Direktivet fastlægger følgende principper. Patienter kan uden forhåndstilladelse modtage alle sundhedsydelser bortset fra hospitalsbehandling, som de har ret til i deres egen medlemsstat, og få godtgjort udgifter i den størrelsesorden, som deres nationale ordning giver ret til.
The directive stipulates the following principles: patients will be able to receive the non-hospital healthcare to which they are entitled in their own Member State in another Member State without prior approval and have their treatment costs reimbursed up to the ceiling established by their own healthcare system.