Social security: employed persons, self-employed persons, and their families (amend. Regulations (EEC) No 1408/71 and (EEC) No  574/72)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the report drafted by Anne Elisabet JENSEN (ELDR, DK) but rejecting most of the amendments voted by the committee. The principal amendments were as follows: - all insured persons must be entitled to the benefits in kind which become medically necessary during their stay in the territory of another Member State, taking account of the nature of the benefits and the expected length of the stay; - Member States should ensure that appropriate information is provided regarding changes in rights and obligations introduced by the Regulation; - there are special provisions for students and members of their families; - a document issued by the competent institution for entitlement to benefits in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation, in each individual case concerned, will have the same effect with regard to the provider of benefits as national evidence of the entitlements of the persons insured with the institution of the place of stay; - for the purpose of the implementation of the Regulation, the institutions in the Member State of stay must ensure that all care providers are fully aware of the criteria set out in the relevant provisions of Regulation 1408/71/EEC. Parliament stated that direct access to care providers must be guaranteed by 1 July 2004 at the latest. The date of entry into force will be 1 June 2004. The Commissioner DIAMANTOPOULOU informed Parliament that the Commission could accept all the amendments.