A4-0287/96

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision creating a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the European Community (COM(96)0078 - C4-0189/96 - 96/0052(COD))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 9a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

9a. Whereas the current shortcomings in the structures for the epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases in the Member States make it necessary to establish a permanent structure at Community level;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 10

>Original text>

10. Whereas measures in the health field must take into account other actions undertaken by the Community in the field of public health or which have an impact on public health;

>Text following EP vote>

10. Whereas measures in the health field must take into account other actions undertaken by the Community in the field of public health or which have an impact on public health including actions undertaken with third countries;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 12

>Original text>

12. Whereas cooperation with the competent international organizations, notably with regard to disease classification, must be fostered;

>Text following EP vote>

12. Whereas cooperation with the competent international organizations, particularly the World Health Organization, notably with regard to disease classification, must be fostered, including use of appropriate language and technology;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 14

>Original text>

14. Whereas the emergence or recent resurgence of serious communicable diseases has demonstrated that when an emergency situation occurs all relevant information must be communicated swiftly to the Commission in an agreed form of presentation;

>Text following EP vote>

14. Whereas the emergence or recent resurgence of serious communicable diseases has demonstrated that when an emergency situation occurs all information and data gathered in accordance with a previously established methodology must be communicated swiftly to the Commission;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 15

>Original text>

15. Whereas the introduction of specific Community arrangements will help to ensure that all Member States are swiftly informed in the event of such an emergency situation, so that the protection of the population can be ensured;

>Text following EP vote>

15. Whereas, in an emergency, the Community network must be able to communicate the data and information in its possession to all the Member States without delay, so that the protection of the population can be ensured;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 18a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

18a. Whereas negotiations are currently underway within the EU-USA Action Group aimed at establishing a world alert and response network in respect of communicable diseases;

(Amendment 7)

Article 1, 1st paragraph

>Original text>

A general network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases shall be set up in the European Community.

>Text following EP vote>

A general network for the epidemiological surveillance, early warning and control of communicable diseases shall be set up in the European Community.

(Amendment 8)

Article 1, 2nd paragraph

>Original text>

This Community network shall be formed by putting into permanent communication with one another, through all appropriate technical means, structures which, at the level of each Member State and under the responsibility of the Member State, are charged with collecting information relating to epidemiological surveillance and coordinating control measures.

>Text following EP vote>

This Community network shall be formed by putting into permanent communication with one another, through all appropriate technical means, structures (hereafter referred to as Eurocentres) which, at the level of each Member State and under the responsibility of the Member State, are charged with collecting information relating to epidemiological surveillance and coordinating control measures in order then to forward them to a central body: the European Centre for the Surveillance of Communicable Diseases.

(Amendment 9)

Article 2, 1st indent

>Original text>

- epidemiological surveillance: the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of health data concerning communicable diseases, for the purpose of enabling appropriate counter-measures to be taken,

>Text following EP vote>

- epidemiological surveillance: the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of comparable and compatible health data concerning communicable diseases, for the purpose of enabling appropriate counter-measures to be taken,

(Amendment 10)

Article 3(a)

>Original text>

(a) the appearance or resurgence on its territory of cases of serious and/or rare communicable diseases as listed in the Annex;

>Text following EP vote>

(a) the appearance or resurgence on its territory of cases of serious and/or rare communicable diseases as listed in the Annex, subject to the provisions in Article 8;

(Amendment 11)

Article 3(b)

>Original text>

(b) the importation onto its territory, from another Member State or a non- Community country, of cases of serious and/or rare communicable diseases as listed in the Annex;

>Text following EP vote>

(b) the importation onto its territory from another Member State or a non- Community country, of cases of serious and/or rare communicable diseases as listed in the Annex, subject to the provisions in Article 8;

(Amendment 12)

Article 4

>Original text>

For the purposes of implementing this decision the Commission shall be assisted by a committee consisting of representatives from the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission.

>Text following EP vote>

For the purposes of implementing this decision the Commission shall be assisted by a committee consisting of one representative per Member State and chaired by a representative of the Commission.

>Original text>

The Commission representative shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on this draft within a time limit which the chairman shall 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.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission representative shall submit to the committee a draft of the general measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on this draft 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 the measures envisaged if they are in accordance with the opinion of the committee. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, or if no opinion has been delivered, the Commission shall forthwith submit to the Council a proposal concerning the measures to be taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in accordance with the opinion of the committee. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, or if no opinion has been delivered, the Commission shall without delay submit to the Council a proposal concerning the measures to be taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.

>Original text>

If, within three months of the matter being referred to it, the Council has not adopted measures, the Commission shall adopt the measures proposed and implement them immediately.

>Text following EP vote>

If, within three months of the matter being referred to it, the Council has not acted, the measures proposed shall be adopted by the Commission.

(Amendment 13

Article 5(1)

>Original text>

1. case definitions, in particular the clinical definition and, where appropriate, the microbiological characterization of the agent responsible;

>Text following EP vote>

1. case definitions, in particular the clinical definition and, whenever possible, the microbiological characterization of the agent responsible;

(Amendment 14)

Article 5(4)

>Original text>

4. the protective measures to be taken, in particular at ports and airports, notably in emergency situations;

>Text following EP vote>

4. the protective measures to be taken, in particular at external frontiers, notably in emergency situations;

(Amendment 15)

Article 5(5a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

5a. periodic evaluation of the performance of the network, including a report to the European Parliament and the Member States within five years, giving evidence of the effective use of resources and the structural capacity;

(Amendment 16)

Article 6a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 6a

The Community network shall, without delay, forward the information referred to in Articles 5 and 6 to the appropriate authorities of all the Member States. It shall forward to the appropriate authorities of the Member States any information of which it is aware on the subject of any state of emergency arising from the appearance or resurgence of serious communicable diseases within the territory of the European Community or originating in third countries.

(Amendment 17)

Article 8

>Original text>

The Commission may amend or supplement the Annex in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 4.

>Text following EP vote>

The Annex may be amended or supplemented in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 4.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision on creating a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the European Community (COM(96)0078 - C4-0189/96 - 96/0052(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(96)0078 - 96/0052(COD) ((OJ C 123, 26.4.1996, p. 10.)),

- having regard to Article 189b(2) and Article 129 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C4-0189/96),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0287/96),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty;

4. Points out that the Commission is required to submit to Parliament any modification it may intend to make to its proposal as amended by Parliament;

5. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.