An Informal Health Council convened on 9 and 10 September in Noordwijk to discuss the impact of population ageing on the affordability, accessibility and quality of European healthcare systems. The Informal Council did not arrive at binding decisions but its findings will provide a direction for further action.
EU Health Ministers have agreed, among other things, on the necessity to stimulate evidence-based policies towards chronic diseases, promote upstream prevention strategies as well as create more synergy between healthcare policy on the one hand and social and economic policies on the other. They also expressed the intention to apply an open method of coordination with regard to healthcare issues, by exchanging best practices, sharing common objectives, developing indicators and benchmarking.
In addition, the Council took note of the results of the conference "Shaping the EU Health Community: Balancing Health, Social Development and Internal Market " which took place in the The Hague on 7-9 September 2004 (see related EPHA’s article)
Dutch Presidency press release
Background paper of the Dutch Presidency
Programme of the Informal Health Council
Speech by Commissioner Byrne: "Prevention - key to healthcare costs in an ageing society"
