Tackling inequalities in people’s access to healthcare

Social rights
Health

Background


The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted an own-initiative opinion addressing the growing disparities in healthcare access across the EU. These inequalities, exacerbated by inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as low-income households, people with disabilities, children, and older people. The opinion calls for urgent action to ensure equitable access to healthcare and long-term care, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), and proposes concrete policy recommendations to strengthen healthcare systems and reduce barriers to care.

 

Key points


In the opinion the EESC:

  • Warns of rising healthcare inequalities in the EU, worsened by the cost-of-living crisis and affecting the most vulnerable
  • Urges support for low-income individuals through reduced or reimbursed health and long-term care costs
  • Reaffirms that access to healthcare is a fundamental right and calls for full implementation of principles 16 and 18 of the EPSR
  • Supports existing EU initiatives like EU4Health and the Pharmaceutical Strategy, but calls for better monitoring and consistent implementation across Member States
  • Calls for a clearer, more effective framework for cross-border healthcare
  • Advocates for sharing best practices in inclusive health and social care, including a possible common classification system
  • Reiterates the need for a European Care Guarantee to ensure permanent access to affordable, quality care and to address workforce shortages and working conditions
  • Recommends monitoring how the principles of the EPSR are implemented and ensuring accountability by Member States
  • Recommends increasing investment in public healthcare and targeting EU funds to reduce economic barriers
  • Recommends conducting research on regional disparities in health policy
  • Recommends developing EU-level guidelines to tackle financial, organizational, and discriminatory barriers
  • Recommends promoting social economy and innovation to enhance healthcare access

 

Additional information

EESC section: Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC)

Opinion type: Own-initiative opinion

Rapporteur: Pietro Vittorio BARBIERI (Civil Society Organisations' Group – IT)

Reference: SOC/825 – EESC-2025-00854-00-00-AC

Date of adoption by section: 27/6/2025

 

Contact


Valeria Atzori, Administrator
Email: Valeria.Atzori@eesc.europa.eu
Tel.: +32 25468774