Recentste documenten

Samenvatting : This briefing provides information on the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA), held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 to 23 May 2026. It explains the functioning of the WHO and the significance of the WHA. It also provides an overview of the key agenda items of the 79th WHA, together with comments and references to measures adopted by the European Parliament and the European Union in relation to the issues addressed during the Assembly. One of the WHO’s most important recent achievements is the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement in May 2025. The PABS Annex to the Agreement is currently under negotiation. The Annex is intended to ensure that researchers and pharmaceutical companies have timely access to pathogens in order to accelerate the development of vaccines, treatments, and other medical countermeasures during future pandemics. Once the PABS Annex has been finalised, countries may proceed with the signature and ratification of the Pandemic Agreement.

Indieners : POSTU IOANA-ALICE

Indieners : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, SERPIERI Margherita

Indieners : SERPIERI Margherita

Samenvatting : This study explores how patient-centredness is understood and applied in research and innovation (R&I) across the European Union. Drawing on case studies from Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, and insights from a range of stakeholders, it aims to inform future policy and practice. While patient-centredness is gaining prominence at the EU level, its implementation remains variable across Member States and funding instruments. Overall, the findings highlight both the recognised value of patient involvement in enhancing research relevance and the need for more coherent structures, definitions, and approaches to support its consistent uptake. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Transformation, Innovation and Health at the request of the Committee on Public Health (SANT).

Externe auteur : Cosima LENZ, Petra VARKONYI, and Marta DELL’AQUILA

Samenvatting : This briefing provides a summary overview on the public health system and pharmaceutical industry in Poland. Poland combines a comparatively large pharmaceutical market with a health system that remains relatively underfunded by EU standards. Poland has a meaningful domestic manufacturing base, especially in generics and over the counter (OTC) products, but it is still highly dependent on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and many finished medicines. This makes “critical medicines” both a health-policy and an industrial-policy issue. The main health-system challenges are workforce shortages, long waiting times, relatively high out-of-pocket spending on medicines, uneven access between urban and rural areas, hospital fragmentation and debt, and weak development of long-term care and prevention. From an economic angle, health policy in Poland faces the challenge of ensuring the right balance between cost containment, access to medicines, and security of supply.

Indieners : JOUINI LEILA

Samenvatting : Newborn screening is an established preventive healthcare practice that enables the detection and treatment of health conditions at an early stage. It could reduce the risk of 'diagnostic odyssey' often experienced by persons affected by rare diseases, which in Europe are defined as health conditions that affect less than 1 in 2 000 persons. This briefing presents the findings of a desk review of publicly available sources on newborn screening practices in the EU and the United States (US), which serves as a benchmark. The research finds that these practices vary widely in the EU, which raises concerns regarding equal access to healthcare and the promotion of health outcomes. In total, 87 different rare conditions are covered in national newborn blood screening (NBS) panels (including those conditions in pilot programmes) across the EU. However, only two rare health conditions – congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria (PKU) – are included in all national NBS panels. Other notable differences between Member States include the sample collection window, which ranges from 24 to 144 hours after birth. The draft legislative-initiative report calling for an EU rare disease action plan (2025/2130(INL)), being discussed in the European Parliament's Committee on Public Health, calls for stronger measures to harmonise and promote NBS in the EU. A February 2026 EPRS study finds that stronger EU action on newborn screening – as part of an overall EU rare disease action plan, as called for by the European Parliament – could boost access to health care and social inclusion, promote better health outcomes, lower healthcare costs and promote health sector innovation and competitiveness. This briefing presents further evidence to support this claim. First, the diffusion of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was faster in the US, where SMA is included in federal guidelines, than in the EU, where there are presently no such guidelines. Some research has found that earlier diagnosis of SMA is associated with better health outcomes and lower health care costs. Second, the rate of infant mortality is lower in EU Member States that cover more health conditions in their NBS panels.

Indieners : FERNANDES MEENAKSHI, KOREIMANN-ÖZKAN CLAUDIA SUSANNE

Samenvatting : The infographic “Menopause Care in the EU” supports the joint SANT/FEMM public hearing on menopause by presenting key information on menopause, its symptoms, and potential treatments, and by highlighting the results of the European Parliament’s consultation on women’s health regarding the state of menopause care in the EU.

