The most relevant information contained
within the published document includes the following:
Strategic Programme
- Institutional transition: With the EU embroiled in important institutional changes, the trio will try to ease this transitional process. The three Presidencies intend to build up close and constructive relations with the new institutional actors in order to allow for an early return to a normal working rhythm and legislative activity.
- Main objective for the next 18 months: to fully overcome the economic and financial crisis and to boost Union's growth.
- Research and innovation: of strategic importance for economic growth, competitiveness and employment, investment in this strategic sector will be boosted and the European Research Area further developed through the smooth and efficient implementation and the full use of the potential of Horizon 2020. The endorsement of research and innovation is of particular note given the enormous benefits which can be achieved through the advancement of the implementation of the Horizon 2020 work programmes. Moreover, the endorsement of Horizon 2020 gives an indication of the prioritisation of the Horizon 2020 by the Council.
- Health: particular attention will be paid to the necessity to find responses to the demographic change, the increase of chronic diseases, the development of new healthcare technologies as well as to the changing expectations of the patients and to achieve the objective of sustainable healthcare systems. The new Public Health Programme 2014-2020 will play a major role in this regard.
The
Operational programme section of the document outlines extensive priorities of
the trio pertaining to public health and innovation and includes the
following:
- Public Health: the trio will promote action to improve the health of EU citizens, in line with the EU Health Strategy and the indications forthcoming from World Health Organisation and using the actions set out in the third Union Programme for action in the field of health (2014-2020), while taking due account of the current economic situation. The trio will stress and support the identification and adoption of innovative approaches, including cost-benefit assessments that could have a positive impact on the health of citizens, as well as on the economy. The trio will evaluate, in close cooperation with the Commission, the results achieved through the implementation of the Directive on patients' rights in cross-border healthcare.The three Presidencies shall implement their programme in the field of health promotion, diseases prevention and health care, taking into account the organizational matters and with a stronger focus on the most vulnerable groups. They will give priority to individual and collective prevention, with a special focus on primary and secondary prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases, on the account of their incidence and their high costs in human, socio-economic and health terms. In this context, a special attention will be paid to the promotion of healthy life style, focusing on encouraging physical activity and healthy nutrition.
- Research and innovation: The trio intends to promote links among research, innovation and growth (in terms of competitiveness and employment), investigating any possible measures to boost investments in these strategic sectors. It will focus on the enhancement of the European Research Area and will address issues such as the implementation of the ESFRI roadmap or the advancement of the EU digital agenda and the development of an e-infrastructure (including a data infrastructure).
The three Presidencies will raise awareness
on a "Science with and for society", with the aim of fostering social
and economic inclusiveness and competitiveness enabled by research and
innovation in the context of addressing major societal challenges such as bio-economy
health and ageing population, including through social innovation, open science
and socially led technological innovation.
The document is available here
The link to the provisional calendar of the
Italian Presidency is available here
