WRITTEN QUESTION P-0056/01 by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Commission. e-Europe 2002 Action Plan: on-line health care.
Date: 2001-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, electronic document, health policy, information network, information system, medical computing, medical data

C 40 E/6

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The measures taken to deal with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) did not and will not make it
necessary to propose a supplementary budget to cover the costs. The financing of such measures have to a
large extent been provided through a system of Community co-financing.

Apart from the costs arising from the testing of animal, the direct cost related to BSE for the Community-
budget concerns public intervention, the purchase scheme under Regulation (EC) No 2777/2000 adopting
exceptional support measures for the beef market (1) and the measures adopted by the Council under the
so-called 7-point plan in June 2001.

As far as the purchase scheme is concerned, the Community-budget for 2001 has provided for a total cost
of could be € 700 million, based on the assumption that 530 000 tonnes would be purchased under the
scheme. In reality, however, only 240 000 tonnes were bought at the end of the scheme.

The 7-point plan is expected to lead to higher Community-budget costs until 2003 including extra
intervention buying-in. After 2003 the measures related to the reduction in density criteria and in
premium ceilings etc. will lead to savings for the Community-budget.

No Community aid measures have been provided for a particular category of people or interest groups.
Where national aid is envisaged, it is up to the Commission to assess the compatibility of such aid, notably
in the light of the provisions concerning the Common Agricultural Policy.

The funds made available by the Commission for the management of the BSE crisis is not a-priori divided
out amongst Member States. Under the purchase schemes laid down in Regulations (EC) No 2777/2000
and (EC) No 690/2001 (2) the Community is financing 70 % of the purchase price while Member States are
financing all other costs related to the operation of the schemes.

The Commission has no information as to how the benefits from the support measures specifically are
shared between the market players.

The Commission has neither the legal basis nor the financial possibilities to establish an emergency
assistance fund.

Instead, efforts have been concentrated on obtaining a general recovery of the beef market, particularly
through:

(cid:129) purchases of meat fit for human consumption,

(cid:129) specific purchase schemes as referred to above,

(cid:129) supplementary food safety measures with particular reference to BSE,

(cid:129) information campaigns in the Community and in third countries.

(1) OJ L 321, 19.12.2000.
(2) OJ L 95, 5.4.2001.

(2002/C 40 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0056/01

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: e-Europe 2002 Action Plan: on-line health care

The Feira Council adopted the e-Europe 2002 Action Plan which, despite its limited scope, represents a
means of improving the health of the EU(cid:146)s population.

Would the Commission therefore provide all available information regarding the action plan and the stage
reached in the process of making the electronic medical register compatible in the various EU countries (cid:129)
something which will assist the movement of persons and information in the health sector?

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/7

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The eEurope 2002 Action Plan (cid:129) Health Online recognises that the first action towards exploitation of the
power of information technologies in the health sector is the implementation of an infrastructure. Such
infrastructure, which necessarily includes electronic medical records, should provide user friendly, validated
and interoperable systems for medical care, disease prevention, and health education through national and
regional networks which connect citizens, practitioners and authorities on.

The development of health telematics tools, including electronic medical records has been a key objective
of the Community Research and Technological Development (RTD) programmes. For more than 10 years
of RTD Programmes (Advanced Informatics in Medicine (AIM), TAP (Telematics Applications Programme
(TAP) and Information Society Technologies (IST)) have funded electronic medical records research,
resulting in a wide range of European applications and standards supported through the European
committee for standardisation (CEN) TC 251. Such applications are now fully implementable and
Community level initiatives continue to promote harmonised, high quality electronic health records across
the Community, in particular through the activities of the various national PROREC organisations (http://
www.sadiel.es/Europa/Prorec/default.htm).

However, it should be noted that policy development and legislation on the implementation of electronic
medical records lies within the competency of individual Member States.

In order to assist Member States in reaching the eEurope 2002 Action Plan (cid:129) Health Online stated target
of ensuring that primary and secondary care providers have the necessary health informatics infrastructure
in place, Health Online sets out four further actions.

Best practices in eHealth will be identified and disseminated, in order to assist purchasing departments in
decision-making. In particular a call for best Practice Actions was launched under the Information society
technology (IST) Programme on 27 January 2001.

A set of quality criteria for health web sites will be developed to boost consumer confidence in use of such
sites and foster best practice in the development of sites. Working meeting on this matter will be held with
Member State Representative and other key actors in during 2001.

A series of data networks will be established to assist with informed healthcare planning in Member States.
Such networks are being developed under the activities of the European Union Public Health Information
Network (Euphin).

A communication on legal aspects of ehealth will be drafted in the fourth quarter of 2001 which will
clarify which existing legislation has an impact on eHealth.

(2002/C 40 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0130/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Stock of foreign direct investment

Will the Commission estimate the stock of foreign direct investment in each Member State and held by
each Member State in other countries for the most recently available point in time? Will it break down this
stock by EU partner countries, non-EU countries, Japan and the United States?