Indieners : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, CROSSFIELD CLARE BABETTE, SERPIERI Margherita

Samenvatting : The EU4Health, the EU's largest ever health programme in monetary terms, running from 2021 until 2027, has a dedicated budget, specific objectives and includes the possible eligible actions. The interim evaluation of the Programme found that it has invested significantly to directly support health promotion and disease prevention. The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the importance and the potential of the EU health policy, leading to the adoption of the EU4Health Regulation and the Health Union package, aimed at strengthening health security, preparedness, and coordination. These measures demonstrated that the EU possesses legal instruments capable of advancing its health policy objectives. The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposed by the European Commission for 2028-2034 covers the health policy primarily through the newly created European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), which merges 14 existing Programmes (including EU4Health) into a single fund. The exact share of the ECF budget dedicated specifically to health is not specified. The proposed MFF includes a flexibility mechanism that is meant to allow for the coordination of funds across different financial programmes. It provides the ability to reallocate parts of the budget as needed to support financing of specific unforeseen expenditure that may arise during the MFF cycle. Nevertheless, as important elements of EU public health policy depend on EU funding, the question arises as to whether the flexibility of the next MFF corroborated with the general health framework in the ECF could affect the pace at which progress towards the Health Union is sustained. A key challenge ahead will be to ensure that EU public health policy, including the principle of Health in All Policies, retains a role in the next MFF that is comparable in importance to the position it gained in the post-COVID period, and that health considerations are integrated across budgetary decisions.

Indieners : POSTU IOANA-ALICE, VANDE LANOITTE EVELYNE ANNA

Indieners : VALLEDOR DE VICENTE Victoria, JOUINI LEILA

Samenvatting : Rare diseases, which are defined as conditions that affect fewer than 1 in 2 000 individuals, affect around 36 million people in the European Union. Despite existing measures at the EU, national, regional and local levels, there remain significant gaps in research and knowledge as well as variations in access and treatment. This study investigates possible measures that could be taken at EU level to address these challenges. It finds significant European added value in harmonising coordination and access across the 27 Member States, mainly in terms of improved diagnostic tools and availability of medical treatment, better health outcomes, particularly lower infant mortality, and improved well-being of family members and caregivers.

Indieners : FERNANDES MEENAKSHI, KOREIMANN-ÖZKAN CLAUDIA SUSANNE

Externe auteur : Dates, Mariana; Voarino, Lugh; De Weert , Matis; Kazlauskaitė, Deimantė

Samenvatting : Brain health depends on genetic, lifestyle, environmental and social determinants, and its decline reduces independence and quality of life, requiring a coordinated EU‑level response. Neurological diseases are one of Europe’s most urgent and rapidly expanding health, social and economic challenges. As the population ages, neurodegenerative conditions, such as dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), Parkinson’s disease and ALS, will rise sharply, increasing pressure on healthcare systems, social support structures and informal caregivers. The overall economic burden of these neurological disorders in Europe was estimated at EUR 368 billion per year in 2019. More than half of these costs are attributable to informal care, reflecting the significant responsibilities placed on families and communities. An ambitious coordinated, European health plan dedicated to neurological health linking prevention, early diagnosis, research, innovation to enable effective therapies, care and social support is essential to mitigate the growing impact of neurodegenerative diseases and strengthen Europe’s long‑term resilience and well‑being.

Externe auteur : Elly M. HOL, R. Jeroen PASTERKAMP

Indieners : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, SERPIERI Margherita

Samenvatting : The European Commission drew up seven impact assessments (IAs) in support of 18 programme proposals for the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the proposed regulation on a horizontal performance framework. The broad scope of these IAs does not allow individual programme proposals to be assessed in any detail – as is particularly salient in the case of the IA on the national and regional partnership plans, covering nine legislative proposals. All IAs acknowledge a deviation from the scope and depth of a standard IA as defined by the Better Regulation Guidelines (BRG). This is justified with Tool #9 of the BR Toolbox, which indicates the specificity of the MFF, but does not define how related IAs should be carried out. As a result, the application of the better regulation principles varies widely across the MFF IAs. They are similar insofar as the Commission chose for all of them a mostly horizontal rather than policy-specific approach and did not include any budgetary considerations and scenarios. These choices affect the quality of key sections of the IAs considerably, albeit to varying extents. The problem definition often lacks specificity and substantiation. Similarly, the IAs' objectives remain largely unspecific, which, in turn, affects the IAs' monitoring and evaluation provisions and risks hampering the future measuring of the objectives' achievement. The description of policy options is in most cases short and vague, which weakens the impact analysis. The depth to which economic, social and environmental impacts are assessed varies across the sampled IAs. The analysis remains predominantly qualitative, with quantification largely lacking. All seven MFF initiatives are deemed relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and are thus listed in the 'SME filter'. The IAs state that they place great emphasis on simplification and burden reduction. None of them is accompanied by a subsidiarity grid, and they discuss subsidiarity, European added value and proportionality rather briefly. While the IAs differ considerably in terms of quality and transparency when it comes to their evidence base and methodology, all of them acknowledge certain limitations and a lack of data (notably quantitative data). Consultation activities were largely limited to open public consultations. The Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) found significant shortcomings in all seven draft IAs, prompting it, exceptionally, to issue opinions without qualification. The persisting flaws in the final IAs suggest that the RSB recommendations have at best been partially addressed. Altogether, the limited quality of the MFF IAs appears to reflect a missed opportunity to provide policymakers with high-quality and transparent evidence for one of the most important policy packages to be negotiated in the coming months and years.

