Public health: Community action programme 2003-2008

PURPOSE : to establish a Community programme in the field of public health. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Decision 1786/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of he council adopting a programme of Community action in the field of public health (2003-2008.) CONTENT : this programme will complement national policies. Its aim is to protect human health and improve public health. The general objectives are: -to improve information and knowledge for the development of public health; -to enhance the capability of responding rapidly and in a coordinated fashion to threats to health; -to promote health and prevent disease through addressing health determinants across all policies and activities. The programme will therefore contribute to: -ensuring a high level of human health protection in the implementation of all Community policies and activities, through the promotion of an integrated and intersectoral health strategy; -tackling inequalities in health; -encouraging cooperation between Member States in the areas covered by Article 152 of the Treaty. The general objectives listed above will be pursued by means of prescribed actions listed in the Annex to the Decision. The actions will be implemented through activities of a transversal nature. The legislation lists those activities, which fall under the following headings: -activities related to the monitoring and rapid reaction systems; -activities on health determinants; -activities related to legislation; -activities related to consultation knowledge and information; -promotion of coordination at European NGO level. Programme objectives may be implemented as joint strategies by linking with other Community programmes, in areas such as consumer protection and social protection. The financial framework for the five-year period is set at EUR 312 million. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 09/10/02.