Rheumatic diseases in the EU legislature
Rheumatic diseases in the EU public health policy
Programme of Community action in the field of
public health 2003-2008
The current Public Health Programme launched for the period 2003-2008 introduced a new horizontal approach by replacing a series of eight EU programmes, each of which focused on individual health issues. It has three key priorities: to improve health information and knowledge, to ensure rapid reaction to health threats, and to address health determinants.
The actions supported under the Programme are included in an annual work plan for the
implementation of the programme, setting out priorities and actions to be undertaken, including
allocation of resources. Working plans outline concrete priorities for the three different strands
of the programme for each following year. The working plan for 2006 was adopted on 10 February
2006, the one for 2007 on 12 February 2007.
The Programme is being implemented through calls for proposals and calls for tenders. Calls for
proposals are published for projects which are consistent with the annual work plan of the public
health programme. In addition to the calls for proposals, the Commission invites bids for contracts
for the purchase of services and supplies (specific studies, for example), as part of the public
health programme (calls for tender).
Programme of Community action in the field of
public health 2008-2013
The original Commission proposal published on 6 April 2006 envisaged a wide-ranging and ambitious joint health and consumer protection programme with a budget of EUR 1,203 million (out of which EUR 969 million for health). Upon the agreement on the Financial Framework 2008-2013 and after the European Parliament had underlined its strong preference for a single health programme, on 24 April 2006, the European Commission published a separate modified proposal on the next health programme.
The budget for health action was settled at € 365.6 million, i.e. approximately one third of the budget initially foreseen in the original Commission proposal. Given this substantial reduction, the modified proposal envisaged a re-focusing of some of the initially proposed measures. Further, priority measures in the Programme would be identified on an annual basis in order to allow the programme to focus its resources on a few carefully selected areas adapted to the political context and emerging needs.
The modified proposal provides a stronger focus on healthy ageing and also on health’s potential to promote growth. It emphasises the priority of addressing health inequalities, and also provides for action to improve solidarity between health systems. Furthermore, the text continues to stress security as regards cross-border health threats and in general keeps the range of action foreseen in the original proposal. Not least, the text reinforces the mainstreaming of health concerns into other policies and exploiting potential for common action. These objectives can be achieved by using a range of financial instruments such as project grants, operational grants, tenders and joint financing.
On 30 November 2006, the Health Ministers Council reached a “political agreement” on the new Public Health Programme. The programme had to go through the European Parliament in second reading. The first call for proposals was published on 16 February 2007 with a deadline of 21 May 2007. The call for proposals for 2008 has been launched at the end of February 2008. The deadline for submission of proposals to the calls is 23 May 2008.
RELATED INFORMATION
Call for Project Proposal 2008
EC Work plan for 2008
Public Health Programme
Modified proposal on next
health programme
Health Ministers Council
political agreement
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