Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Role of the local and regional authorities in the reform of European public health systems"
Date: 2000-04-13
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: cooperation policy, health policy, local authority, public health, regional authority

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 226/79

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Role of the local and regional authorities in the
reform of European public health systems’

(2000/C 226/19)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the decision of the Bureau of 15 September 1999 to draw up, in accordance with the
fifth paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, an Opinion on the
Role of the local and regional authorities in the reform of European public health systems and to instruct
Commission 5 for Social Policy, Public Health, Consumer Protection, Research and Tourism to prepare
the Committee’s work on the subject;

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 416/99 rev. 2) adopted by Commission 5 on 6 March 2000
(rapporteur: Mr Tilman Tögel (D/PSE));

adopted the following opinion at its 33rd plenary session held on 12 and 13 April 2000 (meeting of
13 April).

The Committee of the Regions would like to make the
following comments about the further development of
European public health policy:

The Committee of the Regions makes the following
recommendations to the Commission, the Council and
the European Parliament:

1.
The health care field includes tasks performed by the
local and regional authorities which are important to the
public and have a major financial
impact in the light of
European integration. In view of the strong cultural influences
on health care, European involvement must be kept to a bare
minimum.

2.
Systems (by means of which the spread of infectious
diseases can be averted, foodstuff supervision can be made
more efficient and environmental effects hazardous to health
can be prevented) could be studied and settled at the EU-level.
The role of the EU is essential in such duties.

6.
As an initial step, the necessary basis for cooperation
should be established by means of greater transparency,
the targeted development of methods and the exchange of
experience.

7.
In developing European public health policy as defined
in the treaty of Amsterdam, the European Union’s bodies, in
collaboration with the Member States should:

— provide a further stimulus to solving local and regional
problems, especially those arising in border areas, by
working together with local and regional authorities via
practical initiatives and targeted development projects;

3. Member States carry out their health and medical care
according to national organisational and financial solutions.
They are the results of a long historical and cultural develop-
ment. The harmonisation of these solutions would not be
reasonable nor justifiable.

— look at the individual areas and issues, responsibility for
which is dispersed across the whole range of European
bodies, as a whole and to coordinate this approach via the
European Commission;

4.
Discussions on cross-border aspects of health should be
encouraged. Discussion matters could for instance focus on
financing health-costs relating to cross-border activities.

The policy and decision-making powers of the local
5.
authorities must not only be taken into consideration but also
strengthened in line with needs, and developed.

— encourage regional players to become actively involved,
within the range of opportunities offered by both
nationally managed health care systems and health systems
of the self-managing kind existing in some Member States
in the fields of public health. This applies particularly
where public health and health care functions are assigned
to different bodies and levels. Being close to the ‘grass
roots’ the local authorities have an important role to
play. Their social service departments are responsible for
identifying problems, taking preventive action and offering
assistance, particularly to sections of the population which
are at risk or experiencing difficulties;

C 226/80

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8.8.2000

— extend health monitoring and public health reporting in
Europe systematically to all matters relevant to public
health so as to establish a reliable data framework in
parallel with practical comparative studies of structure.

8.
The Committee of the Regions calls for the necessary
transparency and debate on health matters. Issues for dis-

cussion include, for example, Community and especially cross-
border quality assurance and planning.

9.
The COR also believes that, in the future, when decisions
are taken affecting the public health and health care responsi-
bilities of local and regional authorities, particular attention
should be paid to the views of the COR.

Brussels, 13 April 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT