About the Initiative
European citizens and healthcare systems are facing a perfect storm of ageing populations, growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and the geopolitical and energy crisis on the heels of the most severe pandemic in a century. They are also living in a new era of innovation and rapidly advancing science that, from genomics to data analytics, is pushing the boundaries for better health.
The EU Health Coalition is a multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated to driving change for a healthier Europe. We believe in a Europe where health and care systems are centred on people and patients.
We ask for health and life sciences to be recognized as a 3rd strategic pillar for the future of Europe. Because at stake are Europeans’ health and wellbeing, and the continent’s ability to stay at the forefront of science and research to unlock that healthier future.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Health is fundamental to the wellbeing of individuals and families, and to our societies, economies and security. Well-performing health systems, a resilient health workforce and a strong footprint in research and innovation for life sciences are key for Europe to remain prosperous and competitive in a turbulent world.
Why we need the EU Health Coalition
Europe’s competitiveness and strength should come from a solid strategy that respects citizens’ rights to high-quality healthcare and research, especially safeguarding vulnerable groups such as children and young people with rare diseases.
Begonya Nafria Escalera
Head of Patient Engagement in Research, Sant Joan de Déu Children's Hospital
As a non-profit organisation enhancing patient involvement in medicines R&D through education, we are aligned with the Coalition’s goal to raise health high on the EU political agenda.
Maria Dutarte
Executive Director, EUPATI
Collaborating across the health community is key to achieving a healthier future. Together, we can do more for patients and health systems in Europe.
Oliver Bisazza
CEO, MedTech Europe
As the chair of ENHA, I am thrilled for us to join the EU Health Coalition. This partnership will strengthen our efforts to improve nutrition and health across Europe. Together, we can ensure these areas remain key focuses in EU policies.
Olle Ljungqvist
Chair, ENHA
We look forward to contributing our health data expertise to guide health policies that enable better health and care for all.
Dipak Kalra
President, The European Institute for Innovation through Health Data (i~HD)
Being part of the EU Health Coalition means broadening its possibility of advocating for better healthcare. We are convinced that our collaboration can improve patient care.
Marko Korenjak
President, ELPA
IFIC brings evidence to policy making and practice for care integration that leads in turn to a healthier population across Europe. We look forward to sharing this with our EU Health Coalition partners.
Dr Niamh Lennox-Chhugani
Chief Executive, International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC)
The Coalition’s mission to promote better health through cooperation aligns with our values and goals. We believe that by working together, we can make great impact on public health in Europe.
Luciano Potena
ESOT President
The EAEP is keen to collaborate with the healthcare community to contribute to discussions on how to guarantee the safe and reliable supply of and access to medicines, as well as better health and well-being for Europeans, through digital solutions
Walter Hess
EAEP President
This is an important chance for the multi stakeholders to show real collaboration to benefit people, patients and European healthcare.
Bleddyn Rees
Deputy Chair, ECHAlliance
All together we must support the reduction of inequalities in health, especially in terms of access to high quality treatments for everyone in all the Member States, protecting patients’ rights and strengthening again our common identity.
Mariano Votta
Director, Active Citizenship Network
Collaboration creates strength and depth, focus produces results, provided there is disciplined process to maintain momentum and staying power.
Brian O’Connor
Chair, ECHAlliance
Collaboration through the European Reference Networks has been instrumental for research in rare diseases, improving outcomes for patients. Let’s build on that success to ensure that ERNs benefit to health research as a whole.
Alexander Natz
Secretary General, EUCOPE
For a healthier future, collaboration and partnership will be key. We look forward to working with the research and healthcare community to find a shared vision of health and seek opportunities to do more for patients across Europe.
Nathalie Moll
Director General, EFPIA
We must partner to ensure continued EU health action, leading to equitable access to good quality healthcare for all EU citizens.
Joke Jaarsma
President, European Federation of Neurological Associations
Regional and local authorities have a vital supportive role to play in collaboration with the civil society, academia, the industry, and the EU institutions in achieving the overarching objective of improving health for all European citizens.
