Brussels, 20/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 20 October, Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou and her colleague at employment Vladimir Špidla presented a communication, “Solidarity in Health: Reducing health inequalities in the EU”, to MEPs meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg. These inequalities result largely from differences in terms of income, education, work-life balance, and access to healthcare between and within member states. One of the likely consequences of the current financial downturn is that those groups most affected by the recession, such as the unemployed, will be hardest hit.
To help member states devise effective strategies to remedy this situation, the Commission proposes: (1) improving data collection and monitoring of how inequalities are evolving, determining and listing by order of importance the areas which have to be improved, and the best practice that can be implemented jointly by member states, using indicators by age, gender, socio-economic status and geographic dimension. The Commission lays particular stress on initiatives by European agencies, such as the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Stockholm) and the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work (Bilbao), and on the reflection process within the Social Protection Committee by means of discussion papers on targeted objectives; (2) involving all of civil society in health initiatives and meeting the needs of vulnerable groups, migrants and ethnic minorities. A report on the use of Community instruments and policies for Roma inclusion, including a section on health inequalities, will be prepared for the 2010 Roma summit. Initiatives on health inequalities should also be taken as part of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010; (3) better evaluation of the effect of European policies on health inequalities and informing national authorities and other bodies of Community funding opportunities. The Commission draws attention to the need to review the possibilities to assist member states to make better use of EU cohesion policy and structural funds to support activities and address factors contributing to health inequalities.
Next steps. On the basis of the communication and future discussions in the Council, the Commission intends to work actively with member states and stakeholders. A first progress report on the situation will be produced in 2012.
Referring to Eurostat figures, the Commission says that, between EU member states, the gap in life expectancy at birth is around eight years for women and over 14 years for man. Infant mortality ranges from around three per 1000 live births to more than 10 per 1000. Huge differences in health exist between regions, rural areas, cities and districts. Although health inequalities are not simply a matter of luck, but are indeed affected by the actions and choices of individuals, governments, stakeholders and communities, they are inevitable.
Speaking to press, Commissioner Vassiliou highlighted the fact that “for the first time, the Commission has agreed on health initiatives”. She said that “measuring the inequalities between member states and reducing the differences between the regions of the European Union is an essential first step towards action”. She noted that “Commission policies should help member states to put in place a fairer system of access to healthcare” and that “poverty is one of the causes of these inequalities, so to reduce them, more jobs have to be created”. Commissioner Špidla stressed the importance of social policy to combat these inequalities, “these being the result of a complex situation”. He went on, “These differences are unacceptable from the point of view of solidarity, social cohesion, equal opportunities and human rights. The situation is made all the more unacceptable by the fact that these risks are avoidable, and public authorities have a major role to play”. Špidla noted that “things can be done at European level, supporting and complementing the action taken by member states thanks to this communication”. He pointed out that the EU had “older instruments such as health and safety at work legislation: this is one of the more tangible examples of EU action in our daily lives. And there is also the European Social Fund and the open method of coordination.” (G.B./transl.rt)