European Parliament green-lights new 7-year health scheme

MEPs endorsed the provisional agreement reached with the Council with 631 votes in favour, 32 against and 34 abstentions.

Highlights of the decision:

• Programme budget is 5.1 billion EUR, with at least 20% dedicated to disease prevention and health promotion
• EU will be better prepared to address major cross-border health threats
• Affordable medicines and medical devices will be more available

The new EU4Health programme will contribute in areas where the EU can clearly add value, thus complementing member states’ policies. Its main objectives include strengthening health systems by supporting countries to coordinate with each other and share data, as well as making medicines and medical devices more available, accessible and affordable, the EP said in a statement on Tuesday.

The new EU4Health Programme approved today represents one of the most explicit and tangible replies to COVID-19: we now have in our hands a health instrument to address a health crisis

, commented Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas.

The new EU4Health programme is "our answer to the gaps revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to modernise the EU's health systems," added Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

Tackle cross-border health threats more efficiently

EU4Health aims to:

• Make health systems more resilient to deal with cross-border health threats like COVID-19 and improve crisis management capacity;
• Make the European Health Union a reality by investing in cancer care, better pandemic preparedness, availability of medicines and innovation; and
• Boost digital health and disease prevention.

As the goal is to make health systems more resilient, EU4Health will prepare them more thoroughly for major cross-border health threats. This should enable the EU to face not only future epidemics, but also long-term challenges such as an ageing population and health inequalities.

The programme will also support actions linked to e-health and the creation of the European “health data space”. Promoting access to quality healthcare, including access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, improving mental health and accelerating the fight against cancer will also be supported.

During the plenary debate on Tuesday, MEPs highlighted the key role that the new programme will play in fighting health inequalities, both between member states and between different social groups. They also welcomed the establishment at EU level of a stockpile of essential medical supplies and equipment, which complements the work being done under rescEU, and a reserve of medical and support staff to be mobilised in the event a health crisis.

Next steps

Once Council has also formally approved the regulation, it will enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The regulation will apply retroactively from 1 January 2021.