Antimicrobial resistance and the use of European funds in the health field are the two topics that have been selected for the Health Council, which will meet on 14 June in Luxembourg. In the absence of more substantial dossiers, the Romanian Presidency limited the meeting to only half a day.
Conspicuously absent: the HTA regulation
However, this Council configuration is competent for the legislative proposal on health technologies (HTA), which establishes “common clinical assessments” to determine the added value of a new medicinal product or certain new medical devices. However, despite eighteen working meetings since the text was presented in January 2018, it has not been possible to reach a general approach in the Council of the EU, notes the Romanian Presidency in its progress report, which will be presented to the Twenty-Eight at 'another' meeting.
These discussions were held in a particularly opaque context, as no draft compromises have so far been made public. The new progress report confirms what a well-informed source had already told us, namely that the Romanian Presidency has left aside the most controversial issues to tackle scientific issues (see EUROPE 12214/30). “The Presidency considers that the revised texts it presented to the working group on joint scientific consultations, identification of emerging health technologies and the supporting framework are robust and accurately reflect the debate and comments of delegations”, the Presidency said, while stressing that further work remains to be done on the coordination group and on the new provisions on conflicts of interest and quality assurance.
Debate and conclusions
As regards the official agenda of the Council of the EU, the Romanian Presidency intends to submit conclusions on antimicrobial resistance and organise a debate on the use of European funds.
The conclusions identify the measures in place and urge Member States to fulfil their commitments by developing national action plans and multisectoral coordination and monitoring mechanisms. They invite them to set measurable national targets and raise common voluntary guidelines in the EU on infection prevention and control, as well as on the promotion of the proper use of antimicrobials in healthcare settings.
The exchange of views, for its part, focuses more specifically on 'investments to transform and improve health systems'. Ministers are invited to express their views on how to optimise the use of financial instruments and funds (including cohesion policy funds), as well as to create synergies between the different support instruments.
Progress report: https://bit.ly/2KNcaLE (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)