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DRAFT OPINION (2025/2145(DEC))

On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section III – Commission

SANT-PA-779460

Committee on Public Health · Rapporteur: Kateřina Konečná

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The Committee on Public Health's draft opinion on the 2024 EU budget discharge for the Commission regrets errors in expenditure and concerns about EU4Health implementation, while acknowledging achievements in health programs. It calls for corrective action, expresses concern over budget cuts, and notes HERA's operational challenges, but concludes that discharge can be granted for public health expenditure.

Committee position. The Committee on Public Health proposes that discharge be granted to the Commission for 2024 public health expenditure, while calling for corrective actions.

Key points

  1. Regrets that 2024 budgetary expenditure is materially affected by error, with an overall error rate of 3.6% estimated by the European Court of Auditors.
  2. Recalls ECA findings that EU support for healthcare digitalisation was effective, but notes Member States faced difficulties using funds and the Commission lacks a comprehensive overview.
  3. Calls on the Commission to take corrective action on shortcomings identified by the ECA and Parliament's concerns.
  4. Expresses concern over EU4Health implementation, with only 64.5% of commitments and 29.3% of payments executed, and regrets the €1 billion cut for 2025-2027.
  5. Notes investments in crisis preparedness (64% of 2024 budget) strengthened response capacity, including mpox vaccine procurement; acknowledges EU4Health's contribution to InvestEU with €110 million top-up.
  6. Highlights attention to antimicrobial resistance, EU FAB network, and grants for surveillance systems (€87 million) and joint action on AMR (€50 million).
  7. Welcomes progress in health promotion (9.7% of budget), mental health joint action with 20 Member States, and new grants for European Reference Networks (€77.4 million).
  8. Welcomes health systems strand (5.4% of budget) including medical devices certificates and Health Technology Assessment platform; notes digital strand (3%) expanded MyHealth@EU and HealthData@EU.
  9. Welcomes cancer strand (21.5% of budget) with 74 initiatives, but regrets only 18 Member States participated in CanScreen-ECIS.
  10. Regrets the Commission's decision to eliminate operating grants for health NGOs from the EU4Health 2025 Work Programme, impacting staff and projects.
  11. Notes HERA's growth and progress, recalls commitment to review its operations by 2025, and stresses need for coordination and clarity on its role.
  12. Concludes that discharge can be granted to the Commission for 2024 public health expenditure.

Who is affected

  • The European Commission, particularly DG HERA and EU4Health programme managers.
  • Member States, which receive EU4Health funding for health systems and digitalisation.
  • Health NGOs and civil society organisations that lost operating grants.
  • Patients, healthcare professionals, and communities relying on health programmes.

Figures and deadlines

  • 3.6% overall error rate for 2024 expenditure.
  • 64.5% of commitments and 29.3% of payments executed under EU4Health.
  • €1 billion cut to EU4Health for 2025-2027.
  • 64% of EU4Health annual budget for crisis preparedness in 2024.
  • €110 million InvestEU top-up for EIB investments.
  • €87 million for surveillance grants, €50 million for AMR joint action.
  • €77.4 million for ERN grants, €18.75 million for ERN integration joint action.
  • 10,554 certificates for medical devices and 1,273 for in-vitro diagnostics by October 2024.