Commission Decision
of 19 March 2002
laying down case definitions for reporting communicable diseases to the Community network under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
(notified under document number C(2002) 1043)
(2002/253/EC) (repealed)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community(1), and in particular Article 3(c) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Member States should communicate information on the epidemiological development and emergence of public health threats due to communicable diseases using the Community network in a way which allows comparisons to be made for preventive and control action to be taken at Community and national level.
(2) For comparability of such information, the setting up of common case definitions is a prerequisite even where disease-specific surveillance networks have not yet been put in place. As soon as this Decision comes into effect these case definitions should be used for reporting to the Community network, and should comply with regulations on individual data protection.
(3) The case definitions which allow comparable reporting should comprise a tiered system allowing Member States' structures and/or authorities flexibility in communicating information on diseases and special health issues. In particular, these case definitions will facilitate reporting on diseases listed in Commission Decision 2000/96/EC(2).
(4) Case definitions should be constructed to enable all Member States to participate in the reporting to the greatest extent possible, using data from their existing systems. They should allow for different levels of sensitivity and specificity according to the different goals of information collection and they should be easy to amend.
(5) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up by Decision No 2119/98/EC,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: