- Organising and delivering healthcare is the responsibility of national governments.
The EU role is to complement national policies by:
- helping them achieve shared objectives
- generating economies of scale, by pooling resources
- helping member countries tackle common challenges – such as pandemics, chronic diseases or the impact of increased life expectancy on healthcare systems.
EU health policy – implemented though its Health Strategy – focuses on:
- prevention – especially by promoting healthier lifestyles
- equal chances of good health and quality healthcare for all (regardless of income, gender, ethnicity, etc.)
- tackling serious cross-border health treats
- keeping people healthy into old age
- new technologies & practices
Health also has implications for economic prosperity – see the policy paper Investing in Health.
Specific EU action
- EU-wide laws & standards for health products and services (e.g. medicines, medical devices and eHealth) and patients (e.g. safety and cross-border health services)
- Giving EU countries tools to help them cooperate & identify best practice (e.g. health promotion activities, addressing risk factors, disease management and health systems)
- Funding for innotive initatives trough the EU Health programme.