Audit scope and approach

• Author: European Court of Auditors
• Pages: 15-16

15

Audit scope and approach

17 One of the strategic goals of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) is to examine

performance in areas where EU action matters to citizens15. Improving Europe's health

infrastructure and services and their accessibility and effectiveness is an area in which

EU action can add value for EU citizens. We launched our audit 10 years after the

Commission approved its strategy on rare diseases and the main EU pilot project for

cross-border exchanges of healthcare data started. Our audit sought to answer the

following question:

Do EU actions in cross-border healthcare deliver benefits for patients?

18 We examined whether:

(a) the Commission oversaw the implementation of EU cross-border healthcare

Directive in the Member States well;

(b) the results achieved so far in terms of cross-border exchanges of health data are

in line with expectations;

(c) EU actions on rare diseases add value to Member States efforts to facilitate

patients’ access to cross-border healthcare.

19 Our audit covered the period from the adoption of the Commission’s rare disease

strategy and the launch of the EU’s main pilot project for cross-border exchanges of

health data in 2008. We performed the audit work between February and November

2018 and held interviews with the Commission representatives form Directorate-

General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), Directorate-General for

Communications Networks, Content and Technology and Directorate-General Joint

Research Centre (DG JRC) and with five Member States’16 authorities responsible for

implementing the Directive. Our choice of Member States considered the main EU

funded projects for cross-border exchanges of health data.

20 We also surveyed all Member States’ representatives in the Cross-border

Healthcare Expert Group to obtain their opinions on main developments and

challenges hampering patients’ access to cross-border healthcare and representatives

of the eHealth Network on their opinion on the Commission’s work on cross-border

15 ECA strategy 2018-2020.

16 Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden.