EU health data regulation could cost Norwegian municipalities up to 1.6 billion NOK

The European Union’s new European Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation is projected to impose significant costs on Norwegian municipalities. A report by Menon Economics, commissioned by KS, estimates that the municipal sector could face costs between 656 million and 1.6 billion NOK through 2029 during the initial phase.

For Norway as a whole, total costs could reach up to 3.3 billion NOK by 2029. The implementation requires municipalities to manage new responsibilities as health data holders, necessitating more structured documentation, adjustments to professional systems, staff training, and altered work processes.

While KS supports the regulation for its potential to improve cross-border health and care coordination and facilitate medical research, officials expressed concern regarding the economic and administrative burden on already strained local governments. Kristin Weidemann Wieland of KS advised that municipalities should begin systematic work on their journal systems and competency building immediately to avoid even higher future costs.