Patients in Health in the next mandate
It has been more than a month since the elections and the political landscape of the next legislature takes shape, little by little. EPF is keeping a watchful eye to ensure patients and health is on the agenda of both the newly elected Members of the European Parliament and the future College of Commissioners.
Out of the 74 elections candidates who supported our campaign, 34 MEPs have been elected and have already committed to including patients in their work. There are many newcomers to the European Parliament, with a potential interest in health and the patients’ perspective and we shall be working hard over the summer securing their support.
The elections resulted in a European Parliament in a different setting. We will join forces with the wider health community to ensure that health inequalities remain a priority for action at the EU level. In our Manifesto, we called on decision-makers to support an EU initiative on equitable access to healthcare for all European citizens. We collaborate closely with our Bulgarian member, the National Patient Organisation (NPO), to put in place a multi-stakeholder partnership on access to healthcare and we will continue to encourage the creation of a MEP Interest Group on this issue.
New European Parliament, new Commissioners: this is our opportunity to strengthen our collaboration with decision-makers. We will try to ensure that they commit to effectively empower patients to become full partners in the management of our condition and in decision-making and research processes.
Use these hashtags #patientsvote and #Patients4Health on Twitter to ask decision-makers to commit to a patients’ perspective in their work!
Post-elections Steps and likely timetable:
- 15 July: MEPs elect European Commission president, Strasbourg
- August: Member states put forward nominations for European commissioners
- September: Commissioner nominee hearings at the European Parliament
- 20-23 October: European Parliament votes to approve new college of commissioners
- 1 November: New college of commissioners takes office
Contact: EPF Communication Officer, Cynthia Bonsignore, cynthia.bonsignore@eu-patient.eu.
© Picture credits: MEP Kovatchev (ALDE, Bulgaria) at EPF Exhibition at the European Parliament, member of the MEP Interest Group on access to healthcare.