The right to physical and mental health is a fundamental human right. Every person, without discrimination, has the right to access modern and comprehensive healthcare.  We have to safeguard citizens’ wellbeing not only during this current crisis but also in the aftermath.  Never again can we allow doctors and nurses to be exposed to such high risk and be forced to make decisions on who can and cannot receive healthcare.  Therefore, S&D calls for the urgent creation of a European Health Union, which would encompass:

  • Stress-testing of EU healthcare systems
  • A new Directive for Minimum Standards for Quality Healthcare
  • A European Health Response Mechanism
  • Strengthened Joint Procurement Mechanism under a regulation
  • Revision of the Transparency Directive for pricing and reimbursement of medicines
  • Full implementation of Cross Border Healthcare Directive and Clinical Trials Regulation
  • Strengthened EU health agencies and strengthened civil protection capacities
  • Legislative action on antimicrobial resistance and vaccination
  • Robust Pharmaceutical Strategy and a European Resilience Strategy
  • European Health Data Space
  • A new approach to European health research
  • New legislation on health and safety in the workplace