Health ministers met on 6 December in Brussels, under the chairmanship of Hans Hoogervorst, the Dutch Minister for Health, Welfare and Sport.
The agenda included the debate on European strategy against HIV/AIDS, initial exchange of views on paediatric medicines, a review of progress on the draft Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods, and the adoption of Council conclusions on zoonotic diseases.
Fight against HIV/AIDS
In line with the Commission working paper and the Vilnius declaration of September 2004, health ministers reiterated the need for a coordinated approach to combat HIV/AIDS in the EU and its neighbourhood.
It was recognised that in order to combat the disease - spreading rapidly at the EU’s enlarged borders and affecting new and especially vulnerable target groups such as women and children - the EU should use its resources more effectively. In particular, the seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development should be devoted to fostering research for the development of an AIDS vaccine.
Nutrition and Health claims in labelling
Pending the European Parliament’s opinion, the Council held an exchange of view on the draft Regulation on nutritional and health claims in labelling.
Health ministers appeared largely in favour of a new regulation. Luxembroug indicated that it would seek a political agreement on the issue under its Presidency starting in the first half of 2005.
The Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will take the vote on the issue in February 2005 whereas the plenary’s vote is scheduled for the end of May.
Zoonotic diseases
The Council has also adopted conclusions on emerging zoonotic diseases, i.e. diseases that spread from animals to people, such as avian influenza, rabies and tuberculosis.
The Council called for:
a European Action Plan for the prevention and management of zoonotic diseases
better coordination of research activities, both between Member States and EU agencies (such as the European Food Safety Authority, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Environment Agency)
intensified cooperation with the relevant international organisations, in particular the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health, the FAO and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Working Time Directive
Employment ministers discussed the revision of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) in the light of the ECJ judgements on healthcare workers schedules. The Ministers agreed to the principle of extending the ’reference period’ to assess the average working time from 4 months to 12 months if there are sufficient technical or objective reasons and the social partners agree.
The Ministers reviewed compromise proposals from the Dutch Presidency on the question of the definition of ’on-call’ time and ’active on-call duty’, compensatory rest and on the ’opt-out’ provisions of the Directive.
