1. September 2002 1 Lobbying for health in the EU Andrew Hayes UICC/ECL EU Liaison Office Brussels

2. September 2002 2 The European Commission  Initiatives  Implementation  Monitoring Commissioner and Cabinet Directorates General

3. September 2002 3 The European Council Consists of Member States Ultimate political authority  Ministers - e.g.: Health Presidency  Civil servants - COREPER

4. September 2002 4 Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council CountryVotes Austria4 Belgium5 Denmark3 Finland3 France10 CountryVotes Netherlands5 Portugal5 Spain8 Sweden4 United Kingdom10 A ‘qualified majority’ needs 62 votes out of a total of 8. In practice, it is politically necessary to do better than this. A 'satisfactory solution' should command at least 65 votes. The Council is comprised of representatives of each Member State, but reaches decisions (for this particular purpose) on the basis of a weighted voting system. The votes are allocated as follows: CountryVotes Germany10 Greece5 Ireland3 Italy10 Luxembourg2

5. September 2002 5 The European Parliament The 'democratic' institution  Agenda setting  Budgetary approval  European legislation

6. September 2002 6 Members of the European Parliament P oliticians - elected for five years - as party members/national members - as members of EP political groups - as committee members - as special interest 'experts’ e.g., Health Forum Intergroup - supported by EP officials - and a vast array of 'permanent visitors'

7. September 2002 7 Political groups in the EP

8. September 2002 8 The Treaty of Nice (which is still being ratified) sets out the institutional arrangements for enlarged Union of 27 States Parliament : 732 seats allocated according to criteria set out in the Treaty (next elections June 2004) Commission: Each Member State has the right to a Commissioner (new college of Commissioners, Jan 2005) Council : 345 votes with a Qualified Majority of 255 votes This will have to be revised if less than 12 countries have signed the Accession Treaty before 1 January 2004. Enlargement negotiations expected to be concluded by the Copenhagen Summit, 12-13 December 2002 The Enlarged Union

9. September 2002 9 What is in the EU treaty? Article 152 of the Amsterdam Treaty states: “a high level of health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities” But the EU must respect Member State responsibilities for organisation and delivery of health care

10. September 2002 10 The Subsidiarity Principle In areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Community shall take action in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity: only if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action be better achieved by the Community any action by the Community shall not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives of the Treaty

11. September 2002 11 The Proportionality test Consists of three elements:  What is the objective to be pursued?  Are the means employed suitable for the achievement of that measure?  Do they go beyond what is necessary to achieve it?

12. September 2002 12 Contact details: International Union against Cancer and Association of European Cancer Leagues 33 rue de Pascale B-1040, Brussels Tel: (32-2) 230 20 27 Fax: (32-2) 231 18 58 Email: hayes@globalink.org