Doc. 10775

21 December 2005

Palliative care

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Rigoni and others

1.       The decade ahead will see a rise of almost 20% in palliative care needs, implying a huge challenge for all European countries, since much remains to be done in this field.

2.       Palliative care is an integral part of the health system and an inalienable component of citizens' right to access to care in the best conditions.

3.       All individuals are entitled to have their suffering reduced and their dignity increased, and should be able to benefit from the best quality of life at every stage of their existence, but particularly during illness.

4.       Unfortunately, it is clear that great disparities still exist in both the quality of and the conditions of access to care in Council of Europe member states.

5.       The Assembly draws attention to Recommendation 1418 (1999) on protection of the human rights and dignity of the terminally ill and the dying, in which it encouraged states to promote wider availability of palliative care.

6.       The Assembly also points out that, at both the Conference of European Health Ministers organised by the Council of Europe in Oslo on 12 and 13 June 2003 and the conference held in Belgrade on 20 and 21 October 2005, participants called for palliative care to be among the priorities of national and international policies.

7.       The Assembly therefore recommends member states to do everything necessary for palliative care to be considered a personal right, and for every individual to be able to have access to it and benefit from it without discrimination.

8.       The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

-       carry out a detailed study of the situation of the arrangements for providing palliative care set up in Council of Europe member states;

-       invite member states' governments to do what is necessary to set up a palliative care system;

-       set up an international network for the different organisations and agencies active in the field of palliative care.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

RIGONI, Andrea, Italy, EPP/CD

BURLISON, United Kingdom, SOC

CHERNYSHENKO, Igor, Russian Federation, EDG

FAUTRIER, Catherine, Monaco, EPP/CD

GLESENER, Marcel, Luxembourg, EPP/CD

GÜLÇIÇEK, Ali Riza, Turkey, SOC

KOCHARYAN, Shavarsh, Armenia, ALDE

KOLESNIKOV, Victor, Russian Federation, EDG

LALOY, Marie-José, Belgium, SOC

MARQUET, Bernard, Monaco, ALDE

OSKINA, Vera, Russian Federation, EDG

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group