Health: Community action programme 2008-2013

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the compromise text negotiated by the rapporteur Antonios Trakatellis (EPP-ED, EL), made a few changes to the common position:

- the financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 was set at EUR 321 500 000;

- the programme was initially due to run from 2007 to 2013, but under the compromise, it will now run from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013;

- the programme's objectives now include the reduction of health inequalities; 

- Community contributions may be awarded to a public body or a non-governmental body, which is non-profit-making and independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests, and pursues as its primary goal one or more objectives of the Programme;

- the Commission must present not later than 31 December 2010 , an external and independent interim evaluation report; it must present a Communication on the continuation of the Programme not later than 31 December 2011;

- eligible actions under the programme include supporting cooperation to enhance the application of best practice within Member States, including, where appropriate, supporting European Reference Networks.

The compromise text includes in the Annex a reference to patient and health professional mobility. The programme should also contribute to : i) address addiction-related determinants such as tobacco, alcohol , illegal drugs and improper use of pharmaceuticals ; ii) address the health effects of wider environmental determinants, including indoor air quality, exposure to toxic chemicals where not addressed by other Community initiatives, and socio-economic determinants; iii) support cooperation to enhance the application of best practice within Member States, including, where appropriate, supporting European Reference Networks;  iv) ensure appropriate coordination of and follow-up to Community initiatives regarding registries on cancer, based, inter alia, on the data collected when implementing the Council recommendation on cancer screening.

Lastly, Decision No 1786/2002/EC will be repealed with effect from 1 January 2008. The Commission will adopt any administrative arrangement necessary to ensure the transition between the measures adopted under Decision No 1786/2002/EC and those implemented under the Programme.