Nick Batey
Chair, EUREGHA
European cooperation is vital for improving the quality of care, to the benefit of patients and society at large. Maintaining a strong role for the EU in shaping health and research policies is paramount for ensuring access to quality care in Europe.
Frédéric Destrebecq
Executive Director, European Brain Council
We should ensure health research is top priority in Europe. We need to walk the talk and implement structural measures that strengthen and increase the coherence and visibility of European health research.
Wilfried Ellmeier
President-Elect, BioMed Alliance
Health is wealth! Having access to effective and high quality services is important for all! That’s why health must have a prominent position in the political agenda! Health matters!
Ilaria Giannico
Secretary General, European Union of Private Hospitals
News & Events
newsEU Health Coalition response to the European Commission’s proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
31.07.2025The EU Health Coalition, representing 55 organisations from across Europe’s health and life sciences community, takes note of the European Commission’s proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MF...
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newsEU Health Coalition welcomes Life Sciences Strategy, Calls for Bold Implementation
07.07.2025The EU Health Coalition, representing 55 organisations from across Europe’s health and life sciences community, welcomes the adoption of the European Commission’s “Choose Europe for Life Scienc...
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newsBetter health, stronger Europe: A Strategy for Life Sciences
17.04.2025Our submission on the call for evidence on the new Strategy for European Life Sciences can be found here.
The EU Health Coalition — representing 55 patient and healthcare organisations, trade assoc...
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newsHealth and the life sciences sector must be a strategic pillar of the next EU long-term budget
13.02.2025For Europe to remain relevant and competitive in a turbulent world, it needs to invest in the wellbeing of its citizens. Making health and the life sciences sector a central pillar of the next Multi-A...
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newsReshaping health for a stronger Europe
28.01.2025As a broad Coalition whose membership spans all 27 EU countries and all areas of the health and life sciences sector, we are proposing five actions that can help Europe leverage health to achieve its...
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eventEU Health Summit 2025: Reshaping health for a stronger Europe
28.01.2025Sparks, Rue Ravenstein 60, 1000 Brussels
Healthy populations are essential for Europe to achieve its vision of a secure, competitive, and prosperous continent. Yet, European health systems are navigating a perfect storm: ageing populatio...
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newsEvent report: Digitally-enabled healthcare: Is our ecosystem on track?
13.05.2024On 7 March 2024, the EU Health Coalition organised an event to discuss the current state of digital transformation within healthcare systems and address the fundamental challenges that hinder the acce...
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newsSpending on health is an investment in the future: some examples
25.03.2024Screening
Source: Innovation for Sustainable Cancer Care
Source: Tackling inequalities in cancer care in the European Union
Source: The Life Savers: The value of medical and digital...
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newsInvesting in Health – A Call to Action for EU Finance and Economy Ministers
12.03.2024We, the members of the EU Health Coalition – a multi-stakeholder initiative representing 49 organisations from across the healthcare sector – call on the EU Finance and Economy Ministers meeting i...
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eventDigitally-enabled healthcare: Is our ecosystem on track?
07.03.2024Brussels and online
We are delighted to invite you to the hybrid event "Digitally-enabled healthcare: Is our ecosystem on track?", taking place on 7 March 2024 at the Thon Hotel EU, at Rue de la Loi 75. ...
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newsInvesting in Health – A Call to Action
17.01.2024We, the members of the EU Health Coalition – a multi-stakeholder initiative representing 49 organisations from across the healthcare sector – call on the health ministers of OECD countries meeting...
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newsOur Manifesto for a Healthier Europe
05.07.2023The time is now for health and the life science sector to be recognized as a strategic pillar for Europe, complementing and reinforcing the green and digital transitions
On the heels of the most seve...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition proposes EU action to transition towards people- and patient-centred health systems
05.06.2023Following up on one of the key recommendations from the EU Health Summit, the EU Health Coalition proposes to set up an EU4Health project to support Member States in making health systems more people-...
