Focus on access and innovation for health in the Romanian Council Presidency

In their first EU Council Presidency since joining the EU in 2007, Romania aims to: tackle drug shortages, enhance patients’ rights, promote universal access to affordable treatment, fight antimicrobial resistance, improve vaccination coverage, reduce medication abuse and improve the control of transmissible diseases.

Patient mobility will also be a special topic, bolstered by an exchange of views on the implementation of Directive 24/2011/ EU on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare.

Taking over from the Austria presidency, Romania will progress on key policies, such as HTA and the advancement of eHealth. Romania will organise a European conference on eHealth in Bucharest during the EU ‘Digital Week’ in June. In the legislative field, Romania aims to further progress the highly political HTA Regulation. Bilateral meetings will be held with EU health ministers, in addition to eight working party discussions on HTA, before presenting a progress report to health ministers at the EPSCO Council meeting in June. Romanian Health Minister, Sorina Pintea said she’s confident that the impasse can be overcome in view of the proceeding Finnish presidency. The Health Attaché for the Romanian Permanent Representation to the EU is Stefan-Gheorge Staicu, previously Minister of Health in Romania. Full link here