Forty-ninth session of the Regional Committee for Europe

Resolutions 1999

EUR/RC49/R1

Amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee and the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee

The Regional Committee,

Having considered the recommendations of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee (as contained in Annex 2 to document EUR/RC49/2) regarding amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Committee and the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee;

ADOPTS the changes contained in EUR/RC49/2 Annex 2, to be effective forthwith.

EUR/RC49/R2

Nomination of the Regional Director

The Regional Committee,

Considering Article 52 of the Constitution of WHO; and
In accordance with Rule 47 of its Rules of Procedure,

  1. NOMINATES Dr Marc Danzon as Regional Director for Europe; and
  2. REQUESTS the Director-General to propose to the Executive Board the appointment of Dr Marc Danzon from 1 February 2000.

EUR/RC49/R3

Expression of Appreciation to Dr Jo Eirik Asvall

The Regional Committee,

Expressing its profound gratitude to Dr Jo Eirik Asvall for his deep commitment and outstanding services to international public health and development during his long career in the World Health Organization, and in particular as Regional Director for Europe;

Believing that when he ceases his duties on 31 January 2000, his contribution to improving the health of people throughout the European Region deserves appreciation on the part of the World Health Organization;

  1. EXPRESSES its sincere thanks to Dr Asvall for all he has done to advance the work of WHO;
  2. DECLARES Dr Jo Eirik Asvall Regional Director Emeritus of the World Health Organization.

EUR/RC49/R4

Environment and Health

The Regional Committee,

Emphasizing that high priority should be given to achieving an environment conducive to health for all in the European Region;

Welcoming the progress made through the environment and health process towards this aim over the past ten years, which has been supported through the work of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health and the European Environment and Health Committee; and

Believing that the environment and health process will continue to make major contributions to the health of the people of the European Region in the twenty-first century;

  1. THANKS the Governments of France, Italy and the Netherlands for their invaluable assistance to the environment and health movement during the 1990s through their support for the European Centre for Environment and Health;
  2. THANKS the Government of Germany for its offer to host a third division of the European Centre for Environment and Health in Bonn, with effect from 2001;
  3. THANKS the Government of Hungary for its invitation to host the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in 2004, which will serve as a catalyst for actions in the period up to that date;
  4. ENDORSES the decision of the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, held in London in June 1999, to extend the remit of the European Environment and Health Committee and to broaden its membership;
  5. REQUESTS the European Environment and Health Committee to monitor, facilitate and promote the actions set out in the Declaration of the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health (the London Declaration), drawing particular attention to the need to:
    1. promote the ratification, entry into force and interim implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health to the ECE 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes;
    2. promote actions to ensure that the Charter on Transport, Environment and Health is implemented, monitored and reported on, and make preparations for considering further international initiatives in this area;
    3. instigate practical steps towards the objectives and actions set out in the London Declaration, for example by establishing task forces or other mechanisms as needed;
    4. make full use of existing resources, for example by maximizing the role of the European Centre for Environment and Health, ensuring close coordination with the environment for Europe process and promoting collaboration with the European Commission, international organizations and other partners;
    5. continue strengthening public participation and intersectoral partnerships, as described in the Declaration, in line with the Health21 policy framework;
  6. URGES Member States to:
    1. (a) mobilize their political, technical and financial resources, so as to stimulate the implementation of action as decided in London in partnership within their countries and throughout the Region;
    2. (b) share in providing the necessary financial support to the European Centre for Environment and Health, joining the efforts of Italy, the Netherlands and the Regional Office, so as to ensure a platform of scientific and operational support for effective action;
  7. AUTHORIZES the Regional Director to carry out secretariat functions for the Protocol on Water and Health to the ECE 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, as provided for in Article 17 of the Protocol, and to conclude with the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations a Memorandum of Understanding setting out details of their work-sharing arrangements;
  8. REQUESTS the Regional Director to continue to provide leadership to the environment and health process in the European Region and to ensure the necessary Regional Office support for it including the allocation of appropriate funds as well as efficient coordination of the cooperation among the various units of the European Centre on Environment and Health.

