Question écrite de
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Commission européenne
Subject: Austerity policies in Greece have serious implications for the health and age distribution of the population
Research has shown that austerity policies in Greece have serious implications for the health and age distribution of the population. As a result of these policies, in the period 2008-2014 alone, total government expenditure on health in Greece was down by approximately 30% while, since 2009, funding for hospitals had dropped 50% by 2015. It is estimated that the reduction in healthcare expenditure, resulting from the requirement for austerity measures, occurred without taking necessary measures to protect the National Health System. As a result, one-quarter of the population was left without health insurance due to long-term unemployment. It is noted that from 2010 to 2016, the mortality rate for the general population rose sharply by 17.8%, during a period when, internationally, the mortality rate was dropping. At the same time, the number of people with significant healthcare needs has doubled since 2010. Moreover, significant increases were seen in rates of depression- related suicides, HIV-positive people, tuberculosis and in the maternal, infant and child mortality rate. A worrying increase in the rate of ageing in Greece’s population and a decline in birth rates have also been noted.
Can the Commission say:
1. How it evaluates the above information?
2. How it plans to effectively support the health sector in Greece?
Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Commission (14 January 2019)
While according to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (1), Member States are responsible for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care, the Commission fully supports access to health services and medical care in any Member State.
This is in line with the 2006 Council Conclusions (2), Article 35 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (3) and principle 16 of the European Pillar on Social Rights (4).
In order to support the Greek authorities, the Structural and investment funds (ESI Funds) and the Technical Assistance Programme, delivered by the Structural Reform Support Service have been mobilised (5). ESI Funds healthcare related investments in Greece are estimated at EUR 446 million during the 2013-2017 programming period and in that of 2014-2020, planned healthcare projects amount to EUR 367.5 million.
These include around EUR 195 million from the European Social Fund, which are earmarked as co-financing to the roll out of the network of Local Health Care Units (TOMYs), which are key elements of the Primary Health Care Reform, aiming at universal health coverage. Taking into consideration that financial assistance from the ESI Funds is implemented under shared management, more detailed information, if required, could be provided by the Greek authorities and more precisely by the National Coordination Authority (6).
The Commission is aware of the health developments in Greece (7) (8). The Commission has supported the adoption of structural measures to improve the efficiency, affordability, and access of healthcare services including the introduction of universal coverage.
⋅1∙ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12008E168&from=EN
⋅2∙ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2006:146:0001:0003:EN:PDF
⋅3∙ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXT&from=EN
⋅4∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/social-summit-european-pillar-social-rights-booklet_en.pdf
⋅5∙ http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/
⋅6∙ http://2007-2013.espa.gr/el/Pages/staticCoordonationManagingAuthorityForOPImplementation.aspx?leftmenu_id=staticCoordinationAuthority.aspx
⋅7∙ https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/state/docs/chp_gr_english.pdf
⋅8∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/economy-finance/joint-report-healthcare-and-long-term-care-systems-fiscal-sustainability-0_en