Annexes to COM(2009)567 - Solidarity in health: reducing health inequalities in the EU - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2009)567 - Solidarity in health: reducing health inequalities in the EU. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2009)567  |
| date | October 20, 2009 |
Different Commission policies should continue to support Member States to create more equitable access to high quality health care and prevention and promotion systems. The EU could play a role promoting better cooperation between health systems as envisaged in the Proposal for a Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. It could also contribute to better understand and propose solutions for the challenges facing by the health systems regarding the capacity of the European health work force; and can also contribute to asses how to use efficiently the new technologies in the health sector.
EU Cohesion policy is important in achieving the Lisbon objectives of economic and social cohesion and can be a powerful tool to address health inequalities. The current Community Strategic Guidelines set out the possible use of the funds for health related actions. Member States have allocated around € 5 billion (1.5% of the total available) from the funds in the category Health Infrastructure for the period 2007-2013. An increased use of the funding opportunities offered by the Cohesion Policy to address health inequalities would require improvements in: knowledge of the opportunity to use funds in this area; coordination between national policy departments; and technical capacity to develop investments in this field. An effort should be made to increase the health focus for the next programming period and achieve a better alignment of the strategic documents under EU Cohesion Policy with the priorities identified in the Social OMC.
The national implementation of Community Legislation on Health and Safety at Work and the Community Strategy on Health and Safety at Work 2007-2012 provide an opportunity to reduce health inequalities in the EU by protecting worker's health and reducing the negative impact of some of its determinants. Further attention should be placed on health inequalities within the context of promoting equal opportunity between men and women.
Currently few EU policy actions are evaluated after implementation in relation to their impact on health inequality. Building on existing work more development is needed of mechanisms to evaluate the health impact of existing policies (ex post) on different population groups to produce information for further policy development Such mechanisms cannot be "one size fits all" and would draw on good practice developed in Member States. In addition, the EU can make use of existing reports including the Cohesion Report, the Employment Report and the Lisbon Report to analyse the relationship between these policies and health outcomes across EU areas and population groups.
The EU is also committed to supporting other countries in health and related fields. The WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health[21] recently described the massive health differences between countries and social groups worldwide and called for concerted action at all levels of government to address them. EU activities may affect health in third countries in a variety of ways including trade, development assistance, work with international organizations, and exchange of knowledge. EU experience on tackling health inequalities may also have relevance outside the EU. Possible synergies between the Commission's development aid and the work within the EU on inequalities in health should therefore be explored. The EU should also liaise with relevant international organisations on work in this area.
EU level Actions:
Provide further support to existing mechanisms for policy coordination and exchange of good practice on health inequalities between Member States such as the EU expert group on Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities[22], linking both to the Social Protection Committee and the Council Working Party on Public Health and the Social Protection Committee.
Review the possibilities to assist Member States to make better use of EU Cohesion policy and structural funds to support activities to address factors contributing to health inequalities.
Encourage Member States to further use the existing options under the CAP rural development policy and market policy (school milk, food for most deprived persons, school fruit scheme) to support vulnerable groups and rural areas with high needs.
Hold policy dialogues with Member States and stakeholders on equity and other key fundamental values in health, as set out in the EU Health Strategy.
Provide funding under PROGRESS including for peer reviews and a call for proposals in 2010 to assist Member States in developing relevant strategies.
Run a forum on health and restructuring to examine appropriate measures to reduce health inequalities.
Commission initiative on the EU role in global health
6. NEXT STEPS
Tackling health inequalities is a long term process. The actions in this Communication are intended to lay the framework for sustained action in this area. On the basis of this Communication and the future discussions in the Council the Commission intends to work actively in partnership with Member States and stakeholders in the coming period. A first progress report on the situation will be produced in 2012.
[1] http://tinyurl.com/n2xl6b
[2] COM(2007) 630.
[3] COM(2008) 412.
[4] Health inequalities: Europe in profile. Mackenbach J., 2006.
[5] SEC (2006) 410.
[6] SEC(2008) 2172.
[7] Breaking the barriers: Romani women and access to public health care. EU European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia 2003.
[8] Monitoring progress towards the objectives of the European Strategy for Social Protection and Social Inclusion, 2008.
[9] OJ C 146, 22.6.2006, p. 1.
[10] COM(2008) 689.
[11] COM(2008) 836.
[12] European Directory of Good Practices to reduce health inequalities. http://tinyurl.com/ybrpdy2
[13] COM(2005) 706.
[14] http://tinyurl.com/dmycvx
[15] OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 70.
[16] Council of the European Union. Doc 10117/06. 9 June 2006.
[17] COM(2008) 418.
[18] Council Conclusions on inclusion of the Roma. http://tinyurl.com/kne9s5
[19] Council Resolution of 20 November 2008 on the health and well-being of young people.
[20] SEC (2006) 410.
[21]8BMPV Commission on Social Determinants of Health Final Report. WHO 2008.
[22] Current mandate at http://tinyurl.com/l947z8