Since before the summer, EFA together with other health non-for-profit stakeholders at European level, has been calling on the EU to do more on health as a response to the debate around the future of the European Union.
The #EU4Health campaign, led by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), calls on the European Commission to include health as a priority for EU action beyond 2020. It comes after the publication of the European Commission 5 scenarios for the future of the European Union; one of these hypothetical futures worryingly foresaw a vision where the EU will do less on health.
After the letter sent to the European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker signed by 234 European public health organisations, including EFA, a group of 80 Members of the European Parliament issued a political statement raising their concerns around the future of health cooperation with the European Union. President Juncker has now replied to the MEPs statement by highlighting the importance of EU action on health.
EFA participated on the discussion on the Future of the EU encourages the Commission to take action in those areas where Member States cannot act alone, and where the EU has a clear competence. We showcased how EU’s action on air pollution, chemical safety, tobacco control and food labelling have improved the life of people leaving with chronic respiratory diseases and food allergies.
In our views, health is a precondition for prosperity and the ambitious European agenda for growth and jobs cannot be achieved without healthy European citizens.
Full response from President Juncker to MEPs is here.
The full statement on the Future of Healthcare by 80 MEPs is here.
Join the #EU4Health campaign: https://epha.org/eu-do-more-for-health-campaign/