With a birth rate below the EU average, Greece is effectively classified as an ageing country up to 2050 at least.

A large part of its annual healthcare budget of around EUR 10 billion is being spent on those over the age of 65.

Non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and bone fragility, resulting in poor health, deteriorating quality of life and premature death in the EU, come with a significant social and financial cost, the latter exceeding EUR 115 billion annually.

In Greece, the lion’s share of the health budget is being channelled into inpatient care and pharmacotherapy, with little being spent on prevention.

However, numerous studies have highlighted the importance of physical activity in the prevention and ancillary treatment of all the above diseases, concluding that exercise is indeed one of the most effective and inexpensive means of treatment.

In view of this:

1. Does the Commission plan to encourage prescribed physical exercise for the purposes of improving public health and reducing healthcare costs?

2. Does it consider that it would be beneficial to introduce European framework provisions setting out clearly defined active ageing and disease-prevention methods and programmes focusing on exercise, with suitable training being provided for the doctors, health professionals and physical education instructors involved, while mobilising civil society support?

Joint answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission here.