EUR/RC49/R5

Strategic Planning for Work with Countries and Distribution of Country Allocations in the European Region

The Regional Committee,

Having considered document EUR/RC49/8 which contains: a plan for work with the countries of the European Region; proposals for including information in the programme budget to provide a realistic picture of support to countries; and the proposal for country allocations taking account of the additional allocations in accordance with resolution WHA51.31;

Noting also the recommendations of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee concerning the regional Organization’s work with countries;

  1. THANKS the Standing Committee and the Secretariat for their extensive joint work in arriving at the proposals and recommendations;
  2. INVITES the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee and the Regional Director to continue their review of the fundamental principles of the European Region’s country strategy, taking into consideration the results of evaluation of the EUROHEALTH programme, the report of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee (EUR/RC49/2), the issues raised in document EUR/RC49/8 and the debate at the Regional Committee on agenda item 3(e), and to report back to the Regional Committee at its fiftieth session;
  3. DECIDES to maintain the level of additional budget allocations to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova and Tajikistan (as agreed in resolution EUR/RC48/R9) until the final additional allocation for the Region is received, from which time their allocations will be based only on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index;
  4. ENDORSES the proposal that future (i.e. from 2002–2003 onwards) additional budget allocations are distributed between the remaining EUROHEALTH countries (Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia* based on the Human Development Index, it being understood that when applying the provisions of this resolution until 2010–2011, if any country listed in this or the previous operative paragraph attains high income status as defined by the World Bank at the time, then it should cease to receive such allocations;
  5. REQUESTS the Regional Director to submit to the Regional Committee in 2010 an evaluation report on the use of the Human Development Index, so that it may consider whether a modification should be used for subsequent biennia;
  6. DECIDES that a supplementary revised cross-referenced annex, based on the latest published Human Development Index, corresponding to the proposal contained in document EUR/RC49/8 and its Annex 1, shall be appended to future programme budget proposals to provide a more realistic picture of support to countries of the European Region.
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    * As from the time that Yugoslavia may again become an active Member State of the Region.

EUR/RC49/R6

Necessary Public Health Action on Natural Disasters and Emergencies and International Cooperation for Emergency Preparedness

The Regional Committee,

Considering the devastating and tragic impact of the recent catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and Greece and the enormous suffering caused to the people;

Wishing to express its great sympathy with the people of Turkey and Greece and to share their anguish and grief;

Welcoming the solidarity displayed and assistance provided to these countries by the international community;

Considering the threat of further similar disasters due to the location of some Member States of the Region on a major earthquake fault line or their exposure to other natural disaster risks;

Emphasizing the need for an integrated, rapid and coordinated emergency response, both locally and internationally, in the face of major natural disasters, particularly in saving life and lessening human suffering;

REQUESTS the Regional Director to:

  1. review the Regional Office’s capabilities and activities in the field of emergency and disaster preparedness;
  2. identify mechanisms for ensuring coordinated and immediate international action in the field of public health and for improving the role of the Regional Office in the responses to major natural disasters, paying particular attention to:
    • reviewing the guidelines for emergency preparedness and their application, to ensure that local capability for rapid reaction is strengthened; and
    • establishing collaborative networks among Member States, using information technology to improve and speed up international relief efforts;
  3. bring this resolution to the attention of the Director-General for possible consideration at the global level of the Organization;
  4. submit a report on the above for consideration by the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee and subsequently by the Regional Committee at its fiftieth session.

EUR/RC49/R7

Date and Place of Regular Sessions of the Regional Committee in 2000 and 2001
The Regional Committee,

Having reviewed the decision taken at its forty-eighth session, as expressed in resolution EUR/RC48/R7;

  1. CONFIRMS that the fiftieth session shall be held at the Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen from 11 to 15 September 2000; and

  2. DECIDES that the fifty-first session shall be held in Spain at the kind invitation of the Government of Spain from 10 to 14 September 2001.

EUR/RC49/R8

European Alcohol Action Plan – Third Phase

The Regional Committee,

Recalling the health for all policy framework for the European Region for the twenty-first century which it endorsed in 1998 (resolution EUR/RC48/R5), and in particular target 12 dealing with reducing the harm from alcohol;

Recalling its resolution EUR/RC42/R8, by which it approved the first and second phases of the European Alcohol Action Plan, and the European Charter on Alcohol adopted at the European Conference on Health, Society and Alcohol, Paris, 12–14 December 1995;

Having considered document EUR/RC49/9, which contains proposals for the third phase of the European Alcohol Action Plan;

  1. ENDORSES the third phase of the European Alcohol Action Plan as guidelines for European Member States to follow, taking into account their differing cultures and social, legal and economic environments;
  2. URGES Member States:
    1. to formulate or reformulate national alcohol policies that are in line with the European Charter on Alcohol and to establish programmes that are in line with the outcomes and actions outlined in the third phase of the Action Plan;
    2. to recognize the importance of multisectoral action and the important roles which local communities and health systems have in promoting and in implementing the Action Plan;
    3. to support the implementation of activities designed to achieve the outcomes of the Action Plan in organizations that can assist in achieving the overall objectives;
    4. to adopt measures to protect young people from harm done by alcohol and to develop programmes involving young people;
  3. URGES integrational, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, as well as self-help movements, to undertake joint action with Member States and with the Regional Office to maximize the Region-wide efforts to reduce the harm resulting from alcohol consumption;
  4. REQUESTS the Regional Director:
    1. to ensure support for the Action Plan  from the Regional Office and its networks by using funds from WHO’s regular budget and making efforts to raise more voluntary contributions;
    2. to cooperate with and assist Member States and other organizations in their efforts to reduce the harm resulting from alcohol consumption and thereby alcohol-related problems in the Region;
    3. to establish an information system for the European Region on alcohol-related problems in order to collect, analyse and distribute information relevant to the implementation of the regional Action Plan;
    4. to report, as part of the Regional Director’s report, every two years to the Regional Committee on progress in implementing the Action Plan

