Proposal to reform European cross-border healthcare directive

Thirteen years after the implementation of Directive 2011/24/EU, AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou has introduced report 2025/2206(INL) to the European Parliament to address persistent barriers to cross-border healthcare. The proposal aims to resolve significant economic and bureaucratic hurdles that currently prevent patients from accessing treatment in other European Union member states. The primary focus of the reform is the abolition of upfront payments, which currently force patients to pay thousands of euros out of pocket before seeking reimbursement, effectively excluding lower-income individuals from necessary medical care.

The legislative initiative also includes recommendations for direct settlement agreements between relevant national health authorities. Furthermore, it suggests providing coverage for travel and accommodation expenses based on income criteria and establishing a European support mechanism for member states facing financial difficulties. The report calls for member states to publish clear lists of treatments requiring prior authorization to improve transparency. This proposal is currently under discussion within the European Parliament's Committee on Public Health, representing a strategic move to standardize and simplify access to medical services across the bloc.