The European Economic and Social Committee has taken a strong stance in favour of building a European Health Union, calling on the EU and the Member States to respond to Europeans' demands that it make health a priority.

Recent surveys have shown that as many as 66% of Europeans would like the EU to have more say over health-related matters and more than half are in favour of public health becoming the EU's top priority in terms of expenditure.

In an opinion adopted at its April plenary session, the EESC therefore welcomed the Commission's package on an EU Health Union as the starting point for delivering on the right to good quality healthcare for all Europeans. This will ensure that good quality healthcare services are guaranteed and available to all EU citizens, regardless of their social and economic status or their country or place of residence – which is still not the case at present.

Although the Commission's package, unveiled in November, focuses on better prevention and management of cross-border health threats and possible future pandemics, the EESC described it as "an important new development" that should initiate a systemic change that goes beyond pure crisis management. 

Commenting on the EESC's position, EESC president Christa Schweng said: "These initiatives are the first steps towards the genuine European Health Union we need, in which all EU Member States work together to improve prevention, treatment and aftercare of diseases. Such a Union would allow EU countries to be prepared for and manage any future health crisis together. Actions in this field also need to take into account the views of civil society and the social partners, which have played a crucial role in protecting and promoting rights during the pandemic."

The rapporteur, Ioannis Vardakastanis, said: "Our message is simple: EU citizens feel that public health should be given priority at both EU and national level, and we need to bolster the EU's role in this," he said. He also pointed out that the pandemic has highlighted the need for a shift in how we think about healthcare, clearly showing that it cannot be treated as a commodity.

As the EESC set out in its opinion, improving both the working conditions of healthcare workers, including pay and incentives to keep them working in this sector, and their health and safety is central to the success of the future European Health Union.

The Health Union should focus on non-communicable diseases as the current pandemic has revealed their "toxic relationship" with communicable ones. There should also be a focus on mental health. (ll)