A4-0285/96

Decision on the common position established by the Council with a view to the adoption of a European Parliament and Council Decision adopting a programme of Community action on health monitoring within the framework for action in the field of public health (C4-0354/96 - 95/0238(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the common position of the Council, C4-0354/96 - 95/0238(COD) ((OJ C 220, 29.7.1996, p. 36.)),

- having regard to its opinion at first reading ((OJ C 141, 13.5.1996, p. 94.)) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(95)0449 ((OJ C 338, 16.12.1995, p. 4.)),

- having regard to the amended Commission proposal, COM(96)0222 ((OJ C 214, 24.7.1996, p. 6.)),

- having regard to Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to Rule 72 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0285/96),

1. Amends the common position as follows;

2. Calls on the Commission to support Parliament's amendments in the opinion it is required to deliver pursuant to Article 189b(2)(d) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to approve all Parliament's amendments, amend its common position accordingly and definitively adopt the act;

4. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission.

(Amendment 1)

Recital 3a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(3a) Whereas, at the conciliation meeting on the Community action programme on health promotion, information, education and training, the Commission undertook to consider the idea of a European Health Observatory;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 12

>Original text>

(12) Whereas, in order to give full effect to requirements and expectations in this area, a Community health monitoring system should be developed, comprising the establishment of health indicators and the collection of health data, a network for transmission and sharing of health data and indicators, and a capacity for analysis and dissemination of health information;

>Text following EP vote>

(12) Whereas, in order fully to meet requirements and expectations in this area, a Community health monitoring system should be set up, involving the establishment of health indicators on the basis of comparable health data, the establishment of a network for transmission and sharing of health data and indicators, and building capacity for analysis and dissemination of health information;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 15

>Original text>

(15) Whereas the situation with regard to the collection of data varies from one Member State to another;

>Text following EP vote>

(15) Whereas situations vary with regard to the collection of data in the Member States; whereas Community support is needed for the establishment or improvement of databases in the Member States;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 19

>Original text>

(19) Whereas a multiannual programme should be launched within the framework for action in the field of public health, in order to permit the development of a Community health monitoring system and of appropriate mechanisms for its evaluation;

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

(Amendment 5)

Recital 22

>Original text>

(22) Whereas cooperation with the competent international organizations and with non-member countries should be strengthened;

>Text following EP vote>

(22) Whereas cooperation with the competent international organizations, including the WHO and OECD, health professionals and governmental or non- governmental organizations in the area covered by this programme, and with non-member countries should be strengthened;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 26

>Original text>

(26) Whereas data is insufficiently comparable at present and unnecessary duplication of effort should be avoided by the joint development of comparison and conversion methods, criteria and techniques, suitable data collection tools such as surveys, questionnaires or parts thereof, and content specifications for health information to be shared using in particular a telematics network;

>Text following EP vote>

(26) Whereas data is insufficiently comparable at present and there should be joint development of comparison and conversion definitions, methods and techniques, as well as suitable data collection tools such as surveys, questionnaires or parts thereof, and the establishment of joint content specifications for health information to be shared using in particular a telematics network;

(Amendment 7)

Article 1(2), introduction

>Original text>

2. The objective of the programme shall be to contribute to the establishment of a Community health-monitoring system which helps to:

>Text following EP vote>

2. The objective of the programme shall be to establish a Community health- monitoring system which makes it possible to:

(Amendment 8)

Article 3(1)

>Original text>

1. The financial framework for the implementation of the programme for the period referred to in Article 1 shall be ECU 13 million.

>Text following EP vote>

1. The financial framework for the implementation of the programme for the period referred to in Article 1 shall be ECU 20 million.

(Amendment 9)

Article 4

>Original text>

The Commission, with the assistance of the Member States, shall ensure that there is consistency and complementarity between actions to be implemented under this programme and the other relevant Community programmes and initiatives, covering those that are situated in the context of public-health action as well as, in particular, the framework programme for statistical information, projects in the field of telematic interchange of data between administrations and the framework programme for research and technological development, in particular the telematics applications of the latter.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall ensure that there is consistency and complementarity between actions to be implemented under the programme and the other relevant Community programmes and initiatives, both those in the context of public-health action and, in particular, the framework programme for statistical information, projects in the field of telematic interchange of data between administrations and the framework programme for research and technological development, particular the telematics applications of the latter.

(Amendment 10)

Article 5

>Original text>

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee, consisting of two members designated by each Member State and chaired by a representative of the Commission.

>Text following EP vote>

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an advisory nature, hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee', composed of one member per Member State and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

>Original text>

2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken concerning:

>Text following EP vote>

2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken concerning in particular:

>Original text>

(a) the Committee's rules of procedure;

>Text following EP vote>

(a) the Committee's rules of procedure;

>Original text>

(b) an annual work programme indicating the priorities for action;

>Text following EP vote>

(b) an annual work programme laying down the priorities for action;

>Original text>

(c) the arrangements, criteria and procedures for selecting and financing projects under the programme, including those involving cooperation with international organizations competent in the field of public health and participation of the countries referred to in Article 6(2);

>Text following EP vote>

(c) the provisions, criteria and procedures for selecting and financing projects under the programme, including those involving cooperation with international organizations competent in the field of public health and participation of the countries referred to in Article 6(2);

>Original text>

(d) the evaluation procedure;

>Text following EP vote>

(d) the evaluation procedure;

>Original text>

(e) the arrangements for dissemination and transfer of results;

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

>Original text>

(f) the arrangements for cooperating with the institutions and organizations referred to in Article 2(2);

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

>Original text>

(g) the provisions applicable to reporting the data, conversion thereof and other methods for making the data comparable in order to achieve the objective referred to in Article 1(2);

>Text following EP vote>

(g) the provisions applicable to the reporting, conversion and harmonization of data;

>Original text>

(h) the provisions for the definition and selection of indicators;

>Text following EP vote>

(h) the provisions for the definition and selection of indicators;

>Original text>

(i) the provisions for the content specifications necessary for setting up and operation of the relevant networks.

