The Europe Day celebrates the ‘birth’ of the united Europe, and 3 million nurses celebrate this moment of peace in the EU. However, although the European Union is based on free market principles, free movement, the last years have seen a growing dissatisfaction and disconnection from EU citizens, including the nurses.
The working conditions for frontline are not at all satisfactory, and even became worse since 2008! With no recovery. Only Cuts! It is about time for the EU to enact concrete actions to reconnect to its citizens, therefore it is crucial to engage frontline in policy design and explain what the EU can do for Citizens on a every day basis. This is the only way to bring back the EU to its core values. Therefore, civil society’s input should be taken more seriously by the Commission, especially in a delicate field as health and social care.
The EFN calls for nurses to be further supported and engaged in the co-design of EU policies that influences their daily lives and work.