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newsEU Health Summit 2023 event report
23.02.2023On 15 November, at its 3rd EU Health Summit, the EU Health Coalition called on Europe to think big and make health and life sciences a third strategic pillar for delivering a true EU Health Union (EHU...
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eventEU Health Summit 2022: Towards an EU Health Union
15.11.2022Flemish Parliament, Brussels
The EU Health Coalition is delighted to invite you to its 3rd EU Health Summit to map the future of the European Health Union.
The event will build on the stark lessons learned from COVID-19 an...
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newsHealth and life sciences to be recognised as the third strategic pillar for Europe for a true EU Health Union
14.11.2022Today the EU Health Coalition has published a vision for European health, supported by a set of concrete recommendations and policy proposals designed to make it happen. The Coalition is a multi-stake...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for ENVI to be given shared competence on the European Health Data Space file
18.07.2022The EU Health Coalition welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) as an important step towards a more patient-centric, harmonised, interop...
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newsMaximise EHDS impact on better health data sharing: Event flash report and key messages from stakeholders
20.06.2022The EU Health Coalition, with the support of BioMed Alliance, EAU, EFPIA and COCIR organised a hybrid workshop with stakeholders and policy makers on 18 May to 'Maximise EHDS impact on better health d...
Read moreeventMaximise EHDS impact on better health data sharing
18.05.2022European Health Coalition Hybrid Workshop on the new European Health Data Space Proposal
18 May 2022 | Hybrid event at Rue de l’Industrie 24, 1040 Brussels & Online
European Health Data Spac...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls on the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union to work towards the establishment of a Forum for Better Access to Health Innovation
05.03.2021The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of collaboration between European policymakers, Member States, and all other actors across the health community in ensuring our healthcare systems wor...
Read morenewsEU Health Summit report
09.12.2020The second edition of the EU Health Summit “Time for Action” (26 October 2020) sought to put forward an action plan to implement 10 recommendations jointly developed by the 33 EU Health Coalition...
Read morenewsEU Health Summit 2020 videos
04.11.2020On 26 October, we hosted the second EU Health Summit and we presented our 10 recommendations for a healthier Europe. If you missed the event, you can watch it now!
...
Read moreeventEU Health Summit 2020: Time for Action
26.10.2020Online
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of cooperation between all sectors and actors to ensure our healthcare systems can function to their best ability in saving human lives.
In 2018, 3...
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newsA shared vision for the future of health in Europe - Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic
21.10.2020The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the present, underlying challenges of healthcare systems throughout Europe. At the same time, it has highlighted the destructive effect that serious publi...
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newsIt is time to invest in Europe as a true research and innovation hub: EU Health Coalition statement on adopting a future-oriented Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021 – 2027
17.09.2020The EU Health Coalition welcomes President von der Leyen’s proposal for a European Health Union, with a consolidated EU4Health programme, stronger health institutions and a new European agency for b...
Read morenewsEU4Health and Horizon Europe budget cuts are a missed opportunity for innovation, research, resilient health systems and healthy citizens
24.07.2020The EU Health Coalition very much regrets the outcome of the European Council where health, research and innovation have been sacrificed in the overall budget negotiations. In May, when the European C...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for a Horizon Europe budget reflective of Europe’s ambition for an innovative and competitive research landscape, warning a budget cut would jeopardise EU health research
16.07.2020There is a long track record of EU health research initiatives that can improve Europe’s ability to face emergencies and enable Member States to respond to health challenges. Health research has led...
Read morenewsEurope should fill the gap and exercise leadership in health research
09.07.2020It is time to coordinate health research efforts across Europe through the implementation of a European Health Research Council
Brussels, 9 July 2020
Dear President von der Leyen,
Dear Commissi...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for an ambitious EU4Health programme for Europe to take the lead in healthcare
15.06.2020COVID-19 has exacerbated many of the existing, underlying problems of healthcare systems. At the same time, it has highlighted the devastating impact that serious public health threats can have on bot...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for Health Ministers to keep a pivotal role in the EU Recovery Instrument negotiations
27.05.2020COVID-19 has shown the devastating impact that serious health threats can have not only on the health and well-being of our citizens, but also on our economies. The current crisis clearly demonstrates...
