The State of Health in the EU

Working together with healthcare professionals is imperative in order to both define and implement a comprehensive and sustainable European Health Union which is fit for the future. Future medicine should be characterised by the four 'Ps': it should be personalised, preventive, predictable and participatory.

In this context and looking ahead to the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament and the appointment of a new European Commission, it is imperative that national and European political leaders listen to the demands of citizens for sustainable, accessible and well-functioning European healthcare systems. The 'Right to Health', which was prioritised by citizens at the Conference on the Future of Europe, remains a high priority for the electorate, who want to see tangible improvements to the quality of their daily lives. Without doubt, an ambitious European Health, Care and Medicines Strategy over the next five years, would stimulate European research and innovation, digitalisation, employment, social services and competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, the Civil Society Organisations' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will organise a conference entitled 'The State of Health in Europe' in partnership with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège and the HĂ´pital de la Citadelle. The conference will be held in the framework of the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU on 4 June, from 09.00 to 16.30 CEST, at the Théâtre de Liège in Liège.

The aim of the conference is to reach an understanding of the challenges at European level and to discuss a number of fundamental aspects for a strengthened European Health Union for the coming 2024-2029 period. To this end, the conference will focus of the following four topics:

  • The commitment to One Health;
  • Digital innovations and their impact on health;
  • The role of social investments in sustainable health systems;
  • The global fight against health inadequacies through the prism of European solidarity: the example of rare diseases.

For more information, please consult the draft programme.

This event is an in-person conference that will be live streamed on our website. For in-person participation, please register by 28 May 2024 at: Event Management (europa.eu)

For further information, please write to: HealthEurope(at)eesc.europa(dot)eu