In light of the multiple crises facing the continent, this plenary will examine where Europe stands now, and in what ways a true European Health Union can offer solutions to the challenges with which the continent is confronted. Can a European Health Union better equip Europe to deal with these crises and address the complex interplay of forces behind them? The shocks experienced in recent years could serve as triggers to move towards concerted efforts to tackle the shared complex challenges that have come to the fore.

We have been brutally reminded of the importance of peace for health, of looking out for the most vulnerable in our societies, of better supporting, training and equipping our frontline workers, and of the importance of making ambitious efforts to move global health forward on European political agendas. What does this vision of a moonshot for a Health Union involve, with what new fuel can the initiative be powered, and what actions need to be taken to guide the moonshot on the right trajectory before the window of opportunity for launch closes? Is a European Health Union the bold new approach needed to help restore the equity, solidarity and trust that of late has been repeatedly called into question?

Human civilisation is in the midst of a fragile and difficult time, facing a complex set of interconnected challenges. How can we manage and tackle this complexity, and move forward effectively? The concept of One Health recognises the interplay of the four spheres of people, plants, animals and their environment in shaping health and well-being, and offers a paradigm for addressing the interconnected threats.

Yet One Health thinking has been around for over 20 years and implementing such a concept has to date remained relatively elusive. This plenary will consider the hurdles already experienced in attempting to operationalise this concept and explore how we can overcome them.

What does a One Health approach mean in practice for different stakeholders? Do recent initiatives combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic offer a step-change to ensure that this time round a One Health approach can finally be put into practice to tackle health threats and build a healthier, more equitable and sustainable future for all? If not now, when?

It feels like Europe is lurching from one crisis to another: against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and debates about how to build forward better with a green recovery, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has precipitated a new range of wicked and complex challenges, from humanitarian and refugee crises to economic shocks and a cost-of-living crisis borne from soaring energy, food and fuel prices.

Some of these crises were predicted and unsurprising – the impact of the climate crisis was already being felt, with parts of Europe experiencing abnormally high temperatures, wildfires and severe flooding in recent years. A pandemic had been on the cards for a while, with experts warning one was “overdue”, although no-one predicted the sheer global scale or impact of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Other events have escalated beyond imagination – such as Russia´s invasion of Ukraine. With paradigms shaken, lives upended and a geopolitical realignment threatening the international rules-based order as we know it, this plenary will reflect on the complex challenges faced by Europe, how they will impact and reshape the European Union, and what they mean for the future of health and well-being across the continent.

For many years, and further accelerated by the COVID19 pandemic, countries across Europe have been encouraged to transform their health systems to improve patient access to good quality and affordable care services that are person-centred and digitally enabled. Despite their specific challenges, countries in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe CEE have shown to create local health transformation successes. The session discussion will address current practices and their success factors from patient and professional perspectives.

Panellists shall reflect on the lessons learned from the Net4Care initiative, a network supported by Roche, including approaches to patient-centred design of integrated services, implementation, and up-scaling whilst delivering financial and regulatory requirements. Multiple stakeholders will discuss the implications for concrete policy action and related instruments, formulating key points to strengthen public-private collaboration for health system transformation in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe.

The COVID-19 pandemic represented a watershed moment in demonstrating the fundamental need for transversal societal resilience in health. The EU was quick to rise to the occasion with tailored crisis preparedness and response measures as the first building blocks of a European Health Union. However, the crisis also led to the collective realisation that a focus on citizen wellbeing across all EU policymaking is possible and shows true promise.

Since then multiple crises have significantly altered the European political environment. The climate crisis and resulting natural disasters and migratory challenges, the war in Ukraine and resulting energy and economic crises, risk of pandemics and more represent a challenge for prioritising health and wellbeing.

In this context, the health community must ensure that health and wellbeing remain a priority for European policymakers. The 2024 European elections will be a milestone in this regard. If we are to ensure a resilient European Union in the face of ever-evolving global threats, the Commission must keep health as a priority ahead of the 2024 elections with a view to wellbeing becoming an integral objective of EU policymaking.

In this session, participants will reflect on what needs to be done to reaffirm the relevance of health at the EU level against a backdrop of the ongoing global climate, economic and health crises. Join us to work towards a healthier and more prosperous society by ensuring that health & wellbeing remain a central theme of the 2024 European elections!

A new EU Global Health Strategy is being shaped as we speak, with a European Commission communication to be released before the end of 2022. The Strategy will steer the European community’s action points up until 2030 - a time of daunting health and geopolitical challenges.

As the wide-reaching public consultation for the Strategy draws to a close, what do stakeholders in the EU and beyond, not least in the Global South suggest? This interactive session provides participants with a unique opportunity to engage as the Strategy is being developed. The Commission’s DG SANTE Director General Sandra Gallina, and distinguished guests, will comment on the recommendations and input provided by a broad range of audience voices and stakeholders.

How should the EU respond to the challenges at hand? What should the Strategy’s priorities be to extend across the whole health policy landscape? How should EU policy shape the emerging new world health order?

What do we know about the quality of the air Europeans breathe every day when indoors, and how does it compare to WHO guidelines? What are some significant sources of air pollution indoors? Should policy focus on regulating these sources or setting emission standards?

While outdoor air quality has been regulated at the EU level for many years, indoor air quality remains largely outside the legislative framework despite people spending over 90% of their time indoors.

However, the quality of the air people breathe when indoors has been brought to the forefront of the public conversation during the pandemic. It is therefore important to utilise this momentum and drive the conversation further to develop EU policies and regulations.

This session will open the discussion for recommendations to tackle indoor air quality from a multidisciplinary, Health in All Policies perspective, as part of the drive to reimagine the built environment in a way that protects human and planetary health.

Recent scientific and technological breakthroughs in cancer care mean that patients now have the potential to live longer and better lives; however, demographics and the socioeconomic impact of cancer continues to affect individuals, families, and societies. Panellists spanning academia, advocacy, and policy will explore whether Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is a case example for the Health Union to respond to the societal demands of the rising challenge of cancer.

Oncology experts from Australia, Romania, and Switzerland will provide insights from their research, including evidence-based and forward-looking policy recommendations that address the broader financial impact of cancer care whilst delivering better health outcomes for cancer patients. Discussion will centre around the ways in which effective policy can overcome the shared barriers to care, tackle health inequities, and minimise the socioeconomic costs of cancer in Europe and beyond.

Listen to members of the NLO network discuss the EHFