2014 Country Specific RecommendationsExperts are already warning that over-reliance on cost-cutting is dangerous and questioning the power and impact of such recommendations, particularly for countries outside of the Euro area, which tend not to receive CSRs on health.
The 2014 CSRs have included recommendations on health for more member states than any previous year and the recommendations made are more detailed and prescriptive than those that have been issued before. Generally speaking, countries which have been severely impacted by the economic crisis have received recommendations which focus upon the provision of high-quality care, whereas those which suffered to a lesser extent have been issued CSRs which focus on specific cost-containment measures, such as reducing pharmaceutical expenditure.
The potential for the recommendations to improve the health and well-being of Europeans rests not only upon uptake and implementation by the member states, but also upon the inclusion of health actors, civil society and social partners in the drafting of the CSRs. Historically, the European Semester has proven problematic for civil society organisations wishing to engage with it, whilst the European Parliament and health experts within the Commission have found their influence curtailed. The legitimacy, effectiveness and success of the CSRs is dependent upon the involvement of these stakeholders and though some progress has been made in this respect, there remains considerable scope for improvement.
Download the full analysis below.
