INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

The Europe-wide shortage of white staff and the issue of strengthening the position of European farmers in food supply chains were the main topics of a meeting of the Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) in Brussels today (4 March). The meeting is chaired by Marshal Piotr Całbecki.

According to estimates by EU institutions, there is currently a shortage of nearly 1.5 million doctors, nurses and midwives in EU countries, mainly in rural areas and in places far from major centres. In addition, a significant proportion of staff are in their 50s and 60 per cent of nurses and 40 per cent of doctors say they are overworked. The Committee of the Regions (CoR) is dealing with this problem on its own initiative, NAT is the relevant committee, which has drafted the opinion adopted at today’s meeting.

The document stresses that the mechanism of the medical card deficit has many origins, and that ways of dealing with it must be tailored to local circumstances and tailored to fit. Among the demands were a greater emphasis on prevention, a greater role and responsibility for GPs and primary care as a relief from the burden on hospitals, community care as an alternative to institutional care, relieving medics of administrative duties, the use of telemedicine and remote consultations in patient-medic contacts and artificial intelligence in data sharing, and opening up to medical professionals from outside the EU.

Opening the debate, Marshal Piotr Całbecki stressed that universal health care must remain a priority for the EU, Member States and regions. Birgitta Sacrédeus, rapporteur for the opinion, stated openly that health care was simply under threat in many areas and that the problem would not be solved simply by accepting the employment of medics ‘from third countries’. NAT approved the draft, voting at the Committee of the Regions’ plenary session in mid-May.

The subject of eliminating unfair practices in the food supply has been on the European Commission’s agenda in response to the recent farmers’ protests and the debate on the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy launched by the CoR, among others. Here, the NAT opinion was prepared as a position paper on a draft regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, which should curb unfair practices mainly by food brokers. The CoR will also vote on this draft opinion in May.

Marshal Piotr Całbecki, who made his debut as NAT chairman today, also presented the committee’s annual work programme. Priorities include the future of European agriculture and food security, rural policy, the bioeconomy, mechanisms for building resilience to crises and natural disasters, sustainable tourism and consumer protection.

Beata Krzemińska

Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office

4 March 2025.