EUR/RC49/R9

Upgrading the Role of Public Health in the European Region

The Regional Committee

Recognizing the importance of public health as part of Health21 – the health for all policy framework for the European Region;

Recognizing further the need for public health managers and other public health workers defined in the health for all policy framework to have integrity and a high professional standing, for effective coordination across sectors and institutions and for mobilization of political and community support;

Believing that public health is inherently multidisciplinary and needs to draw on a range of professional skills;

Aware of the key role that institutions of public health education and training, and in particular schools of public health, can play in contributing to a public health infrastructure and workforce able to implement the values and goals of Health21;

  1. ENDORSES the principles and strategies for strengthening the public health function and public health infrastructure, training and research in the European Region as outlined in document EUR/RC49/10 and in accordance with Health21;
  2. URGES Member States:
    1. to ensure that the main tasks and functions, infrastructure, training and research in public health meet the challenges, principles and strategies outlined in document EUR/RC49/10 and Health21;
    2. to give particular emphasis to a comprehensive programme for development of human resources through basic, postgraduate and continuing education in public health for health personnel and other professions whose work has an impact on health, the priority being to ensure a strong workforce of specialists in public health and provide for their training in schools of public health or similar institutions;
  3. 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director:
    1. to strengthen the capacity of the Regional Office to provide leadership and support for promoting the organization and practice of public health throughout the European Region and to improve WHO’s communication and cooperation with other organizations and institutions active in this field;
    2. to develop strategies, guidance and tools for public health systems and for capacity-building in public health; to promote the development of schools of public health and national institutes of public health or similar institutions; to strengthen cooperation between public health researchers, clinical researchers and those engaged in fundamental research; and to help draw up models of training and academic curricula based on the principles of Health21;
    3. to support a mechanism whereby public health training institutions in the Region can establish a network which enables them to improve their communication and cooperation, especially on activities related to Health21 targets;
    4. to give practical effect to the possibilities whereby WHO can contribute to cooperation with the European Commission;
    5. to report to the Regional Committee at regular intervals on the steps taken to implement this resolution.

EUR/RC49/R10

Health for All Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation of Health21

The Regional Committee,

Having considered document EUR/RC49/7 on health for all (HFA) indicators for monitoring and evaluation of Health21;

Recalling resolution WHA39.7 which inter alia decides that reporting on monitoring progress towards HFA should be every three years;

Recalling resolution EUR/RC48/R5 on the health for all policy framework for the European Region for the 21st century;

  1. ENDORSES the regional HFA indicators that have been elaborated  and the proposed simplification of the HFA monitoring exercise 2000–2001, specifically related to the distinction between monitoring and evaluation;
  2. URGES Member States:
    1. to ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are developed or existing ones used to carry out efficiently HFA monitoring and evaluation in their countries in accordance with the needs of health policy development at different levels;
    2. to provide the Regional Office with statistical data and other relevant information, in accordance with the proposed timetable and procedure;
    3. to seek the Regional Office’s support as necessary for the implementation of these activities;
    4.  to continue to support the Regional Office in its efforts to improve the use and international comparability of HFA data;
  3. REQUESTS the Regional Director:
    1. to transmit all relevant documents, together with the report of the forty-ninth session of the Regional Committee, to the Director-General for the purpose of coordinating regional and global strategy;
    2. to assist in strengthening the potential of national information systems in order to promote greater interaction in the Region between the activities of WHO and those of all other bodies concerned, in order to stimulate comparability of data requirements and standards amongst them;
    3. to initiate the HFA monitoring exercise in 2000 and to report the results of that exercise to the Regional Committee at its fifty-first session.

EUR/RC49/R11

Report of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee

The Regional Committee,

Having considered the report of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee (documents EUR/RC49/2 and EUR/RC49/2 Add.1) and the proposed action and recommendations contained therein;

  1. THANKS the members of the Standing Committee for their work on behalf of the Regional Committee;
  2. INVITES the Standing Committee to pursue its work on the basis of the discussions held and resolutions adopted by the Regional Committee at its forty-ninth session;
  3. REQUESTS the Regional Director to take action, as appropriate, on the conclusions and proposals contained in the report of the Standing Committee, taking fully into account the changes agreed by the Regional Committee at its forty-ninth session as recorded in the report of the session.