EU denies health policy delay a ‘climbdown’

THE European Union has denied that yesterday’s last-minute postponement of a new policy on healthcare abroad was an “embarrassing climbdown”.

The European Commission’s office in Dublin said that the postponement of the new EU healthcare directive announcement in Brussels was caused by “pressure on the agenda” rather than any late policy shift.

The directive aims to clarify the rules on EU citizens travelling to another EU country for medical treatment because of long delays at home.