ThisCharter is an informal non-governmental document and has the status of a recommendation. It was drawn up in 2002 by the Active Citizenship Network together with 12 other organisations from various European countries (e.g. Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain). It is based on the principles of the Declaration on the Promotion of Patients' Rights in Europe, which was adopted by the World Health Organisation(WHO) in 1994. The European Charter of Patients ' Rights lists the principles to which everyone living in the EU is entitled. The rights that can be exercised include the right to prevention, the right of access to medical care, the right to information, the right to consent, the right to safety, and the right to tailored treatment. The document defines standards at the patient-doctor level, but also sets out certain responsibilities for the patient, such as taking care of his or her health and undergoing preventive examinations. The Charter contains a total of 14 rights, the application of which is intended to guarantee a high level of protection for human health. These are fundamental rights and should therefore be respected by all countries belonging to the European Union community.

Taking into account all the differences that arise due to age, gender, status and religious beliefs, and being aware that these can affect individual healthcare needs, the European Charter of Patients' Rights aims to bridge these differences. It allows patients to receive medical care throughout the Union and also entitles them to receive emergency care during a temporary stay in a Member State.

In Poland, there is still insufficient awareness of one's rights in respect of access to free treatment under health insurance. The European Patients' Rights Day aims to raise awareness of this topic among Poles. The establishment of the document is also intended to make patients more active in the health segment and to make them understand that, through their involvement, important and necessary changes can be made in the health sector.