Indieners : ANGLMAYER Irmgard, KRAMER Esther

Samenvatting : This European implementation assessment supports the European Parliament's implementation report on the EU Youth Strategy (EUYS) 2019-2027 prepared by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). Part I of this study examines recent European Commission developments on the EUYS, Parliament's oversight of the EUYS, and the results of consultations. Part II of the study examines EUYS implementation at the EU level and in six selected Member States, drawing on the most recent evidence from a literature review, stakeholder interviews, and a survey. It analyses the 11 European Youth Goals and their implementation and relevance, before assessing the extent to which the EUYS has promoted youth mainstreaming across policy areas. It further explores youth participation, focusing on social inclusion, equality and young people with fewer opportunities (case study 1), and examines the EUYS's role in improving access to quality education and training (case study 2). It concludes with recommendations to enhance the EUYS, thereby informing its update and future implementation beyond 2027.

Indieners : IOANNIDES Isabelle, HUEMER MARIE-ASTRID

Externe auteur : Alfonsi Castelli, Laura; Banytė, Martyna; Ferreira, Tatiana; Gaušas, Simonas; Hofmann-van de Poll, Frederike; Lavizzari, Anna; Leiputė, Beatričė; Mareva, Vasela; Petkovic, Sladjana; Švedkauskienė, Austėja

Samenvatting : In this background paper, the authors trace regulatory and policy proposals for further EU action for an added role of the EU in solving some aspects of the health workforce challenge. The authors sketch the legal competences of the EU in this sphere to take legislative action, list and analyse the proposals that have been put forward at various levels including the European Parliament. The authors also present the different policy and legal options that can be considered for adoption.

Externe auteur : A de Ruijter; A.A.M. Schrauwen

Samenvatting : The present impact assessment (IA) is part of the Commission proposals for the EU spending programmes under the post-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF). It acknowledges from the start that it deviates from the scope and depth of a standard IA by invoking Tool #9 of the Better Regulation toolbox, which governs the law-making process for spending programmes and financial instruments, including the MFF. While recognising the applicability of BRG Tool #9, the Regulatory Scrutiny Board delivered a critical opinion on the draft IA, pointing to significant shortcomings across all sections. In view of those shortcomings, the Board exceptionally issued an opinion without qualification. Based on a dynamic baseline scenario, the IA identifies three policy options in response to the problem definition, of which one (the option envisaging a single Preparedness Fund) is discarded at an early stage as non-viable. However, only the discarded option would have reflected the wide and cross-cutting scope of the all-hazard approach set out in the intervention logic (in particular, the problem definition and objectives). The two retained policy options are narrower in scope. The assessment of the expected impacts of the remaining policy options falls short of Better Regulation standards. Similarly, the choice of the preferred option appears not to be sufficiently substantiated. The evidence base of the initiative seems to be pertinent and is well-referenced throughout the IA, where qualitative data prevails. An open public consultation regarding EU funding for civil protection, preparedness and crisis response was carried out, running over the required period of 12 weeks. No targeted consultation activities were undertaken, nor was a call for evidence launched. With the exception of the legal basis, the proposal appears to be coherent with the preferred policy option. In the context of national parliaments' subsidiarity check, the French Senate issued a reasoned opinion on the proposal, raising concerns regarding compliance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and the broad scope of the initiative.

