Motion for a recommendation | Doc. 13271 | 03 July 2013

Enhanced co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the World Health Organisation

Signatories: - Alexander [The Earl of] DUNDEE, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Paride ANDREOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Joe BENTON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Baroness Diana ECCLES, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Sir Roger GALE, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Naira KARAPETYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Charles KENNEDY, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Igor KOLMAN, Croatia, ALDE ; Sir Edward LEIGH, United Kingdom, EDG ; Ms Guguli MAGHRADZE, Georgia, SOC ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Melita MULIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Ms Sandra OSBORNE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Ivan RAČAN, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Jim SHERIDAN, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jouko SKINNARI, Finland, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Parliamentary Assembly and the World Health Organisation (WHO) acknowledge the important role parliaments have nationality and internationally in public health and seek to help them with effective policy making, legislation and resource allocation. Equally, both institutions recognise that as a result of their combined endeavours health problems can be all the better addressed.

The Assembly has already proposed measures and adopted texts to improve health. These include: Resolution 1816 (2011), on health hazards of heavy metals and other metals; Recommendation 1959 (2011) on preventive health care policies in the Council of Europe member States; Resolution 1749 (2010) and Recommendation 1929 (2010) on handling of the H1N1 pandemic: more transparency needed.

The Assembly therefore calls on the Committee of Ministers and WHO to revisit their resolve of co-operation of 1952 and to work together in the following respects:

- regular contact and information-sharing;

- efficient use by the Council of Europe of the WHO’s expertise on health-related matters.