Health ministers from the European member states will meet in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Monday 23 April to informally discuss food and medicines. They will not touch on the draft regulation on healthcare technology assessment (HTA), the only draft legislation currently being discussed at EU level.
Bulgarian priorities
In its work programme for 1 January to 30 June, the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU says it aims to protect and improve European citizens’ health through guaranteeing access to effective medicines at affordable prices and promoting a healthy diet for children, promoting physical activity and improving health and safety at work.
To this end, it is planning to hold two debates on 23 April. The first, in the morning, will cover children’s food. The Presidency will highlight the supply of healthy food and the debate will fuel the conclusions document on this subject to be presented by the Council at the informal Council of healthcare ministers in Luxembourg in June.
The second debate, in the afternoon, will cover the effectiveness and accessibility of medicines, including against the backdrop of healthcare system viability, although the European Commission has not yet published its eagerly awaited report on the question of incentives (and therefore innovation and accessibility of medicines). Access to medicines is a recurrent issue in European debate and a raft of such discussions have already taken place under previous rotting presidencies without making any real progress (the EU has limited powers in this domain). The Bulgarian Presidency is not planning to issue a conclusions document on the question in June. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)