The Maastricht Treaty: setting a health care agenda for Europe.

This paper is intended to promote awareness among the European cancer nursing community of recent developments in the European Union's views on health. The paper outlines the background leading to the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty). The main features of the Treaty are identified and Article 129 of the Treaty on the provisions for public health and prevention of disease is discussed. The implications of the Treaty for health care in general and cancer care in particular are addressed.