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De bijgaande conclusies van de Raad zijn op 10 juni 2008 aangenomen tijdens de 2876e zitting van
de Raad (EPSCO).
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BIJLAGE
Draft Council Conclusions on a cooperation mechanism between the Council and the
Commission for the implementation of the EU Health Strategy
The Council of the European Union
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1.RECALLS that Article 152 of the Treaty establishing the European Communities states that a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of
all Community policies and activities, that the Community shall encourage cooperation
between Member States in the areas referred to in this Article, and that Member States shall,
in liaison with the Commission, coordinate among themselves their policies and programmes
aimed at improving public health.
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2.EMPHASISES that though the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care are the responsibility of Member States, there are areas where cooperation at Community
level can bring support and added value to the endeavours of the Member States to implement
their own policies and strategic actions. It is of particular importance to analyse situations
where Community policies and actions at Community level have the potential to significantly
affect health determinants.
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3.REFERS to the Council Conclusions on the Commission's White Paper "Together for 2
Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU, 2008-2013" , adopted at its meeting of 6 December 2007, and underlines the need to ensure a systematic approach and strategic
cooperation between the Council and the Commission for the implementation of the EU
Health Strategy.
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4.UNDERLINES that the Commission's White Paper represents a strategic approach covering a wide range of health issues at EU level with the aim of giving health policy at EU level
more focus, coherence, direction and prioritisation and thus enabling it to be more efficient
and effective.
1 Doc. 16139/07 (Presse 284) 2
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5.RECOGNISES that better involvement on the part of Member States and the Council in health policy formulation at EU level is important for defining key issues and actions that
would have a real added value for Member States, ensuring the overall coherence of EU
policies and implementing the "health in all policies" approach. It would also give the
necessary visibility and importance to health issues in the context of EU policies.
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6.CONSIDERS that the Council and the Member States should closely cooperate with the Commission in order to achieve a strategic approach and to move the EU health agenda
forward. This could be done through "strategic cooperation" between the Commission and the
Council using existing Council structures.
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7.NOTES that the above "cooperation mechanism" does not entail creating new bodies or changing existing procedures. The Working Party on Public Health convened at senior level
could, after reformulating its existing working practices and activities, perform well-defined
tasks and assist the Council in exercising its strategic role in addressing, defining and
oversight of EU health-related issues. This would offer the possibility of working more
effectively with and through existing procedures and structures, including those established
by the Commission, whilst fully respecting the existing division of competences between the
Commission, the Council and the Member States.
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8.UNDERLINES that the new approach would offer an opportunity to widen the scope of the debate and discuss all health and health-related issues that have a clear European added value
for Member States. The new approach would also allow for a more active role to be taken by
Member States in EU health matters and EU matters that can influence health, in full
compliance with the subsidiarity principle with regard to the organisation of health systems.
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9.WELCOMES the Commission to come to the Council with well coordinated positions covering all health relevant policies.
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10.RECALLS the Commission's commitment of 6 December 2007 to review its existing
structures in the health field and to identify criteria for streamlining and rationalising these
structures in terms of assessing what is needed and what is most effective, and to avoid any
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duplication of work , bearing in mind that these structures also draw on the resources of the Member States.
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11.INVITES the Commission to
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-inform the Council as soon as possible on the progress made in streamlining and rationalising its existing structures;
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-prepare, on the basis of the White Paper, the background documents necessary to
discuss and select the priorities and actions and present ways to take them forward. In
this work it should take into account the activities envisaged under the annual work plan under the Second Programme for Community Action in the field of Health 2008-2013 and the annual work plan of the Commission;
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-actively support this strategic cooperation with appropriate technical inputs from all relevant sectors that may have health implications.
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12.ENDORSES, in this regard the mandate given by the Committee of Permanent
Representatives to the Working Party at senior level, as provided for in the annex to these
conclusions.
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13.INVITES Member States to have high level participation from capitals in the meetings of the
Working Party at senior level.
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14.INVITES the incoming Presidencies and the Commission to cooperate in preparation of the
first meeting of the Working Party at senior level in accordance with its new working methods
and scope, role and responsibilities.
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The streamlining and rationalising process will normally not affect comitology committees.
ANNEX TO THE ANNEX
Working methods and scope, role and responsibilities of the
Working Party on Public Health at Senior Level
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1.The Working Party at senior level will:
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a)be a forum for discussing major common strategic issues in health;
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b)consider the issues arising for health systems and health determinants from the application of the Treaty;
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c)contribute to a strategic vision for health and to ensuring continuity in political and strategic debates;
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d)identify priorities, objectives and actions within the strategic framework, with the timeframe for implementation and monitoring of progress;
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e)contribute to preparations for the Council's strategic debates and decisions, without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Committee of Permanent Representatives;
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f)once the objectives and priorities are fixed, identify ways to take them forward, whilst fully respecting national prerogatives;
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g)invite the Commission to provide the Working Party at senior level with technical inputs, materials and documents necessary for defining priorities, objectives and
actions, and for their implementation and its monitoring, such as reports on the work of
existing structures in the field of health, methods and processes for strengthening
intersectoral work for health, activities under the Second Programme for Community
Action in the field of Health 2008-2013, including the results of different projects and
syntheses of progress on the basis of reports provided by Member States;
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h)carry out horizontal scanning of health-related activities across all sectors of Community policies on the basis of regular overviews prepared by the Commission and
the Council Secretariat and, where appropriate, of inputs from Member States;
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i)select items for more in-depth review and, as appropriate, provide suggestions on how to implement the "health in all policies" approach through strategic cooperation;
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j)offer the opportunity for Member States to discuss, and share experiences on, EU health matters and EU matters that can influence health and to share information on national
strategies on health;
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k)periodically assess the effectiveness of working methods in place for the implementation of health strategies and policies and the "health in all policies"
approach.
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2.Experts from other EU institutions and international organisations may be invited to attend on an ad hoc basis for the discussion of specific items in accordance with the Council's Rules of
Procedure.
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3.As regards support to the meetings of the Working Party at senior level
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-the Commission should play an important role by providing technical inputs, for example impact assessments, and by proposing key issues that demand consideration,
either on its own initiative or at the request of the Working Party;
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-in cooperation with the Presidency-in-office the Council Secretariat should prepare regular updates of the horizontal overview of relevant activities in different Council
bodies as well as information about relevant outputs of other EU institutions, in
particular the European Parliament and European Court of Justice.
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4.The Member States should ensure participation at senior level from the capitals in the Working Party.
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5.In order to contribute to preparations for the Council's strategic debates and decisions, the Working Party at senior level will report to the Committee of Permanent Representatives in
accordance with the Council's Rules of Procedure. The Working Party at senior level will not
be a parallel negotiating forum for specific proposals under discussion elsewhere in the
Council. In this framework, the working methods of the Working Party at senior level may if
necessary be adapted.
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