Doc. 9249
8 October 2001

Reform of health care systems in the member states of the Council of Europe

Motion for an order

presented by Mr Dees and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       At a time when opinion in many countries sees access to quality health care and treatment without undue delay as matters of serious concern, several Council of Europe member states have recently completed, are introducing, or are planning reforms of their health care systems. These reforms are almost invariably designed to improve standards, to ensure equality of access, and to reduce costs, objectives which are often difficult to reconcile.

2.       These issues are being debated not least in the countries of central and eastern Europe, which face the challenge of achieving balanced systems in the context of transition to a mixed economy.

3.       Member states’ reform strategies and measures vary considerably according to the nature of the system, the political viewpoint of the government concerned, and the resources available, among other factors.

4.       The Parliamentary Assembly considers that many lessons can be learned from comparison of the problems faced by health care systems and the reform strategies adopted to solve them, including the identification of best practice.

5.       The Assembly therefore calls on its Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee to organise a parliamentary colloquy on the reform of health care systems and resolves to debate this theme with a view to the adoption of recommendations to the member states.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Dees, Netherlands, LDR

Alis Font, Andorra, SOC

Arnau, Spain, SOC

Belohorska, Slovakia, EDG

Berzinš, Latvia, NR

Bilovol, Ukraine, EDG

Birraux, France, EPP/CD

Cerrahoğlu, Turkey, EDG

Cox, United Kingdom, SOC

Gönül, Turkey, EPP/CD

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Jäger, Germany, SOC

Kiely, Ireland, LDR

Luhtanen, Finland, SOC

McCafferty, United Kingdom, SOC

Michel, France, SOC

Mladenov, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Rigoni, Italy, NR

Telek, Turkey, EDG

Tudose, Romania, SOC

Vis, United Kingdom, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

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

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group