European Affairs Committee

MISSION

The EAC has been entrusted with the following tasks:

• Supply and exchange information relating to European developments in the areas of health and health care, social protection, social insurance and the social economy.
• Provide and exchange information regarding relevant European policy for member organizations.
• Define the action priorities at the level of the EU. Prepare positions and other actions on behalf of the Board of Directors.

The EAC meets on the occasion of each meeting of the Board of Directors. If necessary, extraordinary meetings on a particular subject may be organized between meeetings of the Board of Directors.

In Europe, the member organizations of AIM provide social coverage against illness and other social risks to more than 160 million persons, by participating as principal actor in the management of compulsory health insurance schemes (Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, France, Poland and Estonia) and/or in the management of supplementary, voluntary or substitute schemes (France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands).

The main work themes relate to the health and health care, social protection, social insurance, the statute for an european mutual society and the social economy.

OBJECTIVES
The overall objectives of the European Affairs Committee are linked to core competence fields of the AIM member organisations in Europe namely health, long term care and mutual benefit society. All organisations are faced with the need to adapt to a changing environment and the common challenges of health systems and long term care. AIM intends to be an essential stakeholder at European levels in the following areas:

• Sustainable financing of the health systems and long term care, in the context of demographic change and under economic insecurity (see also working group on health systems reforms).
• The evolution of health care in terms of organization and supply:
  In particular, in order to improve the performance and quality of health systems, AIM should be more active in the field of "Health Technology Assessment" and notably continue its participation in the EUnetHTA stakeholder forum (see also task force on HTA). It is also desirable that AIM provides contributions to analysis (peer review) of the national strategic reports within the Open Method of Coordination framework.
• Pharmaceutical Policy: AIM must continue to raise the voice of social health insurers in the European pharmaceutical policy, for which the AIM contribution and expertise are widely recognized (see expert group pharmaceuticals).
• eHealth: In particular, AIM must invest more and deploy its expertise and interest in the activities and the legislation currently developed by the European Commission in this field.
• Mutuality: AIM will continue its work in promoting and defending the interests of mutual benefit societies. It intends to continue its active participation in studies and projects in this area at European and international levels. The Association will continue its advocacy work at European level for the establishment of a specific European statute for mutuals (see task force mutualities).

For more information: click on Roadmap for the EAC (priorities 2012-2014)