Services General Interest (SGI)

[EPHA position paper] Reforming Health Sy­stems in Times of Austerity

Amidst the backdrop of the economic crisis and countries being recommended to reform health systems to achieve better public administrations and fiscal consolidation, EPHA launches its position on health system reforms. This position includes lessons learned and recommendations for equality.

Registration open for FEANTSA’s annual conference ‘Existing in Limbo – The conditions of Homeless Migrants in Europe’

FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with Homeless People, and a member of EPHA, is organising its annual conference ‘Existing in Limbo – The conditions of Homeless Migrants in Europe’, on 16th November, in Barcelona, Spain. Registration is now open! Background A growing number of people across Europe are experiencing a housing crisis. Migrants, all too often excluded from society, are amongst the worst affected groups. A large proportion (...)

Single Market Act: Correcting the flaws to boost growth

In June 2012, the European Commission published two new Communications to complete the different levers of the Single Market Act - One on the implementation of the Services Directive; the other on better governance for the Single Market. European Commissioner for the Internal Market Michel Barnier also announced a second Single Market Act. The two Communications outline a course of action to ensure that Single Market rules can work better in practice. The Commission is proposing measures (...)

Council of Europe focuses on European Roma and travelers’ health within the human rights framework.

Roma and Travellers together comprise the largest set of minority groups in Europe, and the biggest one that faces discrimination and other human rights abuses. With this in mind, the Council of Europe issued "The human rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe" report that among other issues includes a section on the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Throughout Europe, the average life span of the Roma and Travellers is shorter than that of non-Roma and (...)

Tarabella report calls for stronger incorporation of social considerations in public procurement

At their meeting on 30 May, the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will consider the draft report of Marc Tarabella (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats, Belgium) on public procurement and procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors. The IMCO Committee is currently considering the European Commission’s proposals to modernise the Union’s public (...)

Access to healthcare for vulnerable groups in the EU in 2012

In their newest report on Access to Healthcare for Vulnerable Groups in the EU, Medicins du Monde provide an overview of the conditions of persons excluded from healthcare systems in the continent. A case for improved situation is made, especially given the consequences of the economic crisis on health and health-related issues. Medecins du Monde Access to Health Care for Vulnerable Groups in the European Union in 2012. The report’s key findings and messages are: poor (...)

World Water Day: Join the campaign to defend our right to water and sanitation

EPHA has joined the campaign to defend our right to water and sanitation as a public good and a Human Right. Led by the European Federation of Public Service Unions, a coalition of unions and civil society will launch the first European Citizen’s Initiative hoping to receive one million signatures in support of the right to water on the 2nd April 2012. "Water is a public good, not a commodity!" The European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI) on Water and Sanitation as a Human Right (...)

New Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child

The Council of Europe adopted a new 2012-2015 Strategy for the Rights of the Child. The strategy aims to provide guidance and support to actors in the field on how to make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child a day-to-day reality for children in the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe. The strategy focuses on four main objectives: promoting child-friendly services and systems (in the areas of justice, health and social services); eliminating all forms of violence (...)

The European Commission and OECD boost co-operation on early childhood education and care.

The European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have decided to enhance policy co-operation in the area of early childhood education and care. Education and high quality care are one of the key social determinants of health, characterised by a strong social gradient, persistent and growing inequalities. The European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have decided to enhance policy co-operation in (...)

Can Europe’s new Quality Framework for SGI protect the social dimension of the Single Market?

On 20 December 2011, the European Commission has adopted a Quality Framework for Services of General Interest (SGI) in the EU, which is to guarantee that high quality services can be provided in an efficient and cost-effective manner in relevant areas such as health care, child care, care for the elderly and social housing. The Quality Framework is meant to reinforce the social dimension of the Single Market. It is hoped that it will help to take better account of the specific nature of (...)