European Semester: Commission proposes health recommendations
date: 05/06/2019
Today, the Commission has adopted proposals for country specific recommendations, including on health and investments in health as part of its ongoing assistance to Member States in implementing their health systems reforms in the light of an ageing population. The Commission recommends that the governments of 16 Member States invest in their national health systems or improve their effectiveness, increase accessibility and strengthen their resilience, with the following recommendations. This year, identifying and addressing investment needs has been a key priority – also with a view to the negotiations about the future Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU’s budget for 2021 to 2017:
|
Country |
Recommendation |
|
BG |
Improve access to health services, including by reducing out-of-pocket payments and addressing shortages of health professionals. |
|
CZ |
Improve long-term fiscal sustainability of the pension and health-care systems. |
|
IE |
Address the expected increase in age-related expenditure by making the healthcare system more cost-effective. |
|
EL |
Focus investment-related economic policy on. …, health, … , taking into account regional disparities and the need to ensure social inclusion. |
|
CY |
Take measures to ensure that the National Health System becomes operational in 2020, as planned, while preserving its long-term sustainability. |
|
LV |
Increase the accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of the healthcare system. |
|
LT |
Increase the quality, affordability and efficiency of the healthcare system. |
|
HU |
Improve health outcomes by supporting preventive health measures and strengthening primary health care. |
|
MT |
Ensure the fiscal sustainability of the healthcare and the pension systems. |
|
AT |
Ensure the sustainability of the health, long-term care, and pension systems. |
|
PL |
Focus investment-related economic policy on… , healthcare, … taking into account regional disparities. |
|
PT |
Improve the quality of public finances by prioritising growth-enhancing spending while strengthening overall expenditure control, cost efficiency and adequate budgeting, with a focus in particular on a durable reduction of arrears in hospitals. |
|
RO |
Improve access to and cost-efficiency of healthcare, including through the shift to outpatient care. |
|
SI |
Adopt and implement reforms in healthcare and long-term care that ensure quality, accessibility and long-term fiscal sustainability. |
|
SK |
Safeguard the long-term sustainability of public finances, notably that of the healthcare and pension systems. Focus investment-related economic policy on healthcare, …. taking into account regional disparities. |
|
FI |
Improve the cost-effectiveness of and equal access to social and healthcare services |
The adoption of proposals for country specific recommendations is a key step in the European Semester, the EU's yearly cycle of economic, fiscal and social policy coordination.
Although Member States are responsible for their own health policy and the organisation and delivery of care, in the context of the European Semester the EU can give a recommendation on certain aspects of its health system - that relate to general economic, fiscal and social policies - to an EU country.
The Commission's above proposals for country-specific recommendations will now be discussed in the Council, where EU countries have until early July to vote on their final adoption. Following the approval of the recommendations, their implementation will be monitored. New recommendations could be proposed by the Commission around May 2020.
More information: