Brussels, 23/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - The migrant crisis is on the Health Ministers' agenda at the informal meeting on Thursday 24-Friday 25 September in Luxembourg. This meeting will be chaired by the Luxembourg Minister for Health, Lydia Mutsch, and participants will include the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis.
The discussions planned for the Friday session will focus on the health aspects of the crisis.
The Luxembourg Presidency emphasised that “the refugee crisis has now become a situation affecting all of Europe and needs to be looked at in all its different political dimensions, including public health”. Health Ministers will discuss the impact of migration flows on member states' health care systems, as well as what coherent and coordinated policies could be planned in response.
Ministers will also take part in three other work sessions. On Thursday, the first work session will focus on mental illness, its prevention and post-diagnostic support. Mental illness is one of the Luxembourg Presidency's health care priorities.
During the talks, ministers will be able to compare the situation in their respective countries, as well as look at the different practices in member states. The second work session will focus on the role of health in the European Semester. Participants will particularly be focusing on how efficient reform of the health care systems can contribute to the European objectives set out for growth and employment for 2020. During the working lunch, ministers will discuss the issue of trans-fatty acids contained in many different kinds of food and which potentially have a harmful effect on health.
On Friday, following the third work session on the health aspects of the migrant crisis, ministers will draw up a balance sheet of the cross-border health situation, two years after the directive transposition deadline. This is a flagship text in the area of patient rights and the deadline has already expired for its transposition. (Original version in French by Isabelle Lamberty)