion on occup­
ational cancers. 
2.2. The Committee recognizes that the Commission 
seeks to carry out information campaigns on recommended 
foods and to promote suitable foods and processing 
techniques. It is, however, regrettable that the Committee's 
proposal for research into substitute products and 
processes has been ignored. 
2.3. The Committee notes with deep regret that the 
Commission has not taken up its proposals on alcohol. 
Information campaigns on recommended foods and 
warnings against excessive alcohol consumption are not 
enough in view of the proven link between excessive 
alcohol consumption and the increased risk of cancer. 
2.4. Although it regards as appropriate a campaign to 
inform people and raise public awareness of the risks 
associated with the use of tobacco products, the Committee 
wishes to highlight the adverse socio-economic effects 
which would follow from rapid, indiscriminate implemen­
tation of the measures proposed by the Commission to 
reduce the growing, processing and distribution of tobacco. 
Considering the concern expressed on this even by the 
Commission itself, the Committee would advise the 
greatest caution and prior consultation with operators in 
the sector before any measures are adopted, in order to 
ensure that at all events the measures are consistent and 
spread over a long enough period. The Committee objects 
to proposed action 7 on page 16 of the Commission 
document, viz. prohibition of tax-free sales of tobacco at 
airports, etc. This can only be done after excise duties have 
been harmonized. Precisely because the Committee 
21. 4. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/19 
appear politically attractive but make no real contribution 
to the original objective. 
2.6. The Committee reiterates its support for epi­
demiological research to improve preventive measures and 
to determine the causes of cancer. It considers the 
systematic coordination of all-data based research organi­
zations to be of particular importance. It endorses the 
Commission proposal to launch a feasibility study in 1987 
into the establishment of a European cancer register 
network with a view to setting up a European databank on 
the prevalence and distribution of cancers. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
APPENDIX 
The following amendment was defeated during the discussions: 
Point 1.1 
Insert after point 1.1 : 
'Nonetheless the Committee would point out that the 75 actions envisaged do not appear sufficiently 
balanced or proportionate to the cause-effect relationship. Indeed, while practical measures are planned to 
reduce tobacco production and distribution, for other causes of cancer most of the actions are confined to 
proposals for information activities, with no indication of specific practical measures. This applies especially 
to foodstuffs and protection against carcinogenic substances and environmental causes.' 
Reasons 
The amendment is partly self-explanatory. It should also be pointed out that, to combat tobacco use, 14 
practical, specific actions to reduce consumption are proposed, while, for example, the 9 actions to improve 
foodstuffs aim mainly to provide the consumer with more information, without specifying any practical action 
which would have a substantial effect in the enormous agro-food sector by identifying and reducing 
carcinogenic factors. 
Voting 
For: 35, against: 59, abstentions: 13. supports these measures and expects them to have a 
positive impact, it would like to warn against hopes being 
raised too high by the proposed programme. 
2.5. Excessive expectations could be aroused by the 
view of many experts that over three-quarters of the deaths 
caused by cancer are linked with external factors. The 
Committee would point out that this might lead some 
people to think that the proposed programme could 
prevent up to three-quarters of the deaths from cancer. The 
Committee warns particularly against measures which 
Done at Brussels, 26 February 1987.