EU Public Health

EU Public Health

Complement national policies by

  • helping them achieve shared objectives
  • generating economies of scale, by pooling resources
  • helping member countries tackle common challenges – such as pandemics, chronic diseases or the impact of increased life expectancy on healthcare systems.

EU health policy

implemented though its Health Strategy  focuses on

  • prevention – especially by promoting healthier lifestyles
  • equal chances of good health and quality healthcare for all (regardless of income, gender, ethnicity, etc.)
  • tackling serious cross-border health treats
  • keeping people healthy into old age
  • new technologies & practices

Health also has implications for economic prosperity - see the policy paper Investing in Health. Specific EU action EU-wide laws & standards for health products and services (e.g. medicines, medical devices and eHealth) and patients (e.g. safety and cross-border health services)

Giving EU countries tools to help them cooperate & identify best practice (e.g. health promotion activities, addressing risk factors, disease management and health systems). Funding for innotive initatives trough the EU Health programme. 

Link

The EU Health Strategy “Together for Health” supports the overall Europe 2020 strategy. Europe 2020 aims to turn the EU into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy promoting growth for all -one prerequisite of which is a population in good health.

Investing in health

As well as being a value in itself, health is a precondition for economic prosperity. Efficient spending on health can promote growth.

Europe needs smart investments in health:

  • spending smarter but not necessarily more in sustainable health systems
  • investing in people s health, particularly through health promotion programmes
  • investing in health coverage as a way of reducing inequalities and tackling social exclusion.

Together for Health

The comprehensive EU strategy Together for healthpdf, adopted in 2007:

  • responds to challenges faced by member countries by strengthening cooperation and coordination across the EU
  • complements national health policies in line with Art. 168 of the Treaty on the functioning of the EUpdf.

An evaluation by the European Commission (2011) found that the strategy acts as a reference for actions taken at national and EU levels and confirmed that the principles and objectives identified in 2007 will remain valid for the next decade in the context of Europe 2020. The EU is required by its founding treaty to ensure that human health is protected as part of all its policies, and to work with the EU countries to improve public health, prevent human illness and eliminate sources of danger to physical and mental health.

Third health program (2014-20)

The third EU health programme is the main instrument the European Commission uses to implement the EU health strategy. It is implemented by means of annual work plans which set out priority areas and the criteria for funding actions under the programme. The total budget for the programme is 449.4 million.

The programme has 4 overarching objectives. It seeks to:

  1. Promote health, prevent diseases and foster supportive environments for healthy lifestyles taking into account the ‘health in all policies’ principle 
  2. Protect Union citizens from serious cross-border health threats
  3. Contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems,
  4. Facilitate access to better and safer healthcare for Union citizens.

EU Health Institutions and bodies

European Parliament

Committee on the environment, public health and food safety

EU Council

Employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs

European Commission

Health and food safety

European Economic and Social Committee

Employment, social affairs and citizenship section

Committee of the Regions

Commission for natural resources (NAT)

EU Agencies


Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (Chafea)

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound)

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (OSHA)

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)