Public health: action plan to combat cancer 1996-2000

The European Parliament approved this proposal for a decision adopting the third action plan to combat cancer in the Community (1995-1999), subject to the following amendments: - the main objective of this plan is to set up a cooperation network between the Commission and national anti-cancer committees, so that the Commission can act as a catalyst for action taken at in the Member States. Parliament added a new annex along the same lines ("consultation and coordination mechanisms") defining the role and composition of these national committees; - public information is one of the main priorities of the plan (especially through the mass media), as are primary prevention (e.g. adopting healthier eating habits which do not encourage cancers to develop) and secondary prevention (early diagnosis), the dissemination of research results in this field (especially in biomedicine), prevention in schools and prevention against certain harmful environmental effects (over-exposure to the sun); - Parliament stressed the need for efficient action to combat smoking, which causes most cancers, by launching a pilot action in which political leaders, social groups etc. undertake not to smoke in public and a specific action in the European Parliament to ban smoking inside Parliament buildings (in Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg) except in specially-designated areas. Parliament also reiterated its call for a ban on all types of direct or indirect advertising of tobacco products.