WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2794/98 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Health systems in the EU
Date: 1998-09-17
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: Austria, EU programme, health care system, health policy, information, member country, public health

C 118/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.4.1999

Mrs. Mary Robinson, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, has protested against the execution
of Mr Rawhani and urged Teheran not to execute three other Bahai(cid:146)s.

(1999/C 118/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2794/98

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Health systems in the EU

A ministerial conference on the quality of health-care systems was held in Bad Tatzmannsdorf (Austria)
on 24 July 1998, on the initiative of the Austrian Presidency-in-Office of the EU Council and in the
presence of the European Commissioner Mr Padreig Flynn.

Commissioner Flynn declared that the amount of data available amongst the EU Member States was
poorly coordinated, which was a matter for regret as the quality of health-care systems affected 380 million
Europeans in their daily lives.

In the light of the above, does the Commission not consider it advisable to compile an up-to-date
comparative study of the different health-care systems and does it not, above all, consider it essential to
devise a rational model for health-care systems to which all the Member States can refer in view of the
major demographic changes which have occurred and the new technologies used in health-care?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 1998)

In its recent communication on the development of public health policy (1), the Commission pointed to the
need to create a structured and comprehensive system for collecting, analysing and disseminating
information on health status, health determinants, and health systems involving all the Member States.
The Community(cid:146)s action programme on health monitoring is expected to make a significant contribution
towards this goal.

A study on (cid:145)Health care systems in the EU › a comparative study(cid:146) was recently published by the
Parliament (SACO 101 EN). This study comprises information on health-care systems of the Member
States.

The organisation of health care systems is a matter for the Member States.

(1) COM(98) 230 final.

(1999/C 118/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2796/98

by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Freedom of movement for journalists in Kosovo

The belligerents in Kosovo regularly hamper the work of journalists. Some have been struck, others shot
at. A German TV crew was recently deported by the authorities. It was impossible for Yugoslav journalists
to report on the recent visit by Commissioner Bonino to the area controlled by the Kosovo Liberation
Army, UCK, because no one was able to guarantee their safety. During the Commissioner(cid:146)s visit, foreign
journalists were kept away by the UCK, and two TV crews had their tapes seized.

Two days later, Djuro Slavuj, a reporter working for Radio Pristina, and his chauffeur, Ranko Perinic,
were abducted in the same area. There is so far no trace of them. Djuro Slavuj, who used to work for Radio
Dvor na Uni in Croatia, has lived in Kosovo as a refugee since 1995.