On Monday 20 April, European cardiovascular disease and cancer organisations called on EU leaders to make health a long-term priority, ahead of the informal meeting of the European Council scheduled for 23 and 24 April.
In a joint statement, the European Alliance on Cardiovascular Health (EACH) and the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) call for health to benefit from identifiable and protected funding in the future European Competitiveness Fund and in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034.
Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the European Union, with around nine million new diagnoses and almost three million deaths each year. Their economic cost is estimated at nearly €500 billion a year.
According to the signatories, health remains insufficiently treated as a political priority, despite the support expressed by European citizens and the European Parliament for a dedicated health programme in the EU’s next long-term budget (see EUROPE 13848/12). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)