After an exchange of views on the evening of Wednesday 8 July, the European Parliament is expected to adopt a resolution at the end of the week on changes to EU health policy in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The draft resolution, supported by the majority of the political groups, calls for the full potential of the Lisbon Treaty to be exploited.
Flagship Proposals
At the legislative level, the draft text calls, for example, for a revision of the regulation on cross-border health threats in order, inter alia, to make the common public procurement procedure faster and more efficient in the event of a crisis.
It also calls for a revision of Directive 89/105/EEC on transparency (which lays down minimum procedural requirements for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines for human use) or for a directive introducing minimum quality standards for healthcare on the basis of the results of the assessments (‘stress tests’) that need to be carried out.
Co-authored by the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups, it also calls for a series of new action plans, such as an action plan on mental health, on healthy ageing or on rare and neglected diseases.
It also calls for a strengthening of the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, which also should be competent for non-communicable diseases, and of the European Medicines Agency.
The text also encourages exploration of the possibility of creating a European agency similar to the one that exists in the United States with the BARDA development and research authority.
Sexual and reproductive rights
But what risks dividing MEPs most is the reference to sexual and reproductive health services, with conservative MEPs particularly opposed to a European position on the issue.
At this stage, the draft text calls on Member States to promote and ensure such access, including to contraception and emergency contraception.
For her part, Renew Europe MEP Sophie in 't Veld tabled an amendment referring specifically to a right to safe abortion: it calls on Member States to “consider access to contraception, including emergency contraception, and to safe abortion, where legally possible, as an essential health care service that must be maintained in times of crisis”. The vote will take place on Friday 10 July. See the resolution: https://bit.ly/3f9SwGd (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)