Changes from plenary report to adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Articles 4, 6, 9, 45-48, 53, 114, 121, 151, 152, 153, 165, 166, 168(1), 168(5) and 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to Article 35 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights (2017), notably its principles on healthcare and long-term care, quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning, gender equality and fair working conditions,

– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights action plan, especially its headline target requesting the participation of at least 60 % of all adults in training every year,

– having regard to Council Directive 98/24/EC of 7 April 1998 on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work,

– having regard to Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time (Working Time Directive),

– having regard to Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens, mutagens or reprotoxic substances at work (Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive), as amended,

– having regard to Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 20025 on the recognition of professional qualifications (Professional Qualifications Directive),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (Pay Transparency Directive),

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 1 April 2025 for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 establishing the European Social Fund + (ESF+) as regards specific measures to address strategic challenges (COM(2025)0164),

– having regard to the negotiation process of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2028-2034,

– having regard to the report by the Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) of November 2024 entitled ‘Health at a Glance: Europe 2024 – State of Health in the EU Cycle’,

– having regard to the EU social scoreboard and secondary indicators,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 June 2023 on a comprehensive approach to mental health (COM(2023)0298),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 February 2021 entitled ‘Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan’ (COM(2021)0044),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 28 June 2021 on the EU strategic framework on health and safety at work (2021-2027) (COM(2021)0323),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 September 2022 on the European care strategy (COM(2022)0440),

– having regard to the joint communication from the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 26 March 2025 on the European Preparedness Union Strategy (JOIN(2025)0130),

– having regard to its resolution of 16 February 2022 on strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer - towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 June 2022 on mental health in the digital world of work,

– having regard to its resolution of 12 July 2023 on the COVID19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future,

– having regard to its resolution of 12 December 2023 on mental health,

– having regard to the 2022 Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care,

– having regard to the opinion of the expert panel on effective ways of investing in health on supporting mental health of health workforce and other essential workers of 23 June 2021,

– having regard to the State of the Union address of 10 September 2025 by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen,

– having regard to the Council conclusions on the Future of the European Health Union: A Europe that cares, prepares and protects, adopted on 21 June 2024,

– having regard to the own-initiative opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 21 September 2022 entitled ‘Health Workforce and Care Strategy for the future of Europe’,

– having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 14 May 2025 entitled ‘Healthcare workforce: regional challenges and solutions’,

– having regard to the EU social partners’ joint policy orientation of 13 June 2025 on creating a resilient hospital and health sector after the COVID-19 pandemic and the updated framework of action on recruitment and retention of 2022,

– having regard to special report 10/2024 by the European Court of Auditors of 1 July 2024 entitled ‘The recognition of professional qualifications in the EU’,

– having regard to the report by Enrico Letta, of April 2024, entitled ‘Much more than a market: Speed, security, solidarity – Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens’,

– having regard to the report by Mario Draghi, of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness – A competitiveness strategy for Europe (Part A) and Part B – In-depth analysis and recommendations’ (Draghi report),

– having regard to the report of the Secretariat-General of the Council of the European Union of 2022 entitled ‘The Conference on the Future of Europe: Report on the final outcome’,

– having regard to Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the UN resolution entitled ‘Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ (2015),

– having regard to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe publication entitled ‘Report on the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development – rethinking policy priorities in the light of pandemics’ (August 2021),

– having regard to the WHO publication of the WHO of 14 September 2022 entitled ‘Health and care workforce in Europe: time to act’, and of 7 October 2025 entitled ‘Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors survey in the European Union, Iceland and Norway’,

– having regard to the report by the Pan -European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development of September 2021, entitled ‘Drawing light from the pandemic: A new strategy for health and sustainable development – Final report of the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development’,

– having regard to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) report of 7 March 2022, entitled ‘Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work’,

– having regard to the report by Eurofound of 16 August 2023 entitled ‘Social services in Europe: Adapting to a new reality’,

– having regard to the reports by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work of 7 November 2023 entitled ‘OSH in figures in the health and social care sector’, of 15 October 2024 entitled ‘Mental health challenges in the EU health and social care sector during COVID-19: strategies for prevention and management’, of 3 October 2025 entitled ‘Musculoskeletal health and risk factors in the health and social care sector‘ and of 5 March 2024 entitled ‘Digital platform work in the health and social care sector: implications for occupational safety and health’,

– having regard to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) research review entitled ‘A review of good workplace practices to support individuals experiencing mental health problems’,

– having regard to the report by the European Labour Authority of 27 June 2025 entitled ‘EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2024,

– having regard to the report by Sauli Niinistö, Special Adviser to the President of the Commission, of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘Safer Together – Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness’ (Niinistö report),

– having regard to the WHO Bucharest Declaration on the health and care workforce of 22-23 March 2023,

– having regard to the briefing requested by its Committee on Public Health entitled ‘The health workforce crisis in the European Union’ (September 2025),

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Public Health under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Public Health (A10-0168/2026),

A. whereas the healthcare workforce refers to the WHO definition acknowledging all personnel involved in the healthcare sector, including health professionals, health associate professionals, personal care workers in health services, health management and support personnel, and other health service providers not elsewhere classified;

B. whereas, in line with Principle 16 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, everyone should be able to exercise the right to timely access to affordable, preventive and curative healthcare of good quality; whereas health and care labour supply functions as a strategic public good;