European Healthcare Systems between Market and Cooperation: What Role for European Institutions?

In the debate over the crisis affecting industrialised countries' health systems, the European experience represents a fundamental point of reference. The European integration process currently underway offers EU Member States an important opportunity to relaunch a social model, which has in many countries acted as a driver for development. In this framework, the paper begins by recognising the common historical origins of European healthcare systems and analyses reforms adopted in Europe over the last twenty years. The susbstantial convergence of these reforms, firstly along market solutions and then inspired by partnership and integration, highlights a common European matrix to healthcare systems and suggests the opportunity for the European institutions to accept increasing political responsibility in the design of a European model in which solidarity, efficiency and investment can become mutually dependent.