Abstract
The European Union has, as one of its core values, the central ideal of equality and a strong way to measure success in this goal is through the well-being of all citizens. As part of that well-being, one key aspect is health. Politicians will tell you that, if you ask any citizen, health and healthcare will be high on the agenda - and as we live longer that will become more the case, rather than less. In the area of health much progress is being made scientifically, with breakthroughs in, for example, the way we can diagnose and treat rare diseases. New technologies are developing swiftly and coming more-and-more to the fore, while the potential value of Big Data cannot be underestimated. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders in the realm of healthcare - and especially the policymakers and legislators - to ensure that every citizen of Europe has the same rights and access to the same high quality care as his neighbour.