European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council recommendation on cancer screening (COM(2003) 230 — C5-0322/2003 — 2003/0093(CNS))
Date: 2003-11-19
Institutions: Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, European Parliament
Subjects: cancer, disease prevention, health policy, public health

7.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 87 E/263

Wednesday 19 November 2003

P5_TA(2003)0501

Security of supply for petroleum products ***I

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council
directive concerning the alignment of measures with regard to security of supply for petroleum
products (COM(2002) 488 (cid:1) C5-0448/2002 (cid:1) 2002/0219(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission proposal

to the European Parliament and the Council

(COM(2002) 488) (1),

(cid:1) having regard to Articles 251(2) and 95 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission sub-

mitted the proposal to Parliament (C5-0448/2002),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy and
the opinions of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Environ-
ment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (A5-0297/2003),

1.

2.

3.

Rejects the Commission proposal;

Calls on the Commission to withdraw its proposal;

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ C 331 E, 31.12.2002, p. 249.

P5_TA(2003)0502

Cancer screening *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council recommendation on
cancer screening (COM(2003) 230 (cid:1) C5-0322/2003 (cid:1) 2003/0093(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2003) 230) (1),

(cid:1) having regard to Article 152(4) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C5-0322/2003),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy
and the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities (A5-0381/2003),

(1) Not yet published in the OJ.

C 87 E/264

Official Journal of the European Union

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7.4.2004

Wednesday 19 November 2003

1.

Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC

2.
Treaty;

3.

Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal sub-

4.
stantially;

5.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 1
Recital 1

(1) Article 152 of the Treaty provides that Community action
is to complement national policies and be directed towards
improving public health, preventing human illness and dis-
eases, and obviating sources of danger to human health.

(1) Article 152 of the Treaty provides that Community action
is to complement national policies and be directed towards
improving public health, preventing human illness and dis-
eases, and obviating sources of danger to human health. Fur-
thermore, Article 152 provides that such action shall cover
the fight against the major health scourges, by promoting
research into their causes, their transmission and their pre-
vention, as well as health information and education.

Amendment 4
Recital 4

(4)
Screening allows detection of cancers at an early stage of
invasiveness or even before they become invasive. Some lesions
can then be treated more effectively and the patients can
expect to be cured. The key indicator for the effectiveness of
screening is a decrease in disease-specific mortality or in the
occurrence of advanced disease.

(4)
Screening allows detection of cancers at an early stage of
invasiveness or possibly before they become invasive. Some
lesions can then be treated more effectively and the patients
can expect to be cured. The key indicator for the effectiveness
of screening is a decrease in disease-specific mortality or in the
occurrence of advanced disease.

Amendment 5
Recital 5a (new)

(5a) Potentially promising screening tests currently being
evaluated include the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for
prostate cancer, mammography screening for breast cancer
for women in the 40-49 age range, immunological Faecal
Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) for colorectal (bowel) cancer
and flexible colonoscopy for colorectal cancer.

Amendment 7
Recital 9

(9) This requires an organisation with a call-recall system and
with quality assurance at all levels, and an effective and appro-
priate diagnostic and treatment service.

(9) This requires an organisation with a call-recall system,
with quality assurance at all levels, and an effective and appro-
priate diagnostic, treatment and after-care service following
evidence-based guidelines.

7.4.2004

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C 87 E/265

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Wednesday 19 November 2003

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 8
Recital 10a (new)

(10a) Cancer networks play a crucial role in the exchange
of information and knowledge.

Amendment 9
Recital 13

(13) This analysis is facilitated if the screening database is
linked to cancer registry data.

(13) This analysis is facilitated if the screening database is
linked to cancer
registry data. Cancer registries play an
important role in monitoring the impact of screening on the
population. Changes in incidence, survival and mortality
should be constantly monitored.

Amendment 10
Recital 16

Ethical,

(16)
legal, social, medical, organisational and econ-
omic aspects have to be considered before decisions can be
made on the implementation of cancer screening programmes.

