Enrica Ferrari, Roberto Zuffada, Claudio Beretta, Francesco Sicurello
Regione Lombardia, Directorate General of Health

From the 1st June 2004, European citizens who are traveling within the European Economic Area, (i.e. the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland, for private or professional reasons will be given a European Health Insurance Card, which will simplify the procedure when receiving medical assistance during their stay in a Member State. The EHIC will progressively replace the paper E-forms (the E-111 form being the first to be replaced followed by E110, E119, E128). At first stage, as intermediate solution before card electronification, eye-readable card will be distributed to members of the insured population. At second stage, by year 2008, microprocessor smart cards will progressively replace the eye-readable cards with one side for national/regional purpose and the other side for the European usage.