EU Priorities for Health

SPEECH - 16 July 2015By COMMISSIONER 

Vytenis Andriukaitis

(2014-2019)Health & Food Safety

Speaking points on priorities for Health - European Policy Centre -

I have already said that on many occasions – a high level of health protection in all EU policies and activities is enshrined in the treaty. What does this mean in practice? For me it means that I need to strive for health to be included in all policy areas. I need to ensure that the Commission puts the health of European citizens first.
I personally made a commitment before the European Parliament to pursue Prevention, Promotion, and Protection in relation to health.

We need the understanding that healthy citizens, efficient and equitable health systems and a thriving health sector all play a crucial role in delivering jobs, growth, fairness and democratic change – the strategic priorities of the Commission for the years ahead.

We need a paradigm shift in health policy and in the way we finance, organise and operate our health systems – with a very strong focus on disease prevention and health promotion. 

There is an economic reasoning behind this – for me spending on public health can't be considered as expenditure, for me health is an investment.The more health systems invest in prevention now, the less they will pay in treatment costs in the future.

Read the entire speech here:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission/2014-2019/andriukaitis/announcements/speaking-points-priorities-health-european-policy-centre_en