EFA

Join EFA at the European Parliament on 10 June for “Indoor Air Quality and Children: The Needed Leap Forward”, hosted by MEP Aurelijus Veryga (ECR). Organised in the context of the SynAir-G project and the wider IDEAL Cluster, the event will bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient organisations, education stakeholders, local authorities and young people to discuss why indoor air quality in schools needs stronger action. The discussion will put spotlight on children as a particularly vulnerable group, present recommendations and guidelines on indoor air quality in schools, and help drive policy action at EU, national and local level.

WHEN: 10 June 2026, 12.30 - 15:00 CET. Please register before 29 May to allow time for European Parliament accreditation.

WHERE: in person at the European Parliament in Brussels and online via Zoom

Register here

EFA and SynAir-G are excited to invite you to the third hybrid workshop in the SynAir-G series. Join Episode 3, Smart Synergies for Action: Connecting Data, Patients and Policy on Indoor Air Quality!

The series aims to present and discuss the latest achievements of the SynAir-G project, while highlighting the importance of indoor air quality in schools, its impact on children’s wellbeing and learning, and its potential applications in research and development. In this third episode, we will explore the role of data in shaping health and policy. Starting with an introduction to the SynAir-G Data Map, the session will present data on clinical studies, pollutants and allergens collected throughout the project, and highlight how real-world data can drive the shift from reactive to preventive care and influence policy making.

WHEN: Monday, 8^th June 2026, 14:00 - 16:00 CET

WHERE: In Brussels (Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi 155) & Online (Zoom)

Register here! 

We are pleased to invite you to the 2026 EFA Annual General Meeting and Community Meeting, taking place from 23-24 March 2026 in Malta.

This year, we are excited to collaborate with our Maltese member organisation, Malta Eczema Society. The programme is developed with our Community Committee dedicated to this event. The AGM business session will be available in a hybrid format for those who cannot or prefer not to travel. We look forward to seeing you in Malta!

When: 23 March – 24 March 2026

Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, St Julian's 3391, Malta

How: Register here

Important! This is a closed event for EFA Community of members. 

EFA will launch the new Europe-wide advocacy campaign “Atopic Eczema: #BreakTheInvisibleBurden” on 13 January 2026 from 12:30 to 15:00 at the European Parliament (JOZSEF ANTALL Floor 3 JAN Q3 Area and Room 6Q1) in Brussels, Belgium. 

Atopic eczema is one of the most prevalent skin diseases in the world and one of the most under-recognised chronic diseases. It is often dismissed as “just a skin condition or rash”, but it’s a lot more. Understanding and recognising the unseen, multi-dimensional burden is critical to implement concrete actions towards better care, disease management, and quality of life for patients. 

The launch of the campaign will come together with the Atopical Lives Exhibition, an immersive experience in the universe of atopic eczema patients, where visitors will discover the unknown, intimate aspects of living with atopic eczema through photography, videos and in-person patient testimonials. 

The campaign launch will be followed by an interactive, cross-party policy discussion where Members of the European Parliament, patients, and healthcare professionals from across Europe will bring forward actionable policy priorities to turn the recently adopted WHA Resolution on skin diseases as a global public health priority into action at European and national level.    

When: 13 January 2026, 12:30 - 15h00 

Where: European Parliament (JOZSEF ANTALL Floor 3 JAN Q3 Area and Room 6Q1), Brussels, Belgium.

How: register here

EFA, together with Europe’s leading respiratory patient organisations, launches the European Respiratory Patient Academy in Prague, 13–16 November 2025.

Over four days, 45 patient advocates from across Europe will take part in interactive sessions designed to strengthen leadership, advocacy, and collaboration in respiratory health. The programme will explore how patient experience can shape research, influence policy, and improve access to care.

Led by EFA and co-developed with the Steering Committee of patient organisations: Alpha-1 Europe Alliance, Cystic Fibrosis Europe, European Pulmonary Fibrosis Federation, Lung Cancer Europe, Pulmonary Hypertension Association Europe and TB Europe Coalition.

When: 13–16 November 2025

Where: Barceló Occidental Praha, Prague, Czech Republic

Important! This is a closed training event for members of the Steering Committee patient organisations.

EFA, on behalf of the European Lung Health Group, invites you to the patient-led session ''Breathing Together for Change” at the European Health Forum Gastein.

Respiratory diseases affect over 82 million Europeans and remain a leading cause of death. The session will explore how prevention, early diagnosis, health literacy, and multidisciplinary care can strengthen lung health across the life-course.

Meet the speakers: Susanna Palkonen (EFA), José Luis Castro (WHO), Zsuzsanna Miklós (National Korányi Institute for Pulmonology), Cornel Radu-Loghin (ENSP), Thomas Allvin (EFPIA) | Moderator: Frazer Goodwin (EFA)

Free lung function testing will also be offered on site by Gundula Koblmiller, (EFA Austrian Member, Lungenunion) and Sven Verschraegen (University Hospital Ghent).

When: Wednesday, 1 October 2025, 18:15–19:30

Where: Conference Centre, EHFG 2025, Gastein & online

How: register here to attend online

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) is pleased to invite you to the “Raising the standards of care for COPD in Europe” event, taking place on 5 February 2025 at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Following the publication of the 2024 report “Raising the bar for better standards of care for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease”, this event will be an opportunity to reflect on the progress and challenges in COPD care and prevention. There will be a discussion on how to place COPD at the forefront of health agendas, to effectively address it as a crucial healthcare and sustainability issue.

We look forward to seeing you in Brussels!

When: 5 February 2025, 13:30 - 15:30 PM

Where: European Parliament, Room Room Spaak (PHS) 4B1, Brussels, Belgium

More information and registration here 

List of speakers here

We are pleased to invite you to the 2025 EFA Annual General Meeting and Community Meeting, taking place from 24-26 March 2025 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

This year, we are excited to collaborate with our Slovenian member organisation, Društvo Atopijski Dermatitis. The programme has been developed with the new Community Meeting Committee dedicated to this event. The AGM business session will be available in a hybrid format for those who cannot or prefer not to travel.

• Discover more about the event and practical information
• EFA Community programme
• Register here

We look forward to seeing you in Ljubljana!

When: 24 March – 26 March 2025

Where: City Hotel Ljubljana, Dalmatinova 15, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

As a partner of the EU Horizon research project SynAir-G, EFA is excited to invite you to the second hybrid workshop of SynAir-G Workshop Series on 7 October 2024.

The workshop series aim to shed light on the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools for children's well-being and safety, as well as possible applications in Research and Development. In the second episode, "Improving Indoor Air Quality: SynAir-G Innovations and Policy Impact", project partners will tackle the challenging task of translating scientific findings into practical applications.The main discussion will focus on the role of EU policies in reducing air pollutants in Europe, the status of IAQ national strategies in Greek schools, and present the preliminary results and innovative methodologies of the SynAir-G project. Learn more about the event here. 

Discover the agenda and register here (in person and online) 

Limited numbers of spots available to attend in person. 

Join our Meet & Greet with the EU training session, taking place online on 23 April 2024.

EFA will host an online Meet & Greet with the EU training on ‘Patient involvement in clinical development: practical implications for meaningful engagement’, aiming at facilitating patients’ access to research and clinical trials as well as providing the EFA Members community with practical knowledge on the new EU guidance on Good Lay Summaries.

Stay tuned to expand your knowledge on patient engagement in research by learning more about the latest trends and practical skills. 

IMPORTANT: The event is reserved for EFA Members, other patient organisations representing those living with respiratory or allergic diseases, EFA European Allergy and Asthma Youth Parliament members.

Register here and download the agenda