The Evolution of European Union Legislative Framework Regarding Public Health

• Author: Liliana Lacramioara Pavel
• Pages: 269-273

Legal Sciences in the New Millennium

269

The Evolution of European Union Legislative Framework

Regarding Public Health

Liliana Lacramioara Pavel 1

Abstract: In this paper we have approached a very important subject, n amely, the public h ealth regulation at

European Union level. WE considered useful to analyze this subject starting with health as it is a fundamental

resource for both the individual, the community and society as a whole. Starting from the id ea that health is

the responsibility of both the state and the citizen's right, during the study, we revealed the fundamental role

that it plays in the institutional organization of modern public health. I also realized the main documents

outlining the evolution of the EU legal framework on public health.

Keywords: fundamental rights; health protection; community sectoral policies

1 Introduction

European funds are and must be considered an instrument to create public and private goods that contribute to

the development of society.

No government strategy is known but there are serious difficulties in communication a nd information concerning

all that is related to health and projects in this way, and in this respect and from here results the dilemma if

politically the health financing is desired or not and especially if health is a priority or not!

The Budget allocated to Health by the European Union for 2014-2020 is of 2750 b illion Euros. As it can be

noticed, a generous budget at all if we think that it means 11 cents for every citizen of the Union.

2. Public Health Concept

The term of public health is used currently with t wo meanings. The first refers to the distinction public -private in

the health systems. Usually, public health designates a set of resources – public services provided by non-profit

public organizations that are free at the moment they are used, ex. Persons who need medical assistance have

access to the services desired regardless of their capacity to pay (Vlădescu, 2002 , p. 709).

The second meaning, which i s also the most used, refers to what a society makes to provide community health,

against the individual one i nvolved by clinical medicine. The actions supposed by public health are based on the

fact that health is fundamental resource for the individual, for community and for society, altogether.

Most definitions given to health emphasize the inseparability condition between individuals and their

environment. Thus, health is related to life conditions that for the individual represent a series o f physical,

1Senior Lecturer, PhD, Dunarea de Jos University, Romania, Address: 47 Domneasca Str., 800008 Galati, Romania, Tel./Fax:

(+40) 236 46.13.53, Corresponding author: doctorpavel2012@yahoo.com.