(16)
Ethical, cultural, legal, social, medical, organisational and
economic aspects should be considered,
in particular with
regard to the accession countries, in order to encourage them
to implement cancer screening programmes.

Amendment 11
Recital 17

(17) Adequate human and financial resources should be avail-
able in order to assure the appropriate organisation and quality
control.

(17) Adequate human and financial resources should be avail-
able in order to assure the appropriate organisation and quality
control for all Member States.

Amendment 12
Recital 18

(18) Different socio-economic groups often do not have equal
access to screening. Therefore, action should be taken to
ensure equal access.

(18) Different socio-economic groups often do not have equal
access to screening. Action should therefore be taken to guar-
antee equal access. In line with this objective, more mobile
screening campaigns should be carried out.

Amendment 13
Recital 18a (new)

(18a) Screening policy must be conscious of men and
women’s different health challenges and needs; as screening
for colorectal cancer is the first cancer screen available to
men, information on men’s take-up and outcomes is therefore
especially important to monitor; in addition, given that pros-
tate cancer is becoming more common than lung cancer
among men, it is important to continue to raise awareness
of symptoms and to keep under continuous review any
research and technological developments in the field of pros-
tate cancer screening.

C 87 E/266

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 14
Recital 19

(19)
It is an ethical, legal and social prerequisite that cancer
screening should only be offered to fully-informed healthy
people if the screening is proved to decrease disease-specific
mortality or the incidence of advanced disease, if the benefits
and risks are well known, and if the cost-effectiveness of the
screening is acceptable.

(19)
It is an ethical, legal and social prerequisite that cancer
screening should only be offered to fully-informed asympto-
matic people if the screening is proved to decrease disease-spe-
cific mortality or the incidence of advanced disease, if the bene-
fits and risks are well known, and if the cost-effectiveness of
the screening is acceptable.

Amendment 16
Recital 24a (new)

(24a) European collaboration in networks facilitates high-
quality cancer screening in providing European guidelines of
best practice and specific recommendations for the implemen-
tation of national cancer screening programmes.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MEMBER STATES
Amendment 17
Paragraph 1, point (a)

(a) offer evidence-based cancer screening through a systematic
population-based approach with quality assurance at all
levels. The cancer screening tests listed in the Annex fulfil
these requirements;

(a) offer evidence-based cancer screening through a systematic
population-based approach with quality assurance and
equal access at all levels. The cancer screening tests listed
in the Annex currently fulfil these requirements;

Amendment 18
Paragraph 1, point (b)

(b)

screening programmes

in accordance with
implement
European guidelines on best practice and should facilitate
the further development of best practice for high-quality
cancer screening programmes on a national level;

(b)

screening programmes

in accordance with
implement
European guidelines on best practice and should facilitate
the further development of best practice for high-quality
cancer screening programmes on a national level, includ-
ing assistance in the introduction of new technologies;

Amendment 19
Paragraph 1, point (d)

(d) ensure that adequate complementary diagnostic procedures
and treatment of those with a positive screening test are
provided for;

(d) ensure

that adequate

complementary diagnostic pro-
cedures, treatment, psychological support and after care
following evidence-based guidelines of those with a posi-
tive screening test are provided for;

Amendment 20
Paragraph 1, point (da) (new)

(da)

ensure that appropriate tests are available to all
workers exposed to mutagenic and carcinogenic sub-
stances;

7.4.2004

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C 87 E/267

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Wednesday 19 November 2003

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 21
Paragraph 1, point (fa) (new)

(fa)

facilitate the exchange of experience among Member

States through European networks;

Amendment 22
Paragraph 1, point (g)

(g)

set up a systematic invitation and follow-up system and
quality assurance at all
levels, together with an effective
and appropriate diagnostic and treatment service;

(g)

set up a systematic invitation and follow-up system and
quality assurance at all levels, together with and effective
and appropriate diagnostic, treatment and after care ser-
vice following evidence-based guidelines;

