"Migrant-friendly hospitals" : a European initiative in an age of increasing mobility

European cities are characterized by increasing numbers of foreign-born and foreign-language speaking inhabitants. The resulting cultural and linguistic diversity presents a number of challenges to health-care services. This paper describes a European initiative aimed at improving hospitals' responses to the health-care needs of migrants and ethnic minorities. We summarise the current health situation of these groups, describe how the EU initiative began and how it led to the Amsterdam declaration, and conclude by outlining current developments.