Biannual briefing – January 2025

Every six months, this series of briefings provides a summary of the priorities on the European Union agenda that are are likely to have an impact on Member States’ health care and health insurance systems. While the organisation, financing and delivery of health care fall within the competence of the Member States, the European Union can guide and support strategies in this area, not only through its health policy per se, but also through social and employment policies, economic, research and innovation policies, internal market regulation policies, not to mention its financing instruments. For this reason, the note presents the main priorities set in European health policy and, where appropriate, in other areas. Emphasis is placed on the position of the Member States at European level – by monitoring the work of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union – and on the new strategies proposed by the European Commission.

This briefing focuses on the second half of 2024, first analysing the work of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and then considering the priorities set by the European Commission. It concludes with a presentation of the programme planned for the first half of 2025 by the Polish Presidency of the Council.