>Text following EP vote>

(i) the provisions for the content specifications necessary for the setting up and operation of the networks.

>Original text>

The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft measures referred to above within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of the representatives of the Member States within the Committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The Chairman shall not vote.

>Original text>

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the Committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event:

>Original text>

- the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided upon for a period of two months from the date of such communication;

>Original text>

- the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit laid down in the first indent.

>Original text>

3. In addition, the Commission may consult the Committee on any other matter concerning the implementation of this programme, including the arrangements for coordination with the other programmes and initiatives referred to in Article 4.

>Text following EP vote>

3. In addition, the Commission may consult the Committee on any other matter concerning the implementation of the programme.

>Original text>

The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

>Text following EP vote>

The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

>Original text>

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its opinion recorded in the minutes.

>Text following EP vote>

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its opinion recorded in the minutes.

>Original text>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

>Original text>

4. The representative of the Commission shall keep the Committee regularly informed of:

>Text following EP vote>

4. The representative of the Commission shall keep the Committee regularly informed of:

>Original text>

- financial assistance granted under the programme (amount, duration, breakdown and beneficiaries);

>Text following EP vote>

- financial assistance granted under the programme (amount, duration, breakdown and beneficiaries);

>Original text>

- Commission proposals or Community initiatives and the implementation of programmes in other areas which are of direct relevance to achievement of the objectives of the programme, with a view to ensuring the consistency and complementarity referred to in Article 4.

>Text following EP vote>

- Commission proposals or Community initiatives and the implementation of programmes in other areas of interest for achievement of the objectives of the programme, with a view to ensuring the consistency and complementarity referred to in Article 4.

(Amendment 11)

Article 6(1)

>Original text>

1. In the course of implementing the programme, cooperation with non-member countries and with international organizations competent in the field of public health, in particular the World Health Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Labour Organization, shall be encouraged and implemented in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5.

>Text following EP vote>

1. In the course of implementing the programme, cooperation with non-member countries and with international and governmental or non-governmental organizations competent in the field of public health, in particular the World Health Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Labour Organization, shall be strengthened and implemented in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5.

(Amendment 12)

Article 7(2)

>Original text>

2. The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council an interim report halfway through the programme and a final report on completion thereof. The Commission shall incorporate into these reports information on Community financing in the various fields of action and on complementarity with the other programmes and initiatives referred to in Article 4, as well as the results of the evaluation referred to in paragraph 1. It shall also send the reports to the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

>Text following EP vote>

2. The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council an interim report by 30 June 1999 and a final report by 30 June 2002. The Commission shall incorporate into these reports information on Community financing in the various fields of action and on complementarity with the other programmes and initiatives referred to in Article 4, as well as the results of the evaluation referred to in paragraph 1. It shall also send the reports to the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

(Amendment 13)

ANNEX I(A), introductory clause

>Original text>

To establish Community health indicators by a critical review of existing health data and indicators and develop appropriate methods for the collection of health data and for making such data comparable, in accordance with the objective referred to in Article 1(2).

>Text following EP vote>

To establish Community health indicators by means of a critical review of existing health data and indicators and develop appropriate methods for the collection of comparable and progressively harmonized health data, in accordance with the objective referred to in Article 1(2).

(Amendment 14)

ANNEX I(A)(3)

>Original text>

3. Development of the routine collection of data and of methods for making health data comparable, in order to achieve the objective referred to in Article 1(2), including support for drawing up data dictionaries and the establishment of appropriate conversion methods and rules.

>Text following EP vote>

3. Development of the routine collection of data made comparable by the elaboration of data dictionaries, the establishment of appropriate conversion methods and rules and the harmonization of definitions and methods of collecting national health data.

(Amendment 15)

ANNEX I(A)(4a)(new)

>Text following EP vote>

4a. Financial support for the Member States in connection with the establishment or improvement of their health data collection systems.

(Amendment 16)

ANNEX I(A)(6)

>Original text>

6. Encouragement and support for the assessment of the feasibility and cost- effectiveness of developing standardized health-resource statistics with the aim of including them in a future Community health monitoring system.

>Text following EP vote>

6. Assessment of the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of compiling standardized health-resource statistics with the aim of including them in the Community health monitoring system.

(Amendment 17)

ANNEX I(A)(6a)(new)

>Text following EP vote>

6a. Carrying out feasibility studies on setting up a permanent body (the European Health Observatory) responsible for monitoring and evaluating health data and indicators in the Community area.

(Amendment 18)

ANNEX I(C)(10)

>Original text>

10. Support for the preparation, production and dissemination of reports and other information material on health status and trends, health determinants and the impact on health of other policies.

>Text following EP vote>

10. Support for the drafting of reports and other analyses on health status and trends, health systems in the European Union and their cost-effectiveness, health determinants and the impact on health of other policies.

(Amendment 19)

ANNEX I(C)(10a)(new)

>Text following EP vote>

10a. Support for the dissemination of reports and information to the Member States, international organizations, professionals and bodies in the health sector and the general public.