On 1 June 2004, the European Health Insurance Card came into circulation in 13 European countries. The aim of the card is to facilitate the access to healthcare within the EU, by replacing all the paper forms needed for health treatment during a temporary stay in another Member State.
According to Romano Prodi: "The European health insurance card will be another piece of Europe in your pocket. The millions of European citizens who travel within the Union every year - on holiday, school exchanges, business trips will now find it much easier to access healthcare when abroad."
With the health card, bureaucratic procedures will be greatly reduced and simplified. EU citizens will no longer be required to apply for a new form entitling to health treatment each time they made a trip to another Member State. Treatment will be available on production of the card. The period of validity of the card will be decided by the issuing Member State.
Initially the card replaces only the existing E111 form for short stays like holidays. In a second phase it will substitute all other forms used for temporary stays, such as those for employees posted to another country (E128), job seekers (E119) and students (E128). In the long term it is intended to be issued with an electronic chip, which will greatly facilitate exchange of information between Member States and reduce the risk of error, fraud and abuse.
The card has already been introduced in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Estonia and Slovenia. Other countries decided to make use of a transition period for its introduction up to the end of 2005.
For more information see also the European Health Insurance Card: Frequently Asked Questions
