Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-05-21-Speech-1-063"
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"en.20070521.15.1-063"2
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".
Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, health services constitute one of the pillars of the European social model. That is why they have been excluded from the Services Directive and must be dealt with in their own right, as part of a more wide-ranging assessment of the health sector in Europe.
In view of the countless number of infringement proceedings brought by the Directorate-General for the Internal Market in the field of health care and of the unsatisfactory legal situation in which the user-citizens find themselves, we need, for consistency's sake, to lay down a directive on health services that spells out the common values and the principles applicable to health care systems in the Union, and this, so that the citizens regain confidence in Europe in one area of their everyday lives – health care – for their health is their most precious asset. The added value of the Union can be crucial in this sense and can also give impetus to the Lisbon Strategy.
The Commission consultation cannot be reduced to patient mobility alone, but should be an opportunity to define what the role and the added value of the European Union might be when it comes to guaranteeing every citizen not only equal access to health care, but also a high level of health protection, in accordance with the powers of the Member States and with the principle of subsidiarity.
European health policy cannot be limited to the mobility of patients and health professionals and cannot aim solely at the implementation of an internal market in health services, as this would lead to a two-speed system, from which only the most well-off patients would benefit and where health care institutions would seek to attract the wealthiest patients. Furthermore, due to the disparity in professionals' income, medical demography problems will undermine access to health care in the Member States in which service providers do not earn as much, with these people being tempted to settle abroad. Patients must have the right to receive health care in another Member State, in accordance with freedom of movement, but there is no question of promoting medical tourism.
Although health services are subject to the rules of the Treaty, they cannot be considered as ordinary commercial services because they are invested with a mission of general interest. There needs to be a balance between freedom of movement and predominant national objectives connected with the management of hospital capacity, the monitoring of health care expenditure and the financial balance of social security systems. Furthermore, the Member States remain responsible for organising, planning and funding their health care systems.
All European citizens, whatever their income and place of residence, must have equal and affordable access to health care, in accordance with the principles of universality, quality, safety, continuity and solidarity. That is how we will contribute to the social and territorial cohesion of the Union while ensuring the financial sustainability of national health care systems. Patient mobility must not in fact serve as an excuse for the Member States to neglect their own systems.
The Court judgments have, according to how matters have turned out, introduced a number of concepts that are worthy of clarification. This is the case for the distinction between hospital care and non-hospital care, as well as the notion of reasonable waiting time. I regret that the Commission has made only fleeting reference to the mobility of health professionals, when this subject requires in-depth examination. The shortage of staff in European health services will only get worse over time. What is more, we are faced with an ageing population. Is it sensible, then, not to tackle this issue starting today? I do not think so.
The Union must commit itself to providing comprehensive information to patients, so that they can make choices with full knowledge of the facts: who can care for them and according to which procedures? It is from that moment on, when all of these procedure- and criteria-related issues have been resolved, that we will truly have on our territory ‘European patients without borders’. In terms of cooperation, the Union could encourage the implementation of a European network of reference centres, or exchanges of knowledge between the various countries regarding the best treatment methods.
It is regrettable that the consultation should have described social services in a restrictive fashion, because, when it comes to integration, there is a dimension to these services that goes beyond mere assistance and action to help the poorest people. Furthermore, the artificial distinction between health services and social services of general interest ignores the reality of the services that are provided. In many cases, social services and health services are provided in the same way. This is particularly the case where health services with social support are concerned. What about the provision of medical care for old people’s homes and specialised institutes for disabled people?
Contrary to what the Commission consultation was implying, the judgments of the European Court of Justice no more stipulate that Parliament must limit itself merely to codifying the case-law than they prevent it from exercising in full its role as legislator. The decisions of the Court, taken as they are with reference to specific cases, are not enough to define a health policy. Decisions must be taken as part of the democratic decision-making process."@en1
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