Council Resolution of 8 June 1999 on the future Community action in the field of public health
Date: 1999-06-08
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU action, health policy, public health

15.7.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 200/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 8 June 1999

on the future Community action in the field of public health

(1999/C 200/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

1. RECALLING the Commission’s communication of 15 April
1998 on the development of public health policy in the
European Community which was intended to stimulate a
broad discussion at Community and national levels;

8. EMPHASISES that a high level of human health protection is
increasingly important in view of the health challenges the
Member States and the European Union will face in the
forthcoming millennium;

2. RECALLING its Conclusions of 26 November 1998 on the
future framework for Community action in the field of
public health (1) in which general principles were estab-
lished;

3. TAKING NOTE of the Resolution on 10 March 1999 of the
European Parliament on the communication from the
Commission on the development of health policy in the
European Community;

4. TAKING NOTE of the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee of 9 September 1998 and of the Committee of
the Regions of 19 November 1998 on the communication
from the Commission on the development of public health
policy in the European Community;

5. TAKING NOTE of the results of the Conference on the new
public health policy of
the European Union held at
Potsdam on 27 to 29 January 1999 as a positive
the
contribution to the debate on the development of
future Community action in the field of public health;

6. STRESSES that the future Community action (cid:151) directed
improving public health, preventing human
towards
illness and diseases and obviating sources of danger to
human health (cid:151) must address
in a coordinated an
coherent way the concerns of the Community’s citizens
about risks to their health and their expectations for a
high level of health;

7. CONSIDERS it necessary that all health-related activities in
the Community have a high degree of visibility and trans-
parency, in order to promote a better knowledge and thus
enable a larger involvement of citizens;

(1) OJ C 390, 15.12.1998, p. 1.

9. CONSIDERS that key challenges

include emerging and
re-emerging threats
to health; major health scourges;
genetic, behavioural and environmental determinants of
health; growing health inequalities; quality assurance;
demographic changes and the impact of ageing; social,
economic and political factors; the advances in research
and the application and proliferation of new technologies,
in particular biotechnology;

10. UNDERLINES that

the Community should be properly
this requires both
these challenges;
equipped to meet
as
three
specifically within the
developing,
indicated in the Council’s Conclusions of 26 November
1998,
added
Community value, as well as appropriate scientific and
administrative structures;

action and measures

appropriate

strands

of

11. STRESSES the importance that the new programme will
the cooperation
encourage and,
between Member States on appropriate issues on the key
challenges and in other fields where they wish to cooperate
insofar as the public health objectives of the Treaty allow;

if necessary,

support

12. CONSIDERS that over the long term, the effectiveness of
Community public health action will depend to a very
large degree on the availability of adequate Community
resources
to meet priorities and the engagement of
relevant authorities in the Member States on a continuing
basis;

13. UNDERLINES that existing Community networks should be
evaluated as to whether they are suitable to meet the key
challenges;

C 200/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

15.7.1999

14. REITERATES that the development of measures in all three
strands as indicated in the Council’s Conclusions of 26
the needs
November 1998,
arising from the future enlargement of
the European
Union and the work of
international organisations
competent in the sphere of health;

should take into account

balance between the impact of the internal market and the
unchanged responsibilities of Member States
the
organisation and delivery of health services and medical
care;

for

15. UNDERLINES that, in order to strengthen the scientific basis,
research must have an essential role in underpinning the
Community’s future public health action. Public health-
related research at Community level,
to be
relevant for Community public health, has to respond to
the specific research needs and issues identified by the
public health sector whose access to research programmes
should be facilitated;

in order

cooperation and working methods

17. CONSIDERS IT APPROPRIATE that, following the entry into
force of the Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999, internal
organisation,
at
Community level should be reviewed with a view to
achieving a better coordination of health-related issues so
as to ensure a high level of human health protection in the
definition and implementation of all Community policies
and activities;

16. UNDERLINES the need to establish procedures through
which the Community and the Member States can
monitor the impact of Community policies and activities,
especially those relating to the internal market, on public
health and health care, in order to facilitate an adequate

18.

INVITES the Commission, as a matter of urgency and in
order to ensure continuity in the light of the expiration of
existing programmes, to make a proposal for a decision of
the European Parliament and the Council on a programme
of action in the field of public health, in time for the next
Council meeting devoted to health questions.

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 28 June 1999

on measures to address the year 2000 computer problem

(1999/C 200/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Commission communication of 25
February 1998 entitled (cid:145)The year 2000 computer problem(cid:146);

Having regard to the Presidency Conclusion of
the Cardiff
European Council of 15 and 16 June 1998 which recognised
that problems associated with information technology and
other electronic systems arising from the year 2000 could
have serious cross-border effects, as well as the need for
to share best practice in addressing the
Member States
problem and
national
the
of
programmes
to raise awareness and prescribe action to
minimise possible disruption;

establishing

importance

Having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of the Vienna
European Council of 11 and 12 December 1998 which urged
Member States to implement timely plans for the protection of
their own infrastructure and to continue to raise awareness
across all sectors, focusing in particular on the public sector
and small and medium-sized enterprises, and to examine
closely the implications of
supply-chain
failures outside the European Union, to draw up contingency
plans to address this, and to exchange information with their
counterparts in other Member States;

the problem of

RECOGNISING that:

(cid:151) the problem is global in nature;

Having regard to the Commission report
to the Vienna
European Council of 11 and 12 December 1998 on (cid:145)How
the EU is tackling the year 2000 computer problem(cid:146);

(cid:151) year 2000 compliance can only be ensured by the suppliers
and users of computer-based systems and technical systems
with embedded electronics;