Press Release: European Commission launches new proposals to analyse and combat disease in Europe

The European Commission proposed on 16 May 2000 a new European Community strategy on public health. The central core of the new strategy is an incentive programme, with a proposed budget of €300 million over six years, with three major strands of action. The first strand aims to put in place a comprehensive data system on the major determinants of health in the EU, together with mechanisms to evaluate this data. The second will aim to ensure that the Community is in a position to counter threats to health which cannot be tackled by Member States in isolation. The third will put in place strategies to identify the most effective policy for combating disease and promoting health. The new strategy also outlines legislative initiatives being considered under the Community's direct competence in relation to public health. Finally, it re-iterates that a high level of health protection shall be ensured in all Community policies and initiatives.