EU Public Health Programme 2008-2013
The EU Public Health Programme has published its ’Call for proposals’ which allows organisations to participate under a variety of financing mechanisms. The budgetary authority has approved a total budget of 46.600.000 euros for 2008.
The Programme makes a clear distinction between ’grants for an action’ and ’operating grants’
Specified at SANCO’s website, the 2008 financing mechanisms include:
call for project proposals (28.541.003 euros = 62% operating budget)
operating grants (2.300.000 euros = 5% operating budget)
call for conference proposals
joint actions by the Community and Member States as well as other (third) countries participating in the Programme
tendering of actions to achieve a Programme objective, the overall indicative amount for tenders would be up 9.300.000 euros, around 20% of the operating budget.
The deadline to apply for funding is 23 May 2008.
More information can be found at SANCO’s Website
Background
On 23 October 2007, the European Parliament and Council adopted jointly decisions regarding the second programme of Community action in the field of health (2008-2013).
The Public Health Programme (PHP) will pursue objectives such as:
- improve citizens’ health security:
protect citizens’ against health threats
improve citizens’ safety
promote health, including the reduction of health inequalities
Foster healthier ways of life and the reduction of health inequalites
Promote healthier ways of life and reduce major diseases and injuries by tackling health determinants.
- generate and disseminate health information knowledge
exchange knowledge and best practice
collect, analyse and disseminate health information
The objectives will be reached through different actions which will support the prevention of major diseases and contribute to reducing their incidence as well as the morbidity and mortality rates.
Funding: The total financial budget is 321 500 000 euros.
Projects 60% of costs for an action intended to help achieve an objective forming part of the Programme, exceptional utility 80%
Core Funding 60% of costs for the functioning of a non-governmental body or specialised network, which is non-profit-making and independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests. It has to have members in at least half of the Member States with a balanced geographical coverage. Its primary goals should be to pursue one or more objectives of the Programme. In case of exceptional utility, the Community contribution shall not exceed 80%.
Background
The European Commission released the plans for its proposed new joint Health and Consumer protection programme (January 2007 - December 2013) in April 2005.
The Commission argued for a joint approach on health and consumer protection because these policy areas share similar objectives and types of activities. A combined programme would also create economies of scale and reduce the administrative burden on Commission staff.
However this approach was rejected by the European Parliament and by the Council.
Main points of the Health Programme 2007-2013, as adopted by the European Parliament, Spring 2006
Splitting the Health and Consumer Programme - The European Parliament followed the recommendations from both Mr Trakatellis and Ms Thyssen (rapporteurs respectively for the Health and Consumer aspects of the Health and Consumer Programme) to split the programme into two different programmes.
Funding (co-financing and core funding) - MEPs agreed to increase the overall budget of the Health programme: 1.5 billion Euros over 7 years. Besides, in the debate that preceded the vote, they expressed their serious concerns about the impact of the financial perspectives on the Health programme. Members that took the floor called for a constructive budget for the Health strategy of the European Union.
With regard to core funding, the European Parliament recognised the role of health NGOs in promoting public health and representing citizens’ interests. Therefore, they increased the ceiling to 75%,( maximum of 95% in case of exceptional utility). They also decided to set up criterias for core funding recipients (Amendment 53). Besides, they also voted on the possibility to award core funding on a 2-year basis, with an exemption from the principle of annual decrease.
As far as co-financing is concerned, MEPs set up the ceilings at 60% of the project with a maximum of 80% in case of exceptional utility.
The Management Committee is also required to adopt its decisions in accordance with transparency measures (Amendment 67). The European Parliament also endorsed an amendment that aims to scale the costs of the Executive Agency to the overall budget of the Health programme (Amendment 152).
Mainstreaming health into other policy areas and the EU added-value - Members of the European Parliament strongly input on this issue, mentioning more specifically the links between the HC Programme and the Structural Funds, or the 7th Research Framework Programme. In addition, the EU added-value and necessary subsidiarity principle is also pointed out regularly in the text. MEPs also refer to the collaboration with the World Health Organisation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations. A number of amendments makes also a direct reference to the newly established European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)
Health determinants approach Vs Disease-specific approach - Strong discussions took place over the European Commission’s approach to the health programme. Some members wanted the disease burden to be effectively mentioned in the text in order to provide more focus, while others feared it might end up as a shopping list and therefore prefered a health determinant approach. The latter was adopted by the European Parliament, following the lead of the main two political groups (EPP-ED and PES). They agreed to mention the World Health Organisation list of disease burden in the recitals (amendments 9 and 10).
New strands and priorities - The Parliament’s vote highlighted a strong focus on patients’ mobility and cross-border healthcare; cross-border health threats and health inequalities and tackling major diseases. A new strand on injury-related determinants has also been added. It should be noted that the environment impact is now mentioned in the text, as well as Complementary and alternative medicines in the recitals (Amendment 145). The role of local and regional authorities is also widely supported, as well as the importance of children: The amendment 17 states: "The Programme will place emphasis on improving the health condition and promoting a healthy lifestyle among children and young people".
Consequences of the Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA), April 2006
Following the IIA conclusions, the European Commission proposed a revised version of the Health Programme.
The financial framework 2007-2013 leaves the Health Programme with 365.6 Million Euros - ie a 60% cut from the initial proposal from the European Commission.
Revised European Commission for a Public health Programme
01 December 2006: The Council reached an agreement on the Public Health Programme
The Council of Ministers for Health agreed on an amended text on the ’Programme of Community Action in the field of Health’ 2007-2013.
The agreed text endorses the split between the Health and Consumer programmes.
With a budget of 324,15 Million Euros, the programme’s objectives are triple:
1.improve citizens’ health security; 2.Promote health 3.Generate and disseminate health information and knowledge
Although Member States generally agree on a health determinant approach, they still seek to support the prevention of major diseases and contribute to reducing their incidence as well as the morbidity and mortality caused by them.
It reiterates the need for core-funding for NGOs, with some minor reservations.
It emphasises the need to strengthen cooperation with other EU programmes which will impact on health (such as FP7, the Structural Funds, the Environment and Health Action Plan, etc), as well as on the collaboration with the WHO, the OECD, and the United Nations.
EPHA’s briefing paper on the Health and Consumer Programme
