Public health: Community action programme on health promotion, information, education and training 1996-2000

- OBJECTIVE: adoption of a Community action programme aimed at promoting health education in the Community. - COMMUNITY MEASURE: European Parliament and Council Decision adopting a Community action programme on health promotion, information, education and training within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000). - SUBSTANCE: . Duration and objectives: the programme is established for a period of 5 years (1 January 1996 - 31 December 2000) and aims to help ensure a high level of health protection. It includes actions aimed at: - promoting the 'health promotion' approach in the Member States' health policies by supporting various cooperation measures (exchanges of experience, pilot schemes, networks, etc.), - encouraging the adoption of healthy lifestyles and behaviour, - promoting knowledge of risk factors and health-promoting factors, - encouraging intersectoral and multidisciplinary approaches to health promotion, taking account of individual and collective socio-economic and environmental conditions (including those of less-privileged groups). . International cooperation: the programme is open for cooperation with the associated countries in Eastern Europe, Cyprus and Malta. In its implementation, cooperation with the WHO, the Council of Europe and the NGOs active in this field is encouraged. . Coherence and complementarity: it is to be implemented in coherence and cooperation with other relevant Community measures and programmes (SOCRATES, LEONARDO, BIOMED II etc.). . Budget: it is provided with a budget of ECU 35 million for the period in question. . Implementation: the Commission is responsible for implementing the plan in close cooperation with the Member States. It is assisted in its task by a committee whose role is a mixed one depending on the area in question (advisory and management). . Monitoring and assessment: the Commission will assess the measures carried out. It will submit to the EP, the Council, the ESC and the Committee of the Regions a mid-term and a final evaluation report on the programme. . Measures to be implemented: measures which can be funded under the action plan are listed in an annex: - action A: health promotion strategies and structures: comparative surveys and analyses of the impact of Community and national health promotion policies and strategies; support for transnational networks of national and regional health promotion bodies and promotion of joint projects, - action B: specific prevention and health promotion measures: support for promotion measures targeting socially excluded or vulnerable groups, analysis of the role of diet and other life-style factors in the etiology of disease, exchanges of experience with regard to cardio-vascular disease, measures in the area of the sound use of drugs and self-medication, prevention of alcoholism, promotion of physical exercise and bodily hygiene, support for studies of the aging population in Europe, - action C: health information: surveys and information campaigns on health promotion, improving psychological, sociological and cultural knowledge with a view to adopting healthy lifestyles, development of a European promotion infrastructure based on networking among key health centres, - action D: health education: exchange of experiences between Member States on the preparation of teaching material and health education modules (including support for the network of health-promoting schools), coordination of health education projects aimed at young people and adolescents no longer in the school system, support for innovative educational methods targeting adults and the elderly, support for programmes of education in the workplace (on smoking and alcohol in particular), - action E: vocational training in public health and health promotion: cooperation between schools of public health and universities with a view to developing common training courses and exchanges of students and teaching staff, promotion of cooperation among Member States on the content of training courses for health professionals and decision-makers, support for training programmes in schools and for teachers, support for exchanges of experience in training health professionals in health promotion (detection and prevention of disease, etc.). - ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20.03.1996. �