The European Parliament is due to adopt its position on the EU4health action programme on Friday 13 November. The day before, it decided on a series of amendments which strengthen this new programme for the period 2021-2027. This step will pave the way for negotiations with the Council of the EU (see EUROPE 12586/2).
“The gravity of the current health crisis calls for swift conclusion of the negotiations”, said EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides in the debate preceding the vote.
Sexual and reproductive rights
A total of 250 amendments to the draft report prepared by Cristian-Silviu Bușoi (EPP, Romania), on behalf of the Public Health Committee, were put to the vote at this plenary session (see EUROPE 12580/7).
MEPs finally reintroduced the idea of universal health coverage, including “access to sexual and reproductive health and rights”, into the programme’s specific objectives. “Talking about women’s health is not possible without integrating sexual and reproductive health rights and sexuality education, which is a prerequisite for women’s empowerment. It's a public health issue and an issue of dignity”, said Chrysoula Zacharopoulou MEP (Renew Europe, France) ahead of the vote.
Further refined performance indicators
Parliament’s position also refers to a reserve of products needed in the event of a health crisis and to laboratories and reference centres in the EU.
It further refines the performance indicators by adding references, in particular to the implementation of the European Health Data Space. Deaths due to environmental pollution and alcohol consumption are also emerging.
However, MEPs opposed amendments aimed at setting up “European pharmaceutical companies, public or non-profit, acting in the public interest to manufacture essential medicines”.
A budget of €5.1 billion
In the debate preceding the vote, many MEPs welcomed the political compromise reached on 10 November by negotiators from the EU institutions, which earmarks €5.1 billion for the health programme. This is much less than what the European Commission proposed in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic (€9.37 billion), but much more than the current health programme for 2014-2020 (€450 million) or what the Heads of State or Government demanded (€1.67 billion) (see EUROPE 12494/5)
“Compared to the third programme for health, the EU for health will deliver on much more actions to support member states in the field of health, and complement their efforts in reforming their health systems to become more resilient” declared the rapporteur. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)