On March 14th the European Parliament in Strasbourg unanimously adopted a report by MEP Luigi Berlinguer (S&D) on a European Mutual Statute.
This comes after a campaign undertaken by the Association Internationale de la Mutualité (AIM), which was supported by leading UK mutual Benenden Health.
This outcome means that MEPs have therefore expressed their overwhelming support in favour of recommendations made by the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament, which requested support from the European commission for a European Mutual Statute (EMS).
AIM and Benenden Health believe that the EMS is integral to ensuring the major role that mutuals play in the EU’s economy continues. Mutuals are reported to employ 350,000 people in Europe, providing services to 230 million citizens and have a natural role to play in the support of existing welfare systems and the social economy.
The current fragmented framework in which European mutuals exist presents a barrier to them reaching their full potential. The EMS would remove barriers to cross-border cooperation between mutual societies whilst taking account of their specific features in particular of the fact that they operate in the general interest.
The EMS should provide a way of promoting the mutualist model throughout Europe.
Report downloadable in all EU languages at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2013-18&language=EN
About AIM:
The Association Internationale de la Mutualité (AIM) is a grouping of autonomous health insurance and social protection bodies operating according to the principles of solidarity and non-profit-making orientation. Currently, AIM’s membership consists of 45 national federations representing 26 countries. In Europe, they provide social coverage against sickness and other risks to more than 160 million people. AIM strives via its network to make an active contribution to the preservation and improvement of access to healthcare for everyone.
