Text tabled : A7-0307/2010

  Zigmantas Balčytis (S&D), in writing. – (LT) I voted in favour of this important document. European Union citizens expect their Member States to provide safe, high quality, and efficient healthcare services. The Member States themselves have competence for their own healthcare systems, and therefore accessibility and quality varies somewhat. Patients are not always able to obtain appropriate treatment in their own Member State, and this is essentially contrary to the freedoms guaranteed by the EU Treaty. The issue of the recognition of prescriptions in the Union has also yet to be resolved, which causes great problems for people who travel. I do not feel that the free movement of patients and the right to choose treatment in another Member State will encourage medical tourism. I believe that it may be a positive sign to Member States to undertake appropriate reforms in the area of healthcare services and ensure that the healthcare services provided are as diverse and of as high a quality as possible, so that, if necessary, patients can obtain treatment in another Member State.