The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 Deccember 2009, broadens the EU’s remit  in the area of public health policies while still respecting national government’s ultimate authority  to legislate in this area. Article 168, in particular,  strengthens cooperation and coordination between Member States in the field of health. It encourages EU countries to establish guidelines, share best practices, set benchmarks and prepare the necessary elements for periodic monitoring and evaluation. 

Finally, the Lisbon Treaty makes the Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding on those Member States that have not opted-out from it, including the UK, Poland and the Czech Republic. This implies that the right to preventive health care and to medical treatment is from now on clearly recognised as a fundamental right of EU citizens, albeit only under the conditions established by national laws and practices.