16. 4. 96 ] Official Journal of the European Communities No L 95/9 DECISION No 646/96/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 29 March 1996 adopting an action plan to combat cancer within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996 to 2000) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 129 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (*) in the light of the joint text approved on 31 January 1996 by the Conciliation Committee, (1) (3) Whereas, at its meetings in Milan in June 1985 and in Luxembourg in December 1985, the European Council underlined the advantages of launching a European programme against cancer; Whereas the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council adopted on 7 July 1986 a Resolution on a programme of action of the European Communities against cancer(’) and on 17 May 1990 Decision 90/238/Euratom, ECSC, EEC adopting a 1990 to 1994 action plan in the context of the ‘Europe against Cancer’ programme (°); Whereas in its resolution of 19 November 1993 on public health policy after Maastricht(’) the European Parliament asked that activities against cancer be intensified; Whereas in its Resolution of 13 December 1993 (¥) the Council invited the Commission to submit in due course a draft third action plan, taking into ) OJ No C 139, 21. 5. 1994, p. 12, and O] No C 143, 9. 6. 1995, p. 16. } O] No C 393, 31. 12. 1994, p. 8. ) OJ No C 210, 14. 8. 1995, p. §5. ) Opinion of the European Parliament of 1 March 1995 (O] No C 68, 20. 3. 1995, p. 17}, Council common position of 2 June 1995 (O] No C 216, 21. 8. 1995, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parliament of 25 October 1995 (O] No C 308, 20. 11. 1995). Decision of the European Parliament of 15 February 1996 (O] No C 65, 4. 3. 1996) and Council Decision of 16 February 1996. OJ No C 184, 23. 7. 1986, p. 19. QJ No C 329, 6. 12, 1993, p. 375. ) ) O] No L 137, 30. 5. 1990, p. 31. ) ) OJ No C 15, 18. 1. 1994, p. 1. (3) (11) account the Council Resolution of 27 May 1993 on future action in the field of public health as well as the objectives and improvements set out in the Annex to that Resolution (*); Whereas the Council, in its Resolution of 2 June 1994(!%), in response to the Commission communication of 24 November 1993 on the framework for action in the field of public health, included cancer among the priority areas for action for which the Commission was invited to bring forward proposals for action; Whereas, by reason of its scale and effects, Community action in support of cancer prevention enables the desired objectives to be attained more effectively; Whereas policies and programmes formulated and implemented at Community level should be compatible with the targets and objectives of Community action on cancer prevention; whereas, in particular, implementation of actions under the Community’s biomedical and health research programme should be closely coordinated with the implementation of Community actions on cancer prevention; Whereas  cooperation  with * the competent international organizations and with non-member countries should be strengthened; Whereas cancer is a major disease associated with lifestyles; whereas the risk factors inherent in them need to be reduced, especially tobacco consumption, which will also have an effect on combating other diseases, in particular cardiovascular diseases; Whereas, by ensuring wider dissemination of knowledge of the causes of cancer and of its prevention, by ensuring improved comparability and dissemination of information on these subjects, and by developing complementary actions especially in health education, this plan will contribute to the achievement of the Community objectives set out in Article 129 of the Treaty; Whereas measures must be adopted to combat promotion in the media of habits which may lead () O] No C 174, 25. 6. 1993, p. 1. (1) O] No C 165, 17. 6. 1994, p. 1.