Tobacco Documents Online

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT E,UROPA-PA,RLAMENT'ET EUROPAISCHES PARLAMENT E'Y'P'i2nA1KO K0tINOBOYAIO: PA,RLEMENT EUR'OPEENI PARLAMENTO EUROPEO EUiROPEES PARLEMENT COMM'ITTEE_ON_THE'_E'NVI'RONME'NT, _PWBLI'C_WtALTHIAN4_C'ONSUME'R'_P'RDTECTION C'hairman: Mrs Beate WEBER (Soc. FRG) The Presaident-in-Of'fice of~_the_CounciL_of_Heatth Ministers_seeakina_before t'he_Commi'ttee_on_the_Env-ironment_ ''We_must_draw_u~p_a_eublic_health_eoticy' 'it is high time the Council of'Public Health Ministers met' said Mr D'ESM'OND, President-in-Office of' the Counci'L of Health Ministers. The last meeting of this Council was held in 11978 and t~he need for a heatth polliicy is becoming more and more acute. On the agenda for this Council meetiing;, to take pLace on 29 November, are a number of problems such as the cost of'public health, measures to be taken tp tackle the abuse of ined!icines, tobacco addiction, the use of drugs, the need for the adoption of'a European emergency hea!lth card, etc.. The Pre'siident-in-Office did not, however, disguise his scepticism about the progress which could be made in practice, since several Member States did'not accept the jjriisdiction of, the Community on health matters, as they were not explilcitly, covered by the Treaties. I'n the discussion which foillowed the speech of the Pre'sident-iin-Offi'ce,, several member's of the Committee on the Environment stressed the iincreasingly disturbing nature of problems such as drugiand tobacco addiction and alcoholilsm and the need for the Community' to take rapild and effective measures to resolve these sociat probUems: a ban on smoking in schools and pubtiic places, steps aimed'' at reduciing overall. tobacco consumption, a broadly-based!approachi- invoilving other bodies in addition to the Health CounciL - to the drug probtem, etc.. Other matters raised includ'ed : t~he probLem of radiation at the place of work, measures to combat Aids, health education, etc_.. Finally the chairman of' the committee, Mrs WEBER, stressed the v'ital need for regular meetings of't'he Health Council andluirged that the date of the next meetiingibe fixed' immediately. * Tihe Committee on the Environment, Public Hraalth and Consumer Protection decided to open its meetings to the press and the public. ALL future meetings of this committee would therefore be public. 000 Inf.Br. 94/84 Or. Fr. Trad. En., De Y'Q/mv Directorate-General forinformation and Public Relations EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INFO'RMi4TIC)N'OFFIC:E Rue Belliard 97-113 - 1@4IO:Bruxelles. Tel. (02) 234.21.1 1.Telex 24.541 Eurpar b