The Council of the EU is ready to start negotiations with the European Parliament on the terms of the health programme for the next seven years, the EU4Health programme. On Wednesday 21 October, the Committee of Permanent Representatives gave the German Presidency of the Council of the EU a negotiating mandate.
The European Parliament must now validate its position in plenary in mid-November so that the negotiations can really begin (see EUROPE 12580/7). Nothing has been decided yet, given the differences between the two parties, in particular regarding the programme budget and the use of comitology.
Despite Covid-19, the subsidiarity principle remains
As we indicated in mid-September, Member States are particularly concerned about keeping a tight grip on public health (see EUROPE 12566/6). The mandate creates an EU4Health Steering Group and a Programme Committee to regain state control. It stipulates that the European Commission shall adopt an annual work programme for EU4Health by means of an implementing act, after consultation with the steering group composed of the Member States. It also removes the list of indicators proposed by the European Commission, which should, according to the mandate, also be established by implementing act. However, we know that the European Parliament is rather reticent about the use of this instrument as it has less influence.
Another specific feature of the mandate is the reduction of the budget from €1.946 billion to €1.882 billion, in line with the Council of the EU’s guidelines, and thus the abolition of costly initiatives proposed by the European Commission, such as the establishment of a reserve of products and staff in the event of a health crisis.
Compared to our September analysis, this latest version places greater emphasis on mental health. It also now makes reference to environmental sustainability, which appears in ways to strengthen health systems (Article 3).
European Parliament’s vote in mid-November
In the European Parliament, the Committee on the Environment and Public Health has already stated its position on a consistent budget dedicated to this programme (see EUROPE 12580/7). The draft resolution calls for €9.37 billion, as proposed by the European Commission.
Regarding governance, it proposes the use of delegated rather than implementing acts and it also dismisses the idea of creating a European Emergency Pharmacopoeia.
Read the draft resolution: https://bit.ly/34hKtEk (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)