19. 1.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 13/5 
II 
(Preparatory Acts ) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision revising the programme for the improvement of the business 
environment and the promotion of the development of enterprises, and in particular small and 
medium-sized enterprises, in the Community 
COM(90) 528 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 28 November 1990) 
(91/C 13/05) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas on 28 July 1989 the Council adopted Decision 
89/490/EEC on the improvement of the business envi­
ronment and the promotion of the development of enter­
prises, and in particular small and medium-sized enter­
prises, in the Community; 
Whereas Article 7 of that Decision states that for the 
period 1990 to 1993, the initial amount deemed 
necessary is estimated at ECU 110 million, and that a 
further estimated amount, of ECU 25 million, may be 
deemed necessary for expenditure in the same period 
should the Council so decide following a review of the 
programme; 
Whereas a review of the programme has shown that it is 
necessary to give this policy a new dimension with a view 
to the completion of the internal market and other 
means deriving from the Single European Act; 
Whereas that review concerns in particular support for 
the activities of SMEs in dealing with concrete economic 
realities and the many and growing forms of cooperation 
between businesses, which is a basic element in the 
completion of the internal market, given the importance 
of SMEs not only in economic activity in general and the 
development of the regions but also of the role they play in terms of dynamism, productivity, adaptability and 
innovation; 
Whereas this new approach, based on the ascertained 
efficacy of the action so far undertaken, implies a 
strategy for the qualitative and quantitative development 
of the instruments available to businesses and thus 
justifies resort being had to the ECU 25 million deemed 
necessary for this purpose; 
Whereas the Treaty does not provide, for the adoption 
of this Decision, powers other than those of Article 235, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
In order to improve the business environment and 
promote the development of enterprises, and in 
particular small and medium-sized enterprises, the 
programme of assistance to SMEs is hereby revised in 
accordance with Article 7 of Decision 89/490/EEC. 
This revision concerns in particular: 
firstly, expansion of measures for the removal of admin­
istrative, financial and legal constraints and the formu­
lation of rules facilitating economic activity in general, 
including, for example, the creation and transfer of 
enterprises, the opening-up of public procurement and 
administrative simplification; 
secondly, increasing the efficiency of the ways in which 
enterprises are informed of national and Community 
policies, rules and activities which concern them or might 
concern them, and supporting them in the matter; 
No C 13/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 19. 1.91 
thirdly, expanding the promotion of cooperation and 
partnership between enterprises, especially small and 
medium-sized ones, in the different regions of the 
Community and the different sectors of economic 
activity, and opening up external markets to them. 
Consequently, for the period 1990 to 1993, a further 
amount of ECU 25 million, as provided for in Article 7 
THE COUNCIL AND THE MINISTERS FOR HEALTH OF 
THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE 
COUNCIL, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, 
Having regard to the proposed decision submitted by the 
Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, the increase in the AIDS epidemic is of major 
concern to Member States and the Community; 
Whereas the resolution of the European Parliament of 
30 March 1989 on the fight against AIDS called on the 
Commission for action in particular in the fields of infor­
mation and training of health professionals; 
Whereas the resolution of the representatives of the 
governments of the Member States, meeting within the 
Council, of 29 May 1986, on AIDS, requested the 
Commission to organize an exchange of information and 
experience; 
Whereas the resolution of the Council and of the 
Ministers of Education meeting within the Council of 23 
November 1988, concerning health education in schools, 
expressed concern about the high incidence of AIDS, 
and invited the Commission to undertake a series of 
actions at Community level; of Decision 89/490/EEC, is deemed necessary in order 
to achieve the aims set out in Article 1. 
The appropriations for implementing the programme 
shall be determined each year under the budgetary 
procedure. 
This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of 
the European Communities. 
Whereas the conclusions of the Council and Ministers 
for Health of the Member States, meeting within the 
Council of 16 May 1989, regarding the prevention of 
AIDS in intravenous drug users, requested the 
Commission to prepare and submit to the Council a 
programme in this area; 
Whereas the conclusions of the Council and the 
Ministers for Health of the Member States, meeting 
within the Council of 16 May 1989, on the improvement 
of the general system for collecting epidemiological data, 
including the application of the new definition of AIDS 
cases, asked the Commission to compare the system for 
recording notifications of AIDS cases at national and 
Community level in order to pinpoint where the 
improvement of coverage can take place, as well as the 
reliability and the comparability of the data used; 
Whereas the conclusions of the Council and the 
Ministers for Health of the Member States, meeting 
within the Council of 16 May 1989, regarding future 
activities on AIDS prevention and control at Community 
level called upon the Commission to examine the possi­
bilities for harmonization with regard to condoms and 
HIV self-testing kits; 
Whereas the resolution of the Council and Ministers for 
Health of the Member States, meeting within the 
Council of 22 December 1989, on the fight against 
AIDS, requested the Commission to develop exchanges 
of information and experience defining in priority the 
details and contents of an action plan integrating appro­
priate measures to prevent and control AIDS; Article 2 Article 3 
Proposal for a decision of the Council and the Ministers for Health of the Member States 
meeting within the Council adopting a plan of action in the framework of the 1991 to 1993 
'Europe against AIDS' programme 
COM(90) 601 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 11 December 1990) 
(91/C 13/06)