A meeting involving the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education of Portugal, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the World Federation for Medical Education, the Association for Medical Education in Europe, and the Association of Medical Deans in Europe is reported. The meeting was attended by ministers and delegations from 25 countries. Its aim was to foster a common understanding of the coordinated action needed to improve medical education by reviewing the current situation in members states of the European Community for use of the "health-for-all" policy and strategy to reorient health care delivery and health personnel development, and to advise on how ministries of health and of education can collaborate. Steps taken by each of the organizations represented are described, highlights of statements by ministers and delegations are summarized, the results of four working groups are reported, and conclusions and recommendations are outlined. The text of the resulting Lisbon Initiative is presented. A summary of "The Reform of Medical Education" in Europe and a list of participants are appended. (MSE)