Totstandkoming van akkoord over gezondheidsprogramma (en)

13 November, Brussels. Today the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER I) approved the final agreed text between the Lithuanian EU Council Presidency, the European Parliament and the Commission on the Union's Public Health Programme (2014-2020) that reflects the outcome of the last informal trilogue of 6 November, 2013.

The general objectives of the Programme shall be to complement, support and add value to the policies of the Member States to improve the health of EU citizens and reduce health inequalities by promoting health, encouraging innovation in health, increasing the sustainability of health systems and protecting Union citizens from serious cross-border health threats.

According to the Lithuanian Minister of Health Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis i, it is important that the EU agree on the essential elements: the creation of sustainable health systems, treatment of innovation in the health sector as investment, implementation of the principle "health in all policies'.

"I can not imagine a successful operation of the EU without a sincere focus on health care. Healthy citizens add value, and we need to look especially responsibly to the fight against addictions and serious diseases,” said the Minister V. P. Andriukaitis.

In the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 the amount of the budget for the new health programme was confirmed at 449.4 million EUR.

Grants may be awarded to fund actions having a clear Union added value co-financed by the competent authorities of the Member States responsible for health or the third countries participating or by public sector bodies and non-governmental bodies, acting individually or as a network, mandated by those competent authorities.

Discussion by the Council and the EP on the new proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a third Programme of the Union's action in the field of health (2014-2020) began under Danish Presidency and the Council adopted a partial general approach on 22 June 2012. Negotiations in informal trilogues between the co-legislators started in the second half of 2012.

The Lithuanian Presidency focused its efforts mainly on solving the procedure for adoption of annual work programmes and higher co-financing of joint actions for Member States whose gross national income per inhabitant is less than 90% of the Union average.

On 9 November 2011, the European Commission submitted a proposal for the new Public Health Programme. Focus is on fewer concrete actions that offer clear EU added-value. It builds on the on-going Health Programme, which runs until the end of 2013. The ENVI Committee of the European Parliament voted its first reading report on 21 June 2012.

The Chair of the Committee will sign a letter to inform the European Parliament about the final approval of the text by COREPER as soon as the text is consolidated.