On Monday 20 April, more than 70 MEPs from the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and The Left groups took their turn in calling on the European Commission to restore operating grants for civil society organisations in the health sector under the EU4Health 2026 programme.
“Last year, some of us strongly opposed the decision to remove operating grants from the EU4Health 2025 work programme, warning that such a decision would undermine trust and weaken the fabric of European cooperation in health policy”, explains Christophe Clergeau (S&D, French).
“Today, the consequences are clear: for many health CSOs in Brussels, including patient organisations, 2025 has proven to be a particularly challenging year”. Operating grants amount to just €9 million a year, explains the letter. Above all, the EU “cannot simultaneously issue a Civil Society Strategy while at the same time depriving health civil society organisations and patient organisations of the basic means to exist and contribute”.
For further details: https://aeur.eu/f/lls (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)