On March 26, 2025, the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance convened a pivotal event at the European Parliament, focusing on the advancement of the European Health Union. The discussion centered on integrating health priorities into the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), highlighting the necessity for robust healthcare systems across Europe.
Key Priorities Highlighted by MEPs
MEPs Tilly Metz, Stine Bosse, Vytenis Andriukaitis, and András Tivadar Kulja emphasized that public health must secure a central role within the next MFF. They underscored critical areas such as addressing shortages in the healthcare workforce, combating non-communicable diseases, ensuring a stable medicine supply, and enhancing the EU’s emergency response capabilities. The panelists advocated for EU self-sufficiency in healthcare to mitigate vulnerabilities exposed by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strategic Funding and Civil Society Engagement
The panel, moderated by Milka Sokolović and Anca Toma, featured experts Irene Norstedt, Michele Calabrò, Marleen Kestens, and Marleen Bekker, who collectively called for increased funding in research and direct support for citizen-led initiatives. They also highlighted the importance of redistributive welfare policies and the integration of digital education to strengthen the health infrastructure. Ensuring continuous funding for civil society organizations emerged as a crucial factor for the successful implementation of the European Health Union.
- Enhanced funding mechanisms are essential for addressing healthcare workforce shortages.
- Investment in non-communicable disease research can reduce long-term healthcare costs.
- Ensuring medicine supply chain resilience is critical for future emergencies.
- Digital education initiatives can bridge gaps in healthcare service delivery.
The discussions reaffirmed the Alliance’s position that health should become a foundational element of the EU budget. They also called for stable and sustainable funding streams to support health-related non-profit organizations and urged the inclusion of civil society voices from the outset to achieve the desired health outcomes in the forthcoming MFF.
The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance’s statement on March 13 further highlighted concerns regarding the future of health civil society organizations amidst limited transparency in the EU4Health work programme 2025. This underscores the ongoing need for inclusive and transparent policymaking processes to ensure that health initiatives meet the needs of European citizens effectively.
Ensuring a resilient and self-sufficient healthcare system within the EU not only prepares member states for future health crises but also promotes equitable access to healthcare services across the region. Continuous engagement with civil society and sustained financial support are imperative for the long-term success of the European Health Union.
Advancing the Health Union requires a multifaceted approach that balances immediate healthcare needs with long-term strategic planning. By prioritizing health in the MFF and fostering collaboration between policymakers and civil society, the EU can build a more robust and responsive healthcare framework that safeguards the well-being of its citizens now and in the future.
This article has been prepared with the assistance of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author.
