The 27 EU ministers for Health and Employment are expected to meet in Brussels on 16-17 December for the Council on Employment, Social Policy and Health. On the agenda four important health issues "carrier of concrete changes for Europeans": cross-border healthcare, rare diseases, health security and neurodegenerative diseases, namely Alzheimer’s disease. For the first point, a directive has been proposed for the removal of unjustified obstacles to the mobility of ill people and to ensure "secure and quality care" in all Europe. As for rare diseases, a recommendation project is being discussed that will enable States to "define national plans and to build, at European level, a network of knowledge and instruments to ensure patients will have free access to appropriate diagnosis, treatments and medicines." Concerning safety, the purpose is to strengthen the States’ co-ordination in prevention and quick operations. On the Alzheimer, the EU presidency aims at "launching an initiative, from 2009, that will be based on 4 principles: the strengthening of research; the improvement of foreseeing capacities; the exchange of experiences about prevention and cure; ethical issues."
