Parliament raises fresh doubts about EU health bill
The agreement by EU health ministers on cross-border healthcare has been hailed as a breakthrough but members of parliament, doctors and patient groups say more work still needs to be done before the new rules can be implemented.
The bill now goes back to the European Parliament, which has already backed a more far-reaching version of the directive. A majority of MEPs will have to vote in favour of a revised text before it can become law.
European governments have accepted a compromise that will see patients reimbursed for medical treatment in other EU member states, but are insisting on a series of safeguards giving health authorities the power to prevent patients from travelling under certain circumstances.
There was also greater clarity on who should pay for treating pensioners who take up residence in another member state during their retirement – a complex issue that required detailed behind-the-scenes negotiations ahead of the ministerial meeting.
A final deal must be agreed between MEPs and governments before the new rules are transposed into national law.
However, the Parliament has taken a more liberal view of how far the directive should go in facilitating patient mobility, and some MEPs feel the European Council's compromise attaches too many conditions to patients' rights.
MEPs will debate the issue again before the end of the year, but sources suggest it is too early to declare the issue closed given the differences between the Parliament and member states.
The Belgian Presidency is expected to begin negotiations with MEPs with a view to wrapping up a final agreement before Belgium hands over the rotating EU presidency to Hungary in 2011.
>> EurActiv