EUREGHA has officially contributed to the public consultation on the next Multiannual Financial Framework launched by the European Commission. By sending its position on the next generation of EU financial programmes, EUREGHA makes sure the Commission takes into account the needs and interests of the public health sector when designing comprehensive proposals for the post-2020 EU budget.
Healthcare governance within the European Union is predominantly a competence of the individual member states. However, while the principle of subsidiarity embodies that, when possible and reasonable, decision-making power stays within the member states, there is a clear EU added value in supporting and improving public health policies and the provision of quality healthcare services across the EU.
In a context of demographic change, there are a lot of new challenges in the health sector which can be better tackled at EU level, such as ageing society, patient-centered healthcare systems, eHealth, health inequalities, prevention, personalized medicine, antimicrobial resistance, to name only a few. The next generation of EU financial programmes must provide the adequate tools to address these challenges, as investing in health means investing in people and contributing to the development of more sustainable and resilient societies. The provision of quality healthcare and long-term care is also part of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which aims to further develop the social dimension of the Union. The next EU budget must provide the adequate resources to support and implement the Pillar.
The importance of the healthcare sector is also reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which clearly state that ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. The Pillar of Social Rights and the SDGs will serve as a strategic framework for future policy implementation through the European Commission’s legislative proposals, policy coordination, the European Semester, and EU funds and programmes. The main message conveyed by EUREGHA is that investing in the health sector plays a key role in this process and local and regional authorities must be empowered to improve the provision of healthcare services for everyone and contribute to the upward convergence of all EU regions for a fairer and more inclusive society.
For a thorough review of EUREGHA’s contribution to the current debate, download our position paper here.
