Health Union: Is it needed?

By Anne Bucher

The legislative package to create a European Health Union was the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Health Union Communication stated more broadly that „a strong European Health Union will protect our way of life, our economy, and our society.“ This raises the question of whether the Health Union should be limited to crisis prevention and management or have a broader public health approach, writes Anne Bucher from the think-tank Bruegel.

In November 2020, in response to COVID, the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a Health Union package. It aims at strengthening the European Health security framework which proved to be insufficient during the COVID-19 crisis. It is early to assess the package that is still in the legislative process. But a preliminary assessment of what it means for health in the EU is possible and is based on two questions: 1) whether the package will deliver on the ambition of Health Union? and 2) whether the Health Union project, currently limited to health security, should be extended to other health areas?

Sign up now and continue reading immediately