WP 6: Legal aspects of cross-border health care in border regions

WP leader: Maastricht University (UM)

When cooperating across borders in border regions legal questions arise. These questions might entail the quality of care; the rights of the patient; the reimbursement to care received; the access to health care, the possibilities to share data, etc. These issues are closely linked to legal frameworks on the international, European and national level. Upon crossing borders differences in national legal regulations and rules are a major challenge. 

The Euregio II project addresses two of these challenges that have amounted from the closer observation by already cooperating partners within certain Euregions: the exchange of data as well as liability problems. These topics do not stand alone in border regions but form part of a large framework of health care challenges within European (border) regions. Within cross-border health care currently a number of topics are getting attention, for example patient rights in cross-border context (e.g. when travelling to another Member state to receive care) and other legal problems (e.g. do cooperating partners lack legal certainty to do so?). This framework is kept in mind when concentrating upon these two specific border region challenges. Both topics will be analyzed from the patient and professional perspective.

A legal report will address the current situation in the legal landscape of the Member States by analyzing selected practical cases in order to further clarify existing loopholes.

The aim of the work package is not to solve respective problems, but to document which problems exist, how they hamper cross-border activities and where action to solve problems is needed.

Please contact UM Ingeborg van der Molen e-mail (Legal expert/ Researcher) for comments, recommendations and questions.