Public health: Community action programme 1997-2001 on health monitoring

The rapporteur, Mr Poggiolini (EPP, I), was not satisfied with the common position presented by the Council, which had only taken over in full 2 of the 44 amendments tabled by Parliament at first reading; one of his criticisms was aimed at the extreme frugality being shown by the Council when it come to the financial allocation. However, he did express support for the need: to harmonise on a step by step basis the methods used for gathering national health data; to extend the funding for the five-year programme from ECU 13 million to ECU 20 million; to establish a European Health Observatory for analysing health data and operating costs in each country; and, finally, to lend a consultative role to the committee charged with assisting the Commission in this work. Commissioner Flynn said that he could accept most of the amendments tabled, or to be precise 10 out of the 19 tabled. As regards the amendment on the budget, Mr Flynn declared that he agreed in principle with increasing the allocation, but also referred to the very limited room for manoeuvre when it came to budget line 3; according to the Commissioner, it would therefore be left to the conciliation procedure to resolve this matter.