28.1.84 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC21/7 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Draft Council recommendation concerning the adoption of a European emergency health 
card 
COM(83) 750 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 21 December 1983) 
(84/C 21/05) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Trerty establishing the 
European Economic Community, 
Having regard to the draft recommendation 
submitted by the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the, European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas on 13 October 1981 the European Parlia­
ment adopted a resolution (*) recommending, in view 
in particular of the increased mobility of European 
citizens, the creation of a European emergency health 
card for persons whose health is particularly at risk; 
Whereas the experiments which have been carried out 
for several years in some Member States have shown 
that the carrying of an emergency health card by such 
persons tends to speed up the emergency provision of 
appropriate medical treatment, irrespective of the 
place in which such treatment has to be given; 
Whereas such cards have for the above reasons been 
favourably received both by the members of the 
public in those Member States and by medical 
personnel, in particular in hospitals; 
Whereas the introduction of a European emergency 
health card is further justified by the savings in 
expenditure on health care which it is likely to 
achieve by making unnecessary various medical or 
paramedical examinations intended to provide the 
medical practitioner who is to give emergency 
treatment with certain preliminary medical data about 
the patient; 
Whereas, in view of the acknowledged right of all 
persons that confidential medical information should 
(') OJ No C 287, 9. 11. 1981, p. 33. not be divulged without their consent, the European 
emergency health card should be optional and should 
be issued by doctors only on request to their patients, 
in particular those suffering from a serious chronic 
illness which could require emergency treatment, 
HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES, 
make it possible, by any appropriate legislative means, 
for any person resident in their territories, and in 
particular those suffering from a serious or chronic 
illness which could require urgent treatment during 
travel, to carry an emergency health card with the 
following characteristics: 
1. The European emergency health card should be 
issued and signed by the doctor treating the person 
concerned, at the latter's request, and should give 
all medical information necessary for appropriate 
emergency treatment of the patient. 
2. The European emergency health card should be 
modelled on the specimen annexed hereto and 
should be multilingual (i.e. drawn up in the official 
language of the holder's country of residence and 
in three other official Community languages, 
preferably English, German and French); it 
should, where this applies, specify the hospital 
which has a medical file on the holder, and the 
number of that file. 
3. The European emergency health card should 
include a reminder advising the holder to have the 
document brought up to date periodically by his 
doctor. 
HEREBY INVITES MEMBER STATES, 
— to encourage medical circles and the persons 
concerned, by all appropriate means, to make 
extensive use of the European emergency health 
card; 
— to report to the Commission every two years on 
the action taken pursuant to this recommendation. 
No C 21/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 1. 84 
ANNEX 
EUROPEAN EMERGENCY HEALTH CARD 
Specimen recommended by the Commission of the European Communities (') 
Official language of the issuing country 
For information of physician only 
Name, first name ('): 
Date of birth ('): 
Residence (*): 
Religion (optional): 
Number of identity card or passport ('): 
Social security number: 
photo 
In an emergency please inform ('): 
Name ('): 
Address (l): 
Telephone No, including area code ('): 
28. 1. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 21/9 
Page 3 
Blood group and rhesus factor (*) 
ABO Rh-pos (D +)/Rh-neg (D-) (') 
(*) Write in full 'Rh-positive' or 'Rh-negative'. 
Rh formula: 
Antibodies ('): 
Date 0): 
Signature of physician 
Stamp of physician (1): 
Transfusion of blood/blood derivatives (*) 
Date: blood: 
dose: derivative: 
dose: Signature and stamp 
of physician 
(*) Specify blood group or derivative: 
(*) Complications: 
No C 21/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 1. 84 
Page 5 
Tetanus immunization (active or passive) (') 
Date ('): Dose of vaccine and/or 
serum: Signature and stamp 
of physician 
Serum injections (') 
Date: Type Origin Doses 
(Diphteria, etc.): (horse, bovine): E (*) Signature and stamp 
ml: of physician 
(») E = unit. 
Page 6 
Medical comments on factors of risk (') 
Please mark and explain as appropriate (*) 
• • • • • • 
D • • • 
D • allergies/incompatibilities (*) 
diabetes 
attacks or nervous disease 
previous serious operations 
chronic organic diseases 
previous myocardial infarction 
heart-pacemaker 
dialytic treatment 
haemophilia 
glaucoma 
transplantations 
other medical factors of risk 
28.1.84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 21/11 
Page 7 
Additional medical comments on factors of risk (*) 
(*) Reference number of hospital medical file (if applicable). 
Page 8 
Medical long-term therapy (*) 
In cases of long-term therapy please indicate medicine and dose (*) 
(*) WHO identification of medicine. 
Signature of bearer (*): 
(') NB: The bearer is aware of the limitations of this document and of the need to bring it up to 
date at regular intervals.