Mr Katiforis presented to the Plenary session of 6/7 February 2003 the Report of the WG on Social Europe with the recommendations of including ’public health’ into Article 3 and strengthening Article 152.
During the debate, Mr Katiforis emphasised the strong support for strengthening the EU competence on Public Health, stating that the European Commission had convincingly pointed out the need for stronger legal basis for EU action specifically regarding communicable diseases, bioterrorism and WHO agreements.
Comments from the Plenary sessions were divided into two main groups: those supporting Public Health as one of the Union’s future competencies (particularly on bioterrorism, cross-border diseases and WHO’s agreements) and those strongly opposed to any extensions of EU competencies on Public Health.
In concluding the debate on the WG Social Europe’s report, Mr Katiforis announced that he will be making amendments to the Praesidiums draft first 16 articles.
He emphasized that the WG had no intention of creating a European SuperState to be imposed on Member States, but of recognising that the EU has core values and mechanisms to implement those values.
