By Alain Coheur

Health is a fundamental pillar of the resilience and prosperity of the EU. Far from being a peripheral topic, it is a key priority for every European citizen, given that we all use our health systems at one time or another. During COVID, health was the central focus. However, it has to be said that President von der Leyen failed to make use of her position to seize a unique opportunity to make health an essential component of all other policy areas by promoting the cross-cutting integration of health policies.

We need to overcome sectoral silos and develop a more coherent, cohesive and inclusive European model, supporting a just transition for all, leaving no one behind. We must unite all stakeholders, strengthen social dialogue and involve civil society, from policy design to implementation and evaluation.

The Committee calls for a European Flagship Initiative for Health: a unifying initiative anchored in European solidarity to reinforce our health systems, combat health inequalities and protect against future crises. Here are some of the aspects that will form the heart of this all-encompassing initiative:

• The European Care and Healthcare Guarantee: a promise made to every European citizen to guarantee equitable and universal access to high-quality care.
• The One Health approach: human health is inextricably linked to animal, plant and environmental health. Climate change, pandemics and biodiversity loss are all threats that compel us to take a holistic approach.
• Modernising our health systems by adopting digital tools and artificial intelligence, ensuring that cybersecurity and the enhancement of digital skills for citizens and health professionals lie at the heart of this process.
• Strategic social and health investments. Investing in health has a positive impact on the well-being of citizens and on Europe’s competitiveness.
• Ensuring access to medicines and building up an innovative and competitive EU industry whose advances must place health and the public interest at the forefront and reduce our dependence on global supply chains. Producing on European soil is essential for guaranteeing our health sovereignty.
• Ensuring sufficient numbers of well-trained, well-paid health professionals, by creating attractive working conditions, investing in training, building enriching careers and providing constant support to health workers.
• Strengthening occupational health and safety policies, in particular through occupational medicine, workplace screening programmes and protection of workers from carcinogens and mutagens.
• Tackling the scourge of non-communicable diseases and the challenge of rare diseases must be a priority; it is a struggle against health inequalities stemming from multiple causes.