Keeping health high on the EU agenda: role for economic governance? EPC Policy Brief, 7 May 2015

Hedberg, Annika and Morosi, Martina (2015) Keeping health high on the EU agenda: role for economic governance? EPC Policy Brief, 7 May 2015. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

In an attempt to get Europe out of the economic crisis and establish right conditions for growth, the EU coordinates and monitors member states’ economic and budgetary policies via a system called the European Semester. As member states’ spending on the health sector accounts for 10% of GDP and is expected to grow, it is no wonder that an increasing emphasis has been paid to sustainability of health systems – an area that is traditionally considered as a national competence. In this Policy Brief, Annika Hedberg and Martina Morosi reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the European Semester and country-specific recommendations in promoting more sustainable and efficient health systems in Europe, and why the EU must continue to play a role in encouraging member states to value health and improve their spending on health.

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