Congress report - European Health Forum Gastein

Preface
Reinhart Waneck
For some years now, Health Ministers from EU-states have shown the
political determination to gain more influence concerning healthrelated
decisions which are being made in other political areas. It is a
positive development that the topic “Integrating Health across
Policies“ was debated in such an open, professional and futureoriented
way during the European Health Forum, Gastein 2001.
But the question has to be raised, if Health Ministers have been successful in their efforts in
the past years? To a certain degree the answer is “yes“. As is well known, the legal basis has
been extended in the Amsterdam Treaty and topics have become much broader with regard
to the content, but an the other hand it has not been possible on an EU-level to gain
decisive influence an decisions being made by other departmental cabinet councils; not to
mention the securing of a right of say.
Now as ever, Health Policy is primarily a national competence, and on a European level more
intensive co-operation, as well as the handing over of competences only takes place on
certain conditions. Quite symptomatic of the hard struggle to reach a joint basis for a
European Health Policy is the long-drawn-out history (of origin) of joint European Health
Policy Strategies with the addendum Public Health.
Substantiated by the fact that health is an important economic and employment factor, too -
the trend has emerged that health-questions especially the ones concerning financing and
Health Insurance are being discussed also under the visual angle of the European (domestic)
market. Regarding the dissolution of national structures and the “growing-together“ of
member states, these discussions are certainly not insubstantial, but they should not remain
the sole “pan-European“ aspect of Health Policy.
“Integrating Health across Policies“ is a topic that deserves to be continued at the next
European Health Fora in Gastein, especial in regard to the fact that at the EHFG 2001 only
parts of the relevant policies were being discussed.
Reinhart Waneck
State Secretary for Health
Ministry for social Security and Generations
International Forum Gastein, Tauernplatz 1, A-5630 Bad Hofgastein
Tel.: +43 (6432) 7110-70, Fax: Ext. 71, e-mail: info@ehfg.org, website: www.ehfg.org
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