EU Health Insurance Cards

HC Deb 19 December 2003 vol 416 c189W

Ms Stuart

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the introduction of EU health insurance cards in the UK. [143518]

Mr. Hutton

At the Barcelona European Council, the European Union member states, including the United Kingdom, signed up to a new European health insurance card to replace the existing paper form El11, to be introduced by 1 June 2004. Those countries which do not have an existing infrastructure for health card issue may apply for an extension of the date of introduction to 31 December 2005. The UK has obtained such an extension.

A decision has yet to be made on how the Council decision will be implemented in the UK. A scoping study is currently underway.