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newsNeed for more solidarity and coordinated EU action to tackle COVID-19
03.04.2020Europe remains at the epicentre of the COVID-19 crisis. No single European country is immune to the devastating consequences of this virus. Responding to the challenges of the pandemic thus requires a...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for a Horizon Europe budget reflective of Europe’s ambition for an innovative and competitive research landscape, warning a budget cut would jeopardize EU health research
19.02.2020The fresh financial blueprint put forward by European Council President Charles Michel outlines that the funding to research and innovation will amount to €84.013billion. This proposal is in contras...
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eventTowards outcomes-based healthcare in Europe – How can the State of Health in the EU show the way?
04.02.2020Brussels
Following the publication of the Country Health Profiles and Companion Report, this event seeks to explore how the State of Health in the EU can be implemented at national and regional level to addres...
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eventEU Health Coalition New Year's Reception
08.01.2020Today, healthcare systems across Europe are under pressure from an ageing population and an increased prevalence of chronic diseases. Addressing these challenges and ensuring we make the most of the l...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition highlights the need for concrete measures for better health for people in light of the publication of the State of Health in the EU
13.12.2019Introduction
The EU Health Coalition welcomes the publication of the 2019 edition of the State of Health in the EU country profiles and companion report. Assessing and benchmarking health system perf...
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newsA shared vision for the future of health in Europe | Save the date for the 2nd EU Health Summit
28.10.2019As an EU Health Coalition, we strongly believe that the EU has an important role to play in building a healthy future for Europe. Ensuring that all European citizens can live healthier lives must...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls for a strong health dimension in Cohesion policy 2021-2027
11.10.2019With more than 7,000 health-related projects financed through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) in the programming period 2014-2020, cohesion policy demonstrated its crucial contribu...
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newsThe EU Health Coalition calls on the Finnish Presidency, Member States and the European Commission to work together to establish a Forum for Better Access to Health Innovation
20.09.2019Over the last decades, Europe has made huge advances in health. Nowadays, EU citizens can expect to live up to 30 years longer than they did a century ago. Cancer death rates have fallen by 20% ov...
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newsEU Health Coalition calls for a balanced Horizon Europe that fosters both research and innovation and supports cross-fertilisation and collaboration across the framework programme’s pillars and clusters
17.09.2019In light of the open consultation on the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan, the EU Health Coalition welcomes the European Commission’s outline, setting out policy priorities for the upcoming research &a...
Read morenewsEU Health Coalition calls upon the European Council to increase the total Horizon Europe budget to € 120 billion
19.06.2019Ahead of the European Council Meeting (20-21 June), the EU Health Coalition calls upon Member States to adopt a Multiannual Financial Framework as well as a Horizon Europe budget which echo Europe’s ambition for innovation in research.
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newsStronger together for a healthier Europe
06.06.2019As we head towards the European Parliament elections in 2019, healthcare systems and citizens across Europe are facing unprecedented challenges driven by an ageing population, and increased prevalence...
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eventEU Health Summit 2018
29.11.2018Brussels, Belgium
A shared vision for the future of health
We put together a set of recommendations that outline our vision for health in Europe and presented them at the first EU Health Summit in November 2018. Our...
Read moreBlogs
post
11.03.2024
Why European leaders must put health front and centre
A blog by the EU Health Coalition co-chairs, Nathalie Moll, Director General of EFPIA, and Lynne Van Poelgeest-Pomfret, President of the World Federation of Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP...
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post
06.04.2023
Health as an investment: we must rethink how we view health spending (Guest blog)
Guest blog post by Prof. Mauro Marè, Professor of Public Economics University of Tuscia and Luiss Business School
It’s time to change accounting rules to allow a paradigm shift in how we treat cer...
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