The European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) has just produced a study about the cost of non-EU action in healthcare policy.
The European Union stepped up its action in the area of health – a shared competence between the EU and its Member States – in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the EU lacks a vision of a joint health policy that recognises health as a public good and that considers the most appropriate level of governance to take responsibility and ensure efficient coordination between different actors and geographic areas.
Research suggests that existing EU action in the health sector offers added value. Yet, there is room for a stronger EU role that could offer more value in delivering European public goods, especially when large economies of scale and/or geographic spillovers could be achieved across Member States. The lack of sufficient EU action in such cases could be costly for citizens and society. The additional costs resulting from the EU’s current, limited role in public health could be understood as the cost of non-Europe.
This study by EPRS investigates three areas where there is high added-value potential from a joint EU health policy:
- research and development;
- the availability of prescription medicines; and
- delivery of preventive healthcare.
EU accelerated action in these areas could generate benefits for the economy (in particular the EU’s health industries), society (through improved health and quality of life for patients and less absenteeism for employers) and fundamental rights (the right to timely access to healthcare). The EU could also help to reduce the carbon and environmental footprint of the healthcare sector.
The findings can help to identify priorities for EU law-making on health issues for the 2024-2029 legislature, in particular feeding to the upcoming Council Conclusions on the Future of the European Health Union under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
An EU health policy that speaks with one voice is especially advantageous in light of the ageing population, digitalisation and rapid technological change.
Full study HERE