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One of the most important EU policy areas for cancer patients is Health, Medicines and Research. While medicines fall under the free movement of goods, for which under Treaty rules the EU has competence to legislate, it cannot pass legislation in the health area, but instead has to rely on policy recommendations and programmes for an EU public health strategy with multi-annual implementing programmes. According to recent European Court of Justice rulings, health services fall under Treaty competence and this new area needs further clarification. A proposal for a Directive on Health Services is expected to shed light into this matter.
New EU Health Strategy
In April 2005, the Commission proposed a new Health and Consumer Protection Strategy and Programme for 2007-2013. The Programme combined, for the first time, health and consumer policy. However, following the EU budget cuts and the European Parliament request to split these two policy areas, the Commission revised its text which was amended by the European Parliament and finally adopted in September 2007. This document, now called the Second Programme of Community Action in the Field of Health 2008-2013, sets the framework for future funding of projects by the Commission. It will come into force on 1 January 2008.
In addition, the Commission has published a White Paper “Together for Health – A strategic approach for the EU 2008- 2013. Whilst the Second Programme of Community Action is a directly follows on from the previous EU Health policy programme, this White Paper is a new step for the EU in Health, it outlines the EU’s vision for increasing the general health of EU citizens and could potentially expand the EU’s role in this area.
Background
The European Commission has opened up the debate on a European Health Strategy, with the publication of its Discussion Document (Feb 07). The aim is to create a strategy for advancing the health and well-being of European citizens: improving prevention and response rates to health threats, reducing health inequalities and increasing patient choice. ECPC has responded to the document on behalf of European cancer patients, calling for sound European data collection, patient group participation and healthy living education, amongst others. This was followed by the Commission White Paper published in October 2007.
More information about past policy discussions and ECPC’s position:
Other DG Sanco initiatives
Rare Disease Communication
The Commission published a Communication on Rare Disease (RD). The draft is posted on the Sanco website for public consultation which lasts until 14 February 2008.
Please find here:
DG SANCO Health Policy Forum/Committee (HPF)
The EU Health Forum is composed of two complementary elements: An Open Forum as a platform for general exchange of information and for discussion with a broader range of groups and interested parties and a smaller steering group, the Health Policy Forum, with a consistent set of member organizations, that plans the policy and work of the Health Forum. ECPC is a member of this group.
Read more: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/health_forum/health_forum_en.htm
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
In Spring 2004 the Council and the European Parliament adopted enabling legislation to create a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. This new EU agency will provide a structured and systematic approach to the control of communicable diseases and other serious health threats which affect European Union citizens. The ECDC will also mobilise and significantly reinforce the synergies between the existing national centres for disease control and provide the EU with authoritative scientific advice on threats posed by infectious disease
The Main tasks of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control are
- Epidemiological surveillance and networking of laboratories
- Early Warning and Response
- Scientific opinions
- Technical Assistance and Communication
The ECDC has its seat in Stockholm, Sweden and Mrs Zsuzsanna Jakab, a former senior civil servant in Hungary’s Ministry of Health, is the Centre’s Director.
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/strategy/ecdc/ecdc_en.htm
The EU Health Portal
The Health-EU Portal is a gateway to user-friendly information on a wide range of information and data on health-related issues and activities at both European and international level. It is aimed at citizens, patients, healthcare professionals and scientists alike. One of the main goals of the Portal is to help people take responsibility for and improve their own health. It provides information on a wide range of health concerns. The Portal includes a section on cancer and mentions ECPC in the list of non-governmental organisations concerned with cancer.
Read more about the EU Health Portal
http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/
Commission Information Sources about Cancer - Public Health and Research websites
The European Commission Health portal now carries an extensive section with information on cancer. The portal recently received an award for excellence in the provision of EU information. There are currently headings for health indicators for breast, cervical and lung cancer but nothing yet on colon and prostate cancer. Click here to access the site.
http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/health_problems/cancer/index_en.htm
Please also visit the Commission DG Sanco website http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/dissemination/diseases/cancer_en.htm
DG Research website on Cancer Research
The European Commission’s DG Research has information on cancer research in the European Union. Included, are links to such topics as diagnosing and monitoring prostate cancer, catching neutrons to combat cancer, improving performance of European cancer research and a European network to combat cancer. Please click here for the main site. http://ec.europa.eu/research/dossier/do0910en.html
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