Amendment 23
Paragraph 1, point (ga) (new)

(ga)

introduce a system for inviting people in the age range
laid down in this Recommendation to a single session of
multiphase screening;

Amendment 24
Paragraph 2, point (aa) (new)

(aa)

encourage and support European research on new
methods of screening and follow-up in order to develop
new, or improve existing, evidence-based guidelines;

Amendment 25
Paragraph 2, point (da) (new)

(da) provide a legal framework in order to make necessary
linkages between possible databases on screening-,
cancer- and mortality-registers in compliance with Direc-
tive 95/46/EC and national privacy legislation.

Amendment 26
Paragraph 3, point (ca) (new)

(ca)

regularly monitor incidence, survival, mortality and
morbidity indicators in the various Member States,
according to the standards of the European Network of
Cancer Registries, in order to establish the priorities for
specific tests compared with others;

Amendment 27
Paragraph 5, point (aa) (new)

(aa)

ensure the right to leave for those who need to take

time off work in order to undergo the screening tests;

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 28
Paragraph 6, point (b)

(b)

run trials, in addition to those on screening-specific para-
meters and mortality, on subsequent
treatment pro-
side effects, morbidity and
cedures, clinical outcome,
quality of life;

(b) carry out investigations,

in addition to those based on
screening-specific parameters and on mortality, into the
clinical outcome, the side effects, the morbidity and the
quality of life;

Amendment 29
Paragraph 6, point (da) (new)

(da)

invest more resources in research into new tests,
including genomic tests and into the validation of
advanced technology instruments;

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSION
Amendment 30
Paragraph 2

2. To encourage cooperation between MS and exchange of
best practices as regards cancer screening with a view to
developing new screening methods or improve existing
ones.

2. To encourage cooperation between Member States and the
exchange of best practices as regards cancer screening,
whereby cancer networks play a crucial role, with a view
to developing new screening methods or improving existing
ones.

Amendment 31
Paragraph 2a (new)

(2a) To promote information campaigns designed to help
raise awareness and public understanding about
the
benefits and risks that cancer screening offers in relation
to the early detection of cancer.

Amendment 32
Paragraph 2b (new)

(2b) To encourage Member States to support European
research on cancer screening including the development
of new guidelines updating existing guidelines on cancer
screening.

Amendment 33
Annex Ia (new)

Annex Ia

Promising new screening tests, currently being evaluated in
randomised controlled trials, could potentially reduce mortal-
ity from cancer. The state of the art should be assessed and
continuously updated by European experts in order to pro-
pose evidence-based applications, adapt guidelines and inform

7.4.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 87 E/269

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Wednesday 19 November 2003

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

citizens, health authorities and stake holders on the advan-
tages, risks and costs. Such tests shall include:

(cid:1) mammography screening for women aged 40-49 for

breast cancer,

(cid:1) improved Faecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) for colo-

rectal cancer,

(cid:1) flexible recto-sigmoïdoscopy or colonoscopy for colorectal

cancer,

(cid:1) testing for high risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infec-

tion for cervical cancer,

(cid:1) improved methods for the preparation (liquid based

cytology) or interpretation of cervical specimens,

(cid:1) prostate-specific antigen (PSA)

testing for prostate

cancer.

Once the efficacy of screening methods has been demon-
strated, the evaluation of the effectiveness of modified tests
or alternative applications may be based on other epidemi-
ologically validated surrogate endpoints if their predictive
value is established.

P5_TA(2003)0503

Identification and registration of sheep and goats *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on establishing
a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals and amending Regu-
lation (EEC) No 3508/92 (COM(2002) 729 (cid:1) C5-0027/2003 (cid:1) 2002/0297(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2002) 729) (1),

(cid:1) having regard to Article 37 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C5-0027/2003),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A5-0386/

2003),

1.

Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC

2.
Treaty;

(1) Not yet published in the OJ.