European doctors call on EU Return Regulation to safeguard medical ethics and fundamental right to healthcare

As negotiations on the proposed Regulation continue, CPME calls on EU institutions and Member States to ensure that the final text fully safeguards medical ethics, professional independence, and the fundamental right to healthcare for all.

CPME underlines that healthcare professionals must not be placed under obligations incompatible with their ethical and deontological duties, including participation in immigration enforcement activities or restrictions on access to care for undocumented persons, refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons.

CPME President Dr Ole Johan Bakke underlined: “Doctors cannot be placed in situations where immigration enforcement obligations conflict with their professional and ethical duties towards patients. Healthcare settings must never become spaces for immigration enforcement. EU law must unconditionally respect the principle of medical neutrality. Every person is entitled to healthcare without discrimination. Access to healthcare and medical confidentiality must be safeguarded for everyone, regardless of administrative status.”

In March, CPME, together with a broad coalition of health and civil society organisations, CPME supported the joint open letter “Care without Fear: health workers reject the EU Deportation Regulation (“Return Regulation”)”, led by Médecins du Monde, which raised concerns regarding the impact of the proposed Regulation on medical neutrality and access to healthcare.