News

30th January 2003

John Bowis MEP speaks to students at King's College London about impact of Europe on health policy

John Bowis - Conservative Member of the European Parliament for London and Health spokesman – spoke to the European Society at King’s College London on Thursday 23rd January about the growing impact of Europe on health policy. Amongst the many issues discussed, was the impact of various treaties on national health policy and how from the earliest treaties of Rome, through to Single Market measures in the Maastricht and Amsterdam treaties - health has been near the top of the European agenda.

Speaking from King’s College, The Strand, John Bowis said, “Europe’s impact on national health policy started with health and safety at work measures and then went on to include public health, rapid response to health emergencies and issues such as blood safety. Most recently it included health promotion and illness prevention.”

John Bowis continued, “None of this means that Europe will be responsible for national health services - indeed that is specifically ruled out in the Treaties - but Europe is having an increasing impact on health standards, not by prescribing them but by describing them. Sharing knowledge and experience and best practice is what Europe is best at and to be welcomed. Alongside this are new patient rights, enabling people to be treated in another Member State but still paid for by the home country. Whilst this is good news for patients, it presents a challenge for Governments to ensure stability in local health budgets.”

“However, Europe also sends out mixed messages. Whilst promoting public health issues, the EU also spends 1,000 million Euros a year to subsidise the growing of tobacco by European farmers. This is a scandalous waste of public money and undermines a lot of the good work that Europe does on health issues.”