Activites

• 1996/05/13 Final act published in Official Journal
• 1996/04/17 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0173/1996 summary

    Adopting the report by Mr Giacomo LEOPARDI (UPE, I) on a European health card, the European Parliament called on the Commission to submit, by 1 January 1997, a proposal for a Council and European Parliament decision based on Article 129 of the EC Treaty, setting up a compulsory European health card in all Member States, to be issued to every European citizen on a voluntary and optional basis. The object of the card would be to facilitate the free movement of persons within the Union by providing them with appropriate access to the health care and treatment required by their state of health and would contain information on the bearer's civil status, medical data (blood group, known allergies, chronic diseases, an indication of any refusal on religious grounds to be given blood transfusions or transfusions of derived products, willingness to be an organ donor etc.) and information regarding social insurance cover and reimbursement for treatment. This card would be introduced gradually, with priority being given to persons with chronic or serious illnesses needing ongoing or urgent treatment. Provisions regarding the form, content and conditions for access to the data contained in the European health card would be drawn up with the Member States, associations of healthcare professionals and consumer organizations. Member States were also called on to take the necessary steps to ensure that the validity of this card was recognized within their territory, that it was easily obtainable by any citizen wishing to acquire it and that it was in widespread use throughout the healthcare systems. They were also called on to appoint the authorities responsible for issuing and distributing the card and for compliance with the rules on confidentiality of data and medical secrecy. The Commission was called on to run information campaigns aimed at making citizens and healthcare professionals aware of the existence of the European health card and to standardize the technical aspects of the card with the European Committee for Standardization (ECS) on the basis of a numerical indication of the main diseases.�

• 1996/04/16 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur, Mr LEOPARDI (UPE, I), thought that a European health card issued to every EU citizen would facilitate the free movement of persons within the Union. Such a card would contain medical data and other information on social insurance cover and reimbursement for treatment. Pointing out that current technology and IT capabilities were well up to producing such a card system, Mr Leopardi called on the Commission to present a draft decision by 1/1/97 at the latest, so that the Council and Parliament could approve the proposal before the end of 1998. Commissioner Flynn said that such a system had been under review for many years, but that the results had not been particularly encouraging. While recognising that such a card would have its advantages, he presented a list of problems linked to the introduction of such a scheme: confidentiality and the protection of medical data in the event that the card were to be lost, stolen or used for non-authorised purposes, compatibility of hardware and software and the burden of responsibility for doctors.

• 1996/03/20 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0091/1996
• 1995/06/27 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1995/01/25 Non-legislative basic document published
  • B4-0007/1995

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: B4-0007/1995
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A4-0091/1996
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0173/1996

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)