COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS of 13 December 1993 on the setting up of an epidemiological network in the Community (94/C 15/04)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Considering the Community's need to ensure a high level of human health protection, in particular by preventive action,

Recalling inter alia the resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Health of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 13 November 1992, on the monitoring and surveillance of communicable diseases (1),

taking account of current work in this field, in particular in international organizations, and the existence in several Member States of networks responsible for gathering and processing epidemiological data,

AGREES that it is necessary for the Community as a whole to acquire a better knowledge of pathologies on the basis of their causes and their epidemiological context;

CONSIDERS that a network should be developed at Community level the main purpose of which would be to collect and coordinate information from monitoring networks in the Member States;

EMPHASIZES that the smooth running of such a network requires that theoretical training in epidemiology and practical preparation in epidemiology in the field be developed for the teams participating in the network;

REQUESTS the Commission, in its proposals relating to the framework of action in the field of public health, to devote special attention to setting up an epidemiological network in the Community and to examine for that purpose, with the experts appointed in conjunction with the Member States and on the basis of a prior inventory of current proceedings and mechanisms existing at Community level and that of Member States, the feasibility of such a network, taking account of the provisions contained in these conclusions and ensuring the comparability and compatibility of data.

(1) OJ No C 326, 1. 12. 1992, p. 1.