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Commission launches public consultation on EU action to reduce health inequalities
In a context where there is an increasing political will to act at European level to reduce health inequalities between and within the EU countries, the European Commission has announced a communication on reducing health inequalities in the EU in its work programme for 2009. In order to prepare this Communication the Commission is consulting relevant stakeholders and has invited Eurocare and its members to send contributions.
Deadline for submissions is 1 April 2009. Submissions should be sent to SANCO-C4_HEALTH-INEQUALITIES@ec.europa.eu
For further information see the Consultation Paper and Road map.
QUESTIONS FOR CONSULTATION
The following are provided as a guide to the kind of questions on which the Commission would like to receive contributions. Responses are invited on these questions and on any another other issue that consultees regard as relevant.
On general data:
What do you think will be the trends regarding health inequalities? Are they increasing or decreasing? Please provide evidence where possible.
- between Member States (e.g. major differences in terms of health outcomes )
- between socio-economic groups
What kind of indicators do you think would be necessary to better monitor the extent of Health Inequalities in the EU?
If you think monitoring and reporting needs improvement in this area, what kind of monitoring tools should be used?
On scope of level of EU action/subsidiarity:
Do you think action at EU level could make a difference in addressing health inequalities? Why?
How should relevant stakeholders be supported and engaged at EU level in tackling health inequalities? Should there be a common commitment at EU level to reduce health inequalities for example by committing to common milestones and reduction targets?
If yes, what do you think these milestones or targets should be (what variables? what extent?)?
What would be the right tools to ensure that common goals are achieved on national and EU level (reporting, benchmarking, OMC, etc)?
To what degree can health inequalities be addressed through health policy? How?
Which and to what extent should other policy areas, such as social policy, contribute to reducing health inequalities.
Possible Actions and impacts:
Given the current economic situation can you think of any immediate action that EU or Member States could take to avoid an increase of health inequalities in the short term?
Do you believe that investments through structural funds could help to reduce health inequalities? If so, how and why?
Where do you think should future investments through structural funds be mainly spent to be effective for reducing health inequalities and what would be the expected impact of that spending?
What in your opinion are other areas that EU and Member States should be encouraged to focus on to achieve a reduction of health inequalities?
To what extent would existing coordination and monitoring processes at EU level need What could be possible actions in other EU policy areas on health inequalities and what could be there impact?
What shall be done by the EU in order to facilitate the exchange of experiences between Member States, regions and cities?
How should EU policies be stream-lined in order to reach targeted beneficiaries in the best way? (Disadvantaged, women, migrants, children)
To what extent do you think is the improvement of research capacities advantageous for fighting HI? Can you name any concrete examples?
Other points
Do you know of any examples of good practice in addressing health inequalities which would be helpful to share with the Commission or other stakeholders – if yes please supply details.
Please provide any other contributions which you wish to add.