Public Health
Public Health
The European Union’s activities in the field of Public Health are based on both legislation and establishing common rules, in addition to cooperation on the basis of the European Health and Research Programmes and the Open Method of Cooperation Process. Both these areas of cooperation concern the EEA Agreement, as common rules in the field of public health have been included in the agreement, and the EEA/EFTA states have also been active participants in the community programmes covering health issues.
In 1999, when Article 152 was added to the common EU rules by the Amsterdam treaty, the European Union was given more legal grounds for taking measures in the field of public health. The treaty stipulates that human health protection be privileged in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities.
Even though the EEA Agreement does not contain similar provisions, it is committed to the mutual understanding that a high level of health protection be the basis of further development of legislation on health matters. On the grounds of Article 152 as well as provisions concerning technical regulations and standards in the EEA agreement, EU legal acts in public health matters have been incorporated in the EEA agreement. Directives concerning the standard and quality of blood is an example of this. Furthermore, the EEA agreement gives the opportunity of diverse cooperation in the field of public health. Iceland is through the EEA agreement an active participant in the work of the newly founded European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EMEA) and the opportunity to participate in the Public Health Programmes has produced many opportunities for cooperation.
Social security
The EEA Agreement guarantees workers and self-employed people and their family members the right to social security wherever they work in European Economic Area. That means, firstly that workers and self-employed people aggregate all the rights that they earn in each EEA country under the laws of the relevant state, and, secondly, they have the right to payment of benefits at the time of working in an EEA country.
This does not means that the social security systems of all EEA member states are unified, but rather, a common and continuing procedure for cooperation in the field of social security when people are moving from the one member state to another.
More detailed information about the system and rules concerning social security in Iceland can be found at the Mutual Information System on Social Protection (MISSOC) website. MISSOC was established in 1990 to promote a continuous exchange of information on social protection among the EU Member States
Pharmaceuticals and medical devices
The internal European market for pharmaceuticals and medical devices has been developing since 1985. It is the largest and one of the most regulated markets for pharmaceutical products in the world. A new system for authorising medicinal products was introduced in 1995, providing a centralised and mutual recognition procedure in the European Economic Area. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) was then established as a decentralised body of the European Union with headquarters in London. The main role of the Agency is the protection and promotion of public and animal health through the evaluation and supervision of medicines for human and veterinary use.
The European legislation on pharmaceuticals and medical devices has been undergoing reforms and improvements since 2001. A new EU directive on pharmaceuticals was adopted in 2001 with the aim to improve the process of authorisation and supervision of medicines, and again in 2004, when the EU Pharmaceutical Package was adopted (see directives 2004/27/EC and 2004/28/EC).
The EEA/EFTA countries are also part the EU internal market for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. All the relevant regulations concerning pharmaceuticals that have been incorporated to the EEA Agreement are listed up in Annex II of the Agreement.
The Ministry of Health and Social Security is the main coordinator for pharmaceutical cooperation, but the Icelandic Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Chief Medical Office in Reykjavík also participate in this important activity.
Health professionals
The EEA Agreement contains provisions concerning mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications. Thus, health professionals can move from the one EEA country to another without any restrictions based on nationality.
The Counsellor for health affairs is:
Tel: +32 (0)2 238 5017
Fax: +32 (0)2 230 69 38