Indieners : ANGLMAYER Irmgard

Indieners : SANDERSKI ANDRZEJ, SERPIERI Margherita

Samenvatting : On 21 October 2025, the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen's second mandate adopted its work programme for 2026 (2026 CWP). In line with the Commission President's political guidelines and letter of intent and highlighting the need for full implementation of Mario Draghi's competitiveness report, the 2026 CWP places a strong emphasis on competitiveness, innovation and collective security. In parallel, the Commission commits to advancing simplification, implementation, and this year, also to strengthening enforcement. These three areas will remain key horizontal priorities for the entire Commission mandate. Just like last year's CWP, the 2026 CWP adheres to the seven headline ambitions put forward in the political guidelines. It is accompanied by a report on implementation, simplification and enforcement, the first of its kind. This new annual report is set to replace the annual burden survey. Annex I of the 2026 CWP puts forward 70 major new legislative and non-legislative initiatives, 44 % of which fall under the competitiveness headline ambition. (Up to) 48 of the new initiatives are legislative, including three sector-specific omnibus packages (on energy product legislation, taxation and citizens). Of the forthcoming legislative initiatives, 67 % are likely revisions of existing legislation, while more than half have a strong simplification dimension. Unlike previous CWPs, the 2026 CWP does not indicate whether a legislative initiative will be accompanied by an impact assessment; this lack of transparency runs counter to the spirit of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making. Information on the Commission's 'Have your say' portal shows that, at the time of writing, two thirds of the up to 48 legislative initiatives were expected to be accompanied by an impact assessment (though the final number may be higher). The annual evaluation plan presented in Annex II of the CWP, comprising 20 evaluations, does not appear exhaustive. Finally, the communication on Better Regulation, expected in Q2 2026, may entail a revision of the Better Regulation Guidelines, the first since 2021.

Indieners : ANGLMAYER Irmgard, DALLI HUBERT, IOANNIDES Isabelle

Samenvatting : Rare diseases affect an estimated 6-8% of the European Union population, meaning that between 27 and 36 million people in the EU will experience one at some point in their lives. This in-depth analysis presents the findings of the public consultation on rare diseases conducted by the European Parliament in March 2025. Contributions from a wide range of participants, including patients and families, patient support groups, healthcare professionals, stakeholder interest groups and international organisations, government and other public bodies, aim to guide future policy actions in the field of rare diseases. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Transformation, Innovation and Health at the request of the Committee on Public Health.

Indieners : JOUINI LEILA

Externe auteur : Annabelle CALOMME, Vincent DE PREZ, Robrecht DE SCHREYE & Joke WUYTS

Samenvatting : The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) represents the first international treaty negotiated under the authority of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the first global public health treaty. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005. 183 Parties have signed this treaty, covering 90% of the world population. The Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO FCTC will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from the 17th to the 22nd of November 2025, bringing together Parties to advance global tobacco control policies and implementation.

Indieners : POSTU IOANA-ALICE, VANDE LANOITTE EVELYNE ANNA

Samenvatting : This paper presents findings from the European Parliament’s public consultation on women’s health in the EU. It covers a wide range of topics including care, education, workplace impact, information, and policy context. The results reflect the views of a selected population and offer exploratory insights into perceived gaps and priorities. This document was prepared at Erasmus MC by the Department of Public Health in collaboration with The Netherlands Women's Health Research & Innovation Center at the request of the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT).

Externe auteur : Wilma NUSSELDER, Di LONG, Heidi LAMMERS VAN DER HOLST, Hanneke TAKKENBERG, Jeanine ROETERS VAN LENNEP

Samenvatting : Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP) was establised in 2021 to put Europe’s ambition on cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for patients and survivors into practice. It consists of ten flagship initiatives, each supported by EU-funded projects, most of which have already concluded. The EBCP has established important foundations by creating networks, mapping inequalities, and investing in knowledge centres. These achievements now provide a basis to advance cancer research, improve care delivery, and make better use of existing tools.

Indieners : VANDE LANOITTE EVELYNE ANNA

Samenvatting : The health workforce crisis in the European UnionThis paper provides a synthesis of high-level recommendations and guidance for developing a HCWF crisis strategy, introducing a complex set of measurements that consider the needs of both health systems and individual HCWs, as well as interventions on different levels of governance and in different sectors. The EU has several tools at hand to promote these efforts, and is supporting EU projects that analyse the issue and contribute new knowledge.

Externe auteur : Ellen Kuhlmann

Samenvatting : This briefing summarises the main issues at stake at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 19 to 27 May 2025. The WHA is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), gathering annually, and composed of delegations from all 194 Member States (MS). The WHA discusses and votes on the decisions and resolutions prepared by either WHO’s Executive Board, its Director-General, or proposed by groups of MS.

Externe auteur : Evelyne VANDE LANOITTE