Investment in health - in human capital - is a clear prerequisite for the new EU members and the EU in order to meet the requirements for accession. The EU has the means and mechanisms to simultaneously make a major impact on the quality of human capital formation within the newly- admitted countries and protect the interests of the Union's existing citizens. The key constraints appear to be the willingness of the new member states to regard resources committed to health as investment in the future of their people and the willingness of the EU to give the same amount of attention to the protection of human health in other policies as it shows toward the protection of the environment.