Greek presidency: 1 January - 20 June 2003
Mr Costas Stefanis, Greek Minister of Health and Welfare has emphasised his government’s support regarding the position of Public Health in the European Union Treaties. On Monday 27 January 2003 on the occasion of the exchange of views between Mr Stefanis and the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy in the European Parliament he expressed his commitment to pushing for health as a shared competence in the new Treaty.
On the so-called "Pharmaceutical package", he said that although the Council saw the initiative as bit "ambitious", they were doing as much as possible to achieve a political agreement. He said that the Council is examining the European Parliament’s propositions and is likely to adopt most of them.
In the fight against tobacco, the Greek presidency was committed to presenting a common European position in the Sixth Negotiation Round of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (in the fifth round the European position was divided). An agreement on the Framework was achieved between the various parties in Geneva. It now awaits final agreement by the World Health Assembly in May 2003. The Presidency welcomes the Commission’s proposal to introduce a Recommendation on Cancer Control and Monitoring, which will be considered at the Council meeting on 2-3 June 2003.
Mr Stefanis listed the five health priorities of the Greek Presidency:
1. Food: the Presidency had organised two parallel congresses that will be held between 28 February and 3 March in Athens. At those meetings the Presidency will discuss the WHO European Region framework food programme and a presentation from European Member States and Candidate Countries on food measures.
2. Drug addiction: a debate on the practical implementation of the European Union Action Plan on Drug Programme will be held in Athens 6-8 March. It represents the three-year work programme of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
3. Mental Health: the Greek Presidency stated its serious commitment on this subject and pointed out that there would be numerous activities in the fight against prejudices towards people with mental diseases.
4. Patients’ mobility: access and quality to healthcare services in the EU will be the topic of a meeting 5-7 May in Patras.
5. EU Enlargement: a congress focusing on the internal market and professional qualifications, entitled of "Health and Healthcare prospects and challenges", will be held 15-17 May in Athens.
Health in Greece
A recent study by the World Health Organization ranked the Greek health system as 14th out of the global total of 191 countries investigated. Encouraging though this figure was, the Greek government is pushing ahead with major health care investment. A restructuring is underway aimed at providing a higher quality of services and discouraging many Greeks from turning into the private health sector.
In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is implementing a number of information technology and telecommunications projects to improve the overall level of medical services, to provide greater access to health care services and to manage resources in the health care sector.
The welfare state in Greece is almost 70 years old. It aims to create a so-called "safety net" for the whole of population, including the sick, disabled and elderly people. The responsibility for the management of the social insurance system, as well as of the unemployment and family assistance benefits, belongs to the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance. The increase in life expectancy and the falling fertility rates pose new challenges for the social insurance system.
Health and other allowances remain at a low level and, as a consequence, those Greeks who can afford to do so seek complementary (private) insurance. As a result, a new scheme was deemed necessary. In 2002, a major social insurance reform initiative was presented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance.
Compiled by Lara Garrido Herrero.
Source: http://www.eu2003.gr/en/cat/126/ (Greek Presidency website)
