[Do we understand Brussels? Risks and opportunities for the Netherlands' health care policy within the European Union].
Until recently, the European Union (EU) health agenda was limited to a selection of public health issues and good intentions of the Ministers of Health of the EU Member States. Lack of political will on the part of Member States to develop common policies in the fields of health care and social security is increasingly being bypassed by the political will and power of the European Parliament to initiate common action in these fields such as the Rocard report, for example, concerning the financing of health care. Furthermore, EU common market and other financial-economic regulations and policies already substantially affect the functioning of health care systems in Member States. The Netherlands' trade and professional associations should develop their organisation-specific EU strategies and policies as EU institutes, rules and culture substantially differ from national political and governmental systems; in recent years, the Dutch government has not always been successful in its approach and operations within the EU arena.
de Man
F H
FH
De Greve & Partners, Rotterdam. praaning@xs4all.nl
Straetmans
G
G
Annard
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D005062:European Union; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011057:Politics; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics