Ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February 2024, the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President reaffirm the EU’s strong commitment to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation worldwide: “Female Genital Mutilation is a violation of human rights and a form of violence against girls and women. Let us be […]
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Commission recommends new measures on vaccine-preventable cancers under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
The European Commission is putting forward a Recommendation to support Member States in their efforts to prevent cancer through vaccination. Notably, it focuses on boosting the uptake of two key vaccinations that can prevent viral infections that may lead to cancer: against Human papillomaviruses (HPV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as improving the monitoring of coverage rates. […]
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EU Global Health Strategy: Council approves conclusions
The Council approved conclusions on the ‘EU Global Health Strategy: Better health for all in a changing world’, in which it reaffirms the leading role of the EU and its member states in advancing global health. The Council acknowledges that physical and mental health is a human right and that health is a prerequisite for sustainable development. The Council welcomes the […]
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According to Eurostat, 15% of the EU population has problems with memory and concentration
In 2022, 14.9% of people in the EU reported moderate or severe difficulty with remembering or concentrating. Among the EU countries, the highest shares of people facing difficulties in remembering or concentrating were recorded in Finland (33.6%), Denmark (26.7%), the Netherlands (26.0%), Sweden (25.2%) and Estonia (24.9%). In contrast, the lowest percentages were reported in […]
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Commission opens participation to Critical Medicines Alliance
The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) launched an open call for expression of interest to join the Critical Medicines Alliance. The set up of the Alliance is one of the key actions to prevent and address shortages of critical medicines announced by the Commission in October 2023. The Alliance will bring together all relevant stakeholders, […]
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Reports confirm the European Health Union is better prepared to combat health threats
Health ranks among the top priorities of European citizens according to recent Eurobarometer surveys. Two new reports published show how the EU has responded to the need and demand for more resilient, robust and equitable health systems, which are better prepared for potential crises. Both documents also spotlight areas in which more work is needed. […]
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EU Health Data Space: access to your health data across the EU
The EU wants to enable better access to health data for citizens, health professionals and researchers across borders. In May 2022, the European Commission put forward a proposal on the European Health Data Space, which aims to improve the use of health data for research, innovation and policymaking. At the same time, Europeans should have […]
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European Commission publishes first EU list of essential medicines
The European Commission has published the first Union list of critical medicines, together with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Member States’ Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA). The publication follows the commitment made in the Commission’s Communication on addressing medicine shortages in the EU to accelerate the work on this list, originally announced in the EU’s pharmaceutical […]
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Mental health: member states to take action across multiple levels, sectors and ages
Almost one in two Europeans has experienced an emotional or psychosocial problem in the last year. The recent context of compounded crises (the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the climate crisis, unemployment, and the food and energy price increases) has further worsened the situation, in particular for children and young people. In its conclusions, the Council […]
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