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Health

Programme for Community Action in the Field of Health 2007-13

Budget €365.6 million
Level of Funding: Up to 60% of costs (80% in exceptional circumstances)

Purpose of Programme

General Objective

• Protect citizens from risks and threats which are beyond the control of individuals.
• Increase the ability of citizens to take better decision about their health and consumer interests. This means increasing the opportunities they have to exercise real choice and also equipping them with the knowledge they need.
• Mainstream health policy objectives across all EC policies in order to put health issues at the centre of policy-making. The EU treaty recognises this by requiring that all policies take health interests into account.

Programme Mechanisms:
In order to achieve its objectives, the Commission has formed an Executive Agency on Health which will undertake the following actions:

1. Protect citizens against health threats including working to develop EU and Member State capacity to respond to threats. It covers actions such as those in the field of patient safety, injuries and accidents, and community legislation on blood, tissues and cells and in relation to the International Health Regulation.
2. Foster healthy active ageing and to help bridge inequalities, with a particular emphasis on the newer Member States. It incorporates action to foster cooperation between health systems on cross-border issues such as patient mobility and health professionals. The second objective will also cover action on health determinants such as nutrition, alcohol, tobacco and drug consumption as well as the quality of social and physical environments.
3. Exchange knowledge and best practice in areas where the Community can provide genuine added-value in bringing together expertise from different countries, e.g. rare diseases and cross-border issues related to cooperation between health systems. It provides for action on the horizontal issues of gender health and children’s health. It will also cover key issues of common interest to all Member States such as mental health. The third objective will also allow for action to expand EU health monitoring and develop indicators and tools as well as ways of disseminating information to citizens in a user-friendly manner, such as the health portal.

Target Groups:

• Organisations representing patients and those developing the public health agenda
• Patient groups
• Non governmental organisations
• New Member States - to develop their health systems requires additional resources. In addition to infrastructure investment and human resources to which the Community Structural+ Funds can contribute, there is a need for the Community to help these countries in terms of training, expertise, capacity building, preparedness, prevention and promotion, as well as a need for analysis on their health investment needs.

EC Contact Person and Details

Bernard Merkel
Head of Unit
Tel: + 32 2 29 92100, 86855
Email: bernard.merkel@ec.europa.eu

Health Strategy

Link to EC Website:http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/pgm2007_2013_en.htm