The Department is the Competent Institution for the United Kingdom matters with the European Union for implementing Regulations 1408/71 and 572/72 in the UK. Under the terms of these regulation reimbursements are settled for the whole UK rather than the constituent parts.
The following table shows, in resource terms, the estimated costs of treatment provided by the national health service for persons insured in other European Economic Area (EEA) member states under the terms of Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72, which the UK would reclaim from the states concerned. These are estimated claims in accordance with existing arrangements under Regulation 574/72. During 2005-06 the UK charged £56.7 million for the treatment provided up to March 2006 by the NHS.
Estimated claims against other EEA member states 2005-06:
Country 2005-06 Austria 474 Belgium 2,182 France 3,312 Germany 16 Greece 807 Iceland 9 Ireland 20,742 Italy 4,034 Netherlands 1,699 Portugal 3 Spain 815 Sweden 773 Notes: 1. The information is compiled in line with the requirements of “Government Accounting 2000” and National Audit Office (NAO) and used for Resource Accounting and Budging (RAB) purpose during 2005-06. 2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. Claims against new member states would be included in future years. 4. We have a waiver arrangements with a number of member states which means they have agreed to bear the costs of each other insured persons.