HISTORY

In 1967, the general practice associations of the then six Member States of the European Economic Community assembled in Paris to establish the European Union of General Practitioners (UEMO).

With this, general practice achieved a voice throughout the Community and, in time, this would prove the political voice of general practice, both of the European Union and of Europe as a whole. At that time, general medical practice had only begun to emerge as a new central discipline of the profession, and was far from recognised in Europe.

The problems of general practice had only begun to be taken up for serious discussion. Years would pass before a sub-committee on general practice was established in the Standing Committee of European Doctors (C), and when the first directives for mutual recognition of medical credentials were adopted in 1975, no real account was taken of general practice.

It would take another decade before the UEMO struggle to fill the gap would achieve its first major success – in 1986 – with the adoption of the European Directive, guaranteeing a minimum standard of training for general practitioners in Europe.

On the 21st January 2009, UEMO acquired legal personality. The organisation’s Deed of Incorporation as a non-profit under the Belgian Law was signed in Brussels by President Dr. Isabel Caixeiro and UEMO became officially known as L’Union Européenne des Médecins Omnipraticiens / Médecins de Famille, AISBL.

STRATEGY

Our Statutes say that  to achieve its objectives UEMO carries out at least the following activities:

• To determine the common views of the members and represent them through the appropriate channels to the relevant European Authorities
• To work with the other European medical organisations to strengthen professional status and to search for common criteria for the professional practice in Europe.

In order to be effective in its aims, UEMO also needs to be more widely known, both by fellow professionals and by national and European policymakers.

We therefore add to the above listed activities a special effort in communication, through both an enhanced use of media and face to face contacts with key persons in EU institutions.

Beside this, where appropriate, synergy not only with European, but also with national medical organizations will be carried out.