Diversity and Harmonisation. Trends and Challenges in European Health Law

Abstract:

European countries share a number of fundamental values and ideas, but when it comes to the organisation of health care sectors and attitudes to basic patients’ rights, there are also vast differences. Consequently, at the European level health law has to balance between the aspiration for uniformity and universal respect for fundamental rights on the one hand, and acceptance of national diversity on the other.

The aim of the article is to characterise European health law in terms of both divergence and harmonisation, and to explore the tension between these two features in light of current trends and challenges.