Goodbye to the E111

12.00.00am GMT Thu 4th Dec 2003

The European Parliament voted today for a new EU Health Insurance Card to replace the E111 and the numerous other forms currently needed for EU citizens to receive medical care other Member States.

Bill Newton Dunn, Liberal Democrat Euro-MP for the East Midlands welcomed the initiative:

Emergency healthcare in Europe will be easier to manage in future

"This will help the lives of people who are travelling abroad. At the moment there is an array of forms to be filled in, depending on whether you are on holiday, working, or studying. The European healthcard, set to be introduced in June 2004, will speed up and simplify the reimbursement for patients who have had to pay for their healthcare abroad.

"There will no longer be different rules for different groups of people. There will be less bureaucratic expense and frustration as cardholders will be able to go straight to the doctor without first registering with local authorities.

"Yet another barrier to free movement has been knocked down. This will enable people to work and travel in the EU with one less worry, and it will encourage tourism here in the East Midlands.

ENDS

The card will be phased in. It will firstly take over from the E111 used by holiday makers and for business trips and will then be extended to cover employees posted abroad and students (E128), job seekers (E119), and international truck drivers (E110). Finally, by 2008, the card will be in the form of an electronic smart card, readable only by computer.