Europe squares up to a new era of ‘patients without borders’

The European Commission has launched a public consultation, September 2006, on how to ensure legal certainty regarding cross-border health services under Community law, and to support cooperation between the health systems of the Member States. The consultation will be based on a Communication to be drawn up by European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou setting out ideas for an EU framework for safe, high-quality and efficient healthcare services, reflecting the outcome of the orientation debate held 5 September 2006 by the Commission.

European Commission: Press Release: IP/06/1150: Patient mobility: Commission to launch public consultation on EU framework for health services http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1150&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: DG Health and Consumer Protection: Overview of Health Policy: Cooperation with Member States: Patient mobility and healthcare developments http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/co_operation/mobility/patient_mobility_en.htm

European Commission: MEMO/06/319: Questions and Answers on Health Services in the EU http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/319&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

BBC News, 5.9.06: EU chief supports 'health market' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5315700.stm

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