Cross Border Healthcare Directive

Unveiling the Danish Presidency health priorities

From the 1st January to the 30 June 2012, Denmark will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU, with four overarching priorities: a responsible Europe; a dynamic Europe; A green Europe; a safe Europe. In the health field, the Danish presidency will prioritise six main issues. 1 Action Programme in the Field of Health In 2011, the European Commission presented its proposal for a new Framework Programme in the field of Health called Health For Growth. The Danish Presidency plans to (...)

EPHA position on the Social Determinants of Health and the Health Divide in the WHO European Region

On 7 October 2011, the Marmot Review Team has launched a consultation on the European Review of the Social Determinants of Health and the Health Divide in the WHO European Region. EPHA contributed to the consultation in the framework of our campaign on health equity EPHA Response to the Marmot Review Consultation on the European Review of the Social Determinants of Health and the Health Divide in the WHO European Region Visit the website of the UCL Institute of Health Equity (former the (...)

European public opinion shows support for EU cooperation on rare diseases

On the World Rare Day Disease Day, the European Commission published a Eurobarometer on Europeans’ awareness and knowledge of rare diseases and their support for policy initiatives and actions taken in the European Union. The outcomes of the Eurobarometer report showed there was a strong support for action at national and European level. Rare diseases are life threatening or chronically debilitating disease, that affect only a few people. A disease is considered to be rare when fewer (...)

*Updated* Crossborder Healthcare Directive adopted

On 28 Februrary 2011, the Council approved the European Parliament’s amendments on a draft Directive, and the Crossborder Healthcare Directive has been adopted. Please read on for more information. Update February 2011 On 28 February 2011, the Council approved the European Parliament’s amendments on a draft directive. The European Parliament’s amendments reflect a second-reading-compromise reached between the Belgian Presidency and representatives of the European (...)

2010 EU Citizenship Report highlights bottlenecks in eHealth and Cross-border Healthcare

The Commission adopted the "EU Citizenship Report 2010: Dismantling the obstacles to EU citizens’ rights" . The report outlines concrete measures the Commission is taking to ensure that European citizens are able to exercise their rights to the full. The report is a follow up to the ’EU Citizens’ Rights – The way forward’ consultation, launched in June 2010. The consultation aimed to indentify how the rights stemming from Union Citizenship could be (...)

EU workforce for health - experiences from the front line

On 27 October 2010 EPHA co-organised an event in the European Parliament that highlighted the problems that the health workforce experiences when working in different Member States. The event provided a forum to discuss the shortage of health professionals and its potential impact. Speakers and participants agreed that it was timely and urged policy makers to take action. To highlight the importance of taking into account the EU Workforce for Health in the EU sphere, EPHA joined forces (...)

Report on the EPHA exchange of views with Spanish Presidency

The Health and Consumer Affairs Counsellor for the Spanish Permanent Representation gave a presentation on the health priorities of the Spanish Presidency and the framework of the trio presidency. In this article you can find a summary of topics discussed, as well as the powerpoint presentation given that day. Enrique Garcia Terol, the Health and Consumer Affairs Counsellor for the Spanish Permanent Representation came to the EPHA offices to give a presentation on the health priorities of (...)

Revised social security regulation aims to improve mobility in Europe

On 1 May 2010, a new legislative package, known as “modernised coordination”, came into force to regulate social security schemes in EU member states. The regulation, which was adopted by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers in September 2009, is designed to provide more and better information, simpler and more efficient procedures, and to broaden the scope of existing social security schemes. The provisions cover anyone who moves to another EU country to settle (...)

Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare

The proposal for a Directive on patients’ rights regarding cross-border healthcare was released on 2 July 2008. With the proposal, the Commission will try to create legal certainty on this issue and possibly avoid new court cases because the EU Treaty gives individual patients the right to seek healthcare in other Member States. In its meeting on 2 December 2009, the Council failed to reach an agreement on the Directive. **Update 2 December 2009** The Council fails to reach agreement (...)

Open Days 2009 to look at some key health issues

On 6-7 October 2009, the European Commission is holding its European Week of Regions and Cities - the Open Days - in Brussels. EPHA has compiled a list of health-relevant workshops. Interested organisations can register on the dedicated website. The Open Days’ motto this year is ‘Global Challenges, European Responses’. The programme is structured according to these four themes: Restoring growth: Innovation in Europe’s regions and cities Regions and climate (...)