mobility

Circular migration: Silver bullet or placebo solution?

Debates over circular migration to fill employment gaps in industrialised economies are of particular relevance to the health sector, where demographic change and concurrant increases in chronic diseases and multiple morbidities are driving an ever-greater need for qualified health professionals. However, a fine balance needs to be struck between migrants’ individual aspirations and the impact of their migration decision on health systems already hit by the effects of the crisis and (...)

Revamping the EU Single Market

To redress concerns voiced by citizens and business representatives, the Single Market Act II represents a new chapter in the ongoing process towards a deeper and better integrated Single Market, with the current focus firmly lying on job creation, growth and social cohesion. While these factors can impact on health, economic concerns dominate the debate while health and social concerns remain marginal. Single Market Act II As announced in June in its new proposal, the Commission puts (...)

Health Inequalities Conference highlights need for better stakeholder dialogue and coordination

At the end of September, EPHA attended the first ’Conference on Health Inequalities in the New EU Member States’ in Sofia, Bulgaria, jointly organised by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF), the National Patients’ Organization (NPO) of Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian Ministry of Health. The event approached health inequalities from the patients’ perspective and gathered national stakeholders from Eastern Europe and beyond, as well as EU policy makers and MEPs. (...)

Time to Act: WHO Global Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel

The World Health Organisation Global Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel was adopted in 2010 by the WHO Member States, including the EU-27 countries. Notably, its monitoring strategy calls on NGOs and other stakeholders to work with the WHO to achieve ‘’meaningful commitment and action’’. The meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Malta on 10-13 September is an opportunity to recall the importance and urgency of (...)

European Commission employment package confirms health as growth area

The European Commission has released a comprehensive employment package which includes a policy communication, "Towards a job-rich recovery," and nine Commission Staff Working Documents. The package contains concrete measures to combat mass unemployment and mitigate the effects of the crisis. The green economy, health services and ICT are recognised as high potential employment areas. The policy communication underlines the need for a stronger employment and a social dimension to EU (...)

Commission unveils Action Plan for Health Workforce

As part of the European Commission Communication ’’Towards a job-rich recovery’’ of 18 April 2012, a Staff Working Document on an Action Plan for the EU Health Workforce has been released. It aims to assist Member States to tackle urgent challenges and sets out actions to foster cooperation and share good practices. The EC Communication ’’Towards a job-rich recovery’’ and the accompanying Commission Staff Working Document on an Action Plan (...)

IMCO hearing zooms in on challenges of Professional Qualifications Directive revision

An Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) hearing took place on 25 April to discuss the European Commission’s legislative proposal to revise the Professional Qualifications Directive. The hearing served to confirm that a large number of complex issues remain to be solved. The hearing gathered the lead Committee’s Rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs, as well as expert speakers representing some of the professions affected. In her opening, IMCO Rapporteur (...)

The Impact of the crisis on nurses and nursing: new evidence from EFN

The European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) has recently published a report on the impact of the financial crisis on nurses and nursing in Europe, with an overview of the situation in 34 European countries. This era of austerity and government budget cutbacks across Europe are having implications on healthcare. Unfortunately, the pursuit of financial sustainability and cost-containment is not often accompanied by investments in health professionals and healthcare to maintain high (...)

Stakeholder meeting on revision of Professional Qualifications Directive: key dates and actors

A stakeholder meeting took place at the beginning of February to gather further comments on the legislative proposal for modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive. It zoomed in on some of the key issues of concern to health professionals and patients. More information on key dates and key actors for EPHA members. The Commission released its legislative proposal for the revision of the Professional Qualifications Directive (DIR36) on 19 December 2011. One month later, the file (...)

Commission proposal for a simplified recognition regime of professional qualifications

Following two rounds of consultations and a public stakeholder conference in early November, the European Commission adopted a proposal for modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC) on 19 December 2011. The proposal by the Commission, which builds on the Green Paper released in the summer of 2011 (see the EPHA response to the Green Paper on the Modernisation of the Professional Qualifications Directive) and further comments received at the post-consultation (...)