On Tuesday 5 December, the European Commission adopted the EU4Health 2024 work programme (https://aeur.eu/f/9y6 ), which aims to give concrete form to the main priorities of EU health policy within the framework of the European Health Union.
The €752.4 million budget will help to tackle major health problems across the EU. The aim is to improve the EU’s preparedness for crises through the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and its ability to respond to challenges such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It will also ensure the roll-out of key digital initiatives, such as the European Health Data Space, which aims in particular to make good use of digital health data to improve care for patients across the EU.
The 2024 budget will also help to strengthen the EU’s resilience to cross-border health threats and to implement the pharmaceutical strategy for Europe and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. In addition, it will support emerging policy initiatives with a particular focus on mental health, global health and the evolution of medicines.
In order to strengthen the important role played by civil society organisations in the implementation of EU health policies, the EU4Health programme is continuing to provide operating grants of €9 million in 2024 and will publish a call for framework partnership agreements for the period 2025-2026. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)