Public health: Community action programme 1999-2003 on injury prevention, EHLASS incl.

In its amended proposal, the Commission has accepted 23 of the 28 amendments adopted by the European Parliament either in whole or in part. One of the main changes was the amendment concerning the improvement and development of the old ELHASS system for the collection of information concerning injuries which was fully incorporated into the proposal. The amended proposal also includes provisions to extend the definition of injuries to: intentional and unintentional injuries, suicide and self-inflicted injuries. It also redefines the target groups by adding references to particularly vulnerable persons, that is to say, women and children. Injuries in sporting contexts are also included. In addition to these fundamental modifications, the Commission has incorporated amendments concerning - the significance and scale of the problem of intentional and unintentional injuries and their impact in socio-economic and human terms, -the potential cost-benefit of the programme in socio-economic terms with regard to injuries and suicides, - the establishment of health indicators in areas relating to domestic and leisure accidents, mental health and product safety, - the rapid collection and utilization of information regarding injuries, - selection of the most effective preventive measures at Community level, - the epidemiological monitoring of injuries, - the cohesion and complementarity of the programme with other Community initiatives in the field of public health and research. Concerning the second system for the collection of information on suicides, the Commission calls for the introduction of a system based on the extension of existing Community networks (basically the IDA and the Community statistical programme). A new annex concerning the dual system for the collection of information is proposed based on improvements to the ELHASS system and the extension of existing networks regarding suicides and self-inflicted injury. The Commission also adopted the Parliament's budgetary amendment (increasing the total appropriation for the programme to ECU 14 million). However, it did not approve the amendments concerning comitology and collaboration with certain standard bodies (CEN Cenelec) or Community organizations. Finally, the amendment concerning information for the relevant authority on the labelling of dangerous products and the amendment concerning the withdrawal of products from the market were rejected since the Commission considered that they fell outside the scope of Article 129 of the Treaty (public health).