Third Health Programme (2014-2020): €450m and specific goals to meet health challenges of the 21st century

"Prevention, protection of citizens from cross-border health threats, innovation for our healthcare systems and finally an improved access to better and safer healthcare for all EU citizens: these are the four priorities that we have set out in this new EU programme for health", declared Françoise Grossetête MEP following the adoption, by a large majority, of her Report in plenary on the Third Programme of the Union's action in the field of health for the period 2014-2020.

"Two years of negotiations were necessary to set up this new health programme. We have learned from previous programmes and have decided to focus on priorities in which the European Union can bring real added-value in the field of health.”

“As Rapporteur, I also made sure that ageing is taken into account transversely through the programme goals. Indeed, a number of new challenges, both for the economy and for society, come with ageing.”

“Potential candidates for the funding of the programme (nearly €450m for the overall period) will have to meet these objectives. I also fought for the budget not to be decreased - we even obtained a slight increase in comparison with the €446m budget initially proposed by the European Commission.”

“However, these resources remain limited. The challenge will be to optimise the use of these funds to encourage innovation in the field of health and improve the sustainability of our healthcare systems in the interest of citizens.”

“I urge all health stakeholders to respond to these calls for projects which will also contribute to better anticipating the health challenges of tomorrow, for example those related to pandemics or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These are huge issues that we have to anticipate at European level because Member States cannot tackle them on their own", concluded Grossetête.