The European Charter of Patients' Rights was drafted in 2002 by Active Citizenship Network in collaboration with 12 citizens' organizations from different EU countries. The European Charter of Patients' Rights states 14 patients' rights that together aim to guarantee a "high level of human health protection" (Article 35 of the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union) and to assure the high quality of services provided by the various national health services in Europe.

The 14 rights are an embodiment of fundamental rights and, as such, they must be recognised and respected in every country. They are correlated with duties and responsibilities that both citizens and health care stakeholders have to assume. The Charter applies to all individuals, recognising the fact that differences, such as age, gender, religion, socio-economic status etc., may influence individual health care needs. Period: 2002

With the support of: Merck Sharp & Dhome

Partners

• Apovita (Portugal)
• Cittadinanzattiva/Tribunale per i diritti del malato (Italy)
• Confederacion de Consumidores y Usuarios (Spain)
• Danish Consumer Council (Denmark)
• Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Versicherte und Patienten e. V. (DGVPV) (Germany)
• Fédération Belge contre le Cancer (Belgium)
• International Neurotrauma Research Organization (Austria)
• KE.P.K.A. (Greece)
• Nederlandse Patienten Consumenten Federatie (NPCF) (the Netherlands)
• The Patients Association (United Kingdom)
• Vereniging Samenwerkende Ouderen Patientenorganisaties (VSOP) (the Netherlands)
• Irish Patients Association Ltd (Ireland)

Materials

• full report on European charter of patients' right
• European charter of patients' right
• 2 EP resolutions: 15th of Mar 2007 and 23rd of May 2007 called for the "adoption of a European charter of patients' rights on the basis of existing charters in the Member States and of the work carried out by nongovernmental organisations.
• EESC opinion: pronounced its support for both the Charter and Patients' Rights Day promoted by ACN in an opinion paper (09/2007)

Country	Full report on European Charter of Patients' Rights	European Charter of Patients' Rights	EP Resolution 15th of Mar 2007	EP Resolution 23th of May 2007	CESE opinion 26th of Sep 2007 (SOC/221)
Bulgary	X
Croatia	X
France	X	X	X
Germany	X	X
Greece	X
Italy	X	X	X
Rep. Of Macedonia	X
Poland
Poland	X
Portugal	X
Russia (NEW)	X
Spain	X	X
United Kingdom	X	X	X	X	X

2013:

Patients In Power conference: European Charter of Patient Rights