Brussels, 29/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - The expected political agreement on the new directive relating to tobacco advertising, and the resolution on the strategy for consumer protection should be the only formal decisions taken by the "Employment, Social Affairs, Health and Consumers", meeting for the first time, on 2 and 3 December, in this new configuration. Monday will be devoted to the "health" and "consumer" issues, chaired by Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Commissioner David Byrne will be representing the Commission. Tuesday, devoted to questions of employment and social policy, chaired by Klaus Hjort Frederiksen and Henriette Kjaer, will be dominated by the ministers' first political debate on the proposal for a directive concerning temporary work, and by a discussion on whether or not to formalise the tripartite social summit, held informally on the eve of the Spring European Council. Here is the agenda of Monday's health/consumer session:
Tobacco. The Council will deal with this issue from three angles: 1. It should reach a political agreement on the new proposal for a directive relating to advertising for tobacco products and the latter's sponsoring of events, which replaces Directive 98/43/EC, annulled by the Court of Justice on 5 October 2001. Only France, Denmark and the United Kingdom have parliamentary reservations, but not as to substance. The vote in the European Parliament on first reading was very close to the Commission's initial text (see EUROPE of 21 November, p.10). 2. It will adopt a recommendation concerning the prevention of tobacco addiction and initiatives aimed at improving control over tobacco. Germany and Luxembourg, not particularly convinced of the utility of this Community initiative, must, for the recommendation to go through, agree to lift their general reservation over the text (see EUROPE of 25 November, p.16). 3. The Presidency and the Commission will brief the Council on the outcome of the latest work within the WHO in view of drafting a framework Convention on tobacco control.
Obesity. The Council should adopt conclusions that come within the current reflection on the promotion of improved nutrition and health in the Union.
Dependence on medicines. While awaiting the opinion on first reading in the European Parliament, the Council should reach a general guideline for a recommendation concerning the prevention or reduction of risks associated with this phenomenon.
Review of legislation on pharmaceutical products. The Presidency will brief the Council on the state of work on the draft regulation following the vote on first reading in Parliament (see EUROPE of 24 October, p.12) and have an exchange of views.
Furthermore, the Council will take note of progress reports on: - the draft directive establishing quality and safety standards for the donation of blood and human tissues (Presidency report); - patient mobility and health care in the EU (Commission report); - the response to bio-terrorism through the recently established Security Committee.
Consumer policy. The Council will adopt a resolution on the strategy proposed by the Commission for the period 2002-2006 in view of integrating consumer concerns in all EU policies.
EUROPE will return Tuesday's the Employment, Social Affairs issues.