Agenda Raad Volksgezondheid: vogelgriep, mentale ziektes, zwaarlijvigheid, kindermedicijnen (en)

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will meet on 8 and 9 December. All the health points will be taken on 9 December. EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and Vice President Günter Verheugen, responsible for Enterprise and Industry, will represent the Commission. This memo deals only with the health issues on the agenda of the Council.

Human Health Aspects of Pandemic Flu (PT)

At the June 2005 Health Council EU Ministers had an informal discussion on influenza pandemic preparedness. The topic was further discussed at the Informal Health Council on 20-21 October 2005

Commissioner Kyprianou is expected to take stock of progress so far in improving the preparedness of the European Union and its Member States. He will report briefly on his recent visit to South East Asia, to assess first hand the dimension of the avian influenza situation, and on the policy documents recently adopted by the Commission: the Communication on "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Planning in the European Community" [COM(2005)607] and the one "Strengthening Coordination on Generic Preparedness Planning for Public Health Emergencies at EU Level" [COM(2005)605], both adopted on 28 November 2005, and detailing arrangements to boost preparations for health threats and for a possible human flu pandemic outbreak in particular. Mr Kyprianou will also debrief Ministers on the "command post" flu pandemic preparedness exercise in which the Commission, all national health ministries and European agencies participated, and which was organised by the Commission on November 23-24.
The forthcoming Health Council will be invited to hold a policy debate on the basis of a Presidency note focussing on sharing of information and co-ordination in communications towards the public of flu-related risks, on the specific contribution of Member States, including R&D programmes, to EU-level pandemic preparedness, and co-ordinated actions to improve production capacity and access to antivirals and vaccines.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/influenza/index.cfm

Mental Health (PT)

Commissioner Kyprianou will present to Ministers the Commission's Green paper on "Improving the mental health of the population: towards a strategy on mental health for the European Union" (COM (2005) 484). The Green Paper aims to launch a public consultation on how better to tackle mental illness and promote mental well-being in the EU.
Mental illness affects up to 27% of European adults every year, and is responsible for the majority of the annual 58 000 deaths by suicide, more than the number who die from motor vehicle traffic accidents. Moreover, mental health levels can have a significant influence on the economic and social welfare of society. Until recently, however, the importance of mental health has been largely overshadowed by other public health matters. The Commission is therefore initiating a wide ranging debate on the issue, to highlight the importance of mental well-being and to examine how best to develop a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/life_style/mental_health_en.htm

Nutrition and Health (PT)

Health Ministers will discuss Nutrition and Health on the basis of a questionnaire tabled by the Presidency. The Commission's Green Paper on Nutrition is expected to be adopted on 8 December.

The Green Paper acknowledges that the obesity epidemic in the EU has many causes and this requires a diversified approach to tackling the problem. The Green Paper lays the base for a detailed consultation with EU institutions, Member States and civil society, with a view to gathering ideas and information for a European dimension to reducing obesity levels which could complement, support and coordinate existing national measures.
Commissioner Kyprianou will invite Ministers to actively support this initiative and to provide input before 15 March 2006. The input received will be analysed and results will be published by mid-2006. In the light of the results of the consultation process, the Commission will reflect upon the most appropriate follow-up, and will consider any measures that may need to be proposed, as well as the instruments for their implementation.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/life_style/nutrition/nutrition_en.htm

Possible political agreement on improved medicines for children (GK)

The Council is expected to reach political agreement on this important dossier. The Commission proposal for a regulation on medicines for children has three key objectives: To ensure 1) high quality research into and development of medicines for children, 2) over time that the majority of medicines used by children are specifically authorised for such use, 3) the availability of high quality information about medicines used by children. The initial proposal was adopted by the Commission on 29 September 2004 (see IP/04/1150), Vice-President Verheugen presented the proposal to the Health Council in December 2004, the European Parliament gave its first reading on 7 September 2005.

Other health-related topics

The Presidency will table information notes on the "Health and safety conference" and on health inequalities and patient safety, and also report on the "Council Public Health Working Party meeting at senior level". The Commission will present a progress report on the Proposal for a Decision establishing a "Programme of Community action in the field of Public Health and Consumer Protection". It will also table an information note on "A coordinated approach to the fight against HIV/AIDS in the European Union and the neighbouring countries", in view of the adoption of a Communication on this issue later this year. It will then inform the Council on the "Commission High Level Group on Health Services and Medical Care", on the "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" and on International Health Regulations.