Progressive health ministers convened this morning ahead of the Council meeting to discuss the future of health policy in the new European mandate.
Riina Sikkut, Estonian Health Minister and chair of the meeting said:
‘‘This meeting of PES health ministers comes at an important time, as we have a new European Parliament and European Commission taking office. We welcome that the Commissioner for Health will work under the guidance of the Spanish Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, who is from the PES family and who will be an excellent ally. Health remains a topic of great concern to our citizens and is a central part of our work as socialists and social democrats.
‘‘Ahead of today’s Council meeting and in line with its agenda, we are calling for a pharmaceutical package that is a win-win for both citizens and innovation. It would be a missed opportunity if we failed to deliver on one of the main objectives of the reform – timely and equitable access for all patients across the EU. It’s about upholding the principles of fairness and solidarity that the EU stands for.”
“On smoke- and aerosol-free environments, stricter measures should be discussed at European level as well as we need more awareness on the matter, especially given the health risks to young people. We also advocate for better prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, we welcome the Draghi Report and its references to the problematic fragmentation of the provision of health and research across Europe. However, identifying the problem is not enough, it now needs to be followed by concrete actions.”
PES ministers reiterated their support to form a European Health Union to supplement national healthcare systems, which in the wake of COVID-19 has shown the huge benefits of European cooperation on cross-border health risks. Ministers therefore called for reinforced coordinated action and public funding in the sector, including in research and critical medicines. In such a concerted action, the wellbeing of patients would come first.
The PES family has always fought for universal access to quality and social care. These are fundamental rights and can never be compromised.
The meeting was attended by:
- Riina Sikkut, Meeting Chair, Minister for Health, Estonia
- Jo Etienne Abela, Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Malta
- Alexandru Florin Rogobete, Secretary of State, Romania
- Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, PES
