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Minister Di Bartolomeo, Commissioner Kyprianou and all other participants, who have gathered here today from all over Europe and beyond. I wish you all a very warm welcome to our Conference: Patient Safety - Making it happen.

A basic goal for CPME, Standing Committee European Doctors, is equal access to health care for all European citizens, with the highest possible quality. Safe health care is fundamental for health care quality.

In order to achieve this goal a change of attitude is necessary. A learning culture must be developed. Reporting, sharing and exchanging information and experiences on safety issues are fundamental for success. Openness without blame and shame, preventive measures and teamwork are cornerstones of true patient safety.

Teamwork must be established, that includes not only the health care professionals but also patients, founders, suppliers, politicians and all others, who take part and want to see safe health care for our patients.

Teamwork has also made this conference possible. A conference, that could be the start of a new Pan European view, on what is really needed to create better safety for our patients.

I would like to express my deep thanks to The Luxemburg Presidency and The European Commission, DG SANCO, for taking part in the conference and their generous and important contributions, which have made the meeting at all possible.

I would also like to thank all the co-organising organisations, who have taken it all the way here with there thorough planning. There capable work is well reflected in the variety of excellent speakers we will have the pleasure to listen to during the conference. I would also like to take this opportunity to give them all my sincere thanks for there important participation in the conference.

It is indeed a great pleasure to once more welcome so many participants from almost all member countries of the Union, who all, I am convinced, take an active and responsible part at home in improving health care quality and safety for our patients. I hope this meeting will give you further inspiration in that work.

Finally, I wish us all two successful days with a meeting full of exchange of knowledge and experience, in an open dialogue and a learning atmosphere.

Thank you for your attention.