What could be the benefits of EU-level action with regard to organ donation and transplantation?
In 2004, the Council of Europe issued a recommendation for minimum common standards on organ donation across the EU, given the rise in patient mobility and potential for further organ exchange. Among the areas highlighted by the Council of Europe as possibilities for a more coordinated approach were the authorisation of donation and procurement standards, establishments and programmes and the maintenance of donor records. There are large differences between Member States when it comes to quality and safety requirements for organ donation and transplantation, as well as diverse organisational approaches which yield varying results. More cooperation in this field, including the exchange of good practice, could help to raise the overall standard of donation and transplantation across the EU. Collaboration on organ donation and transplantation could be of particular benefit to some of the newer Member States whose health systems have fewer resources and are therefore under more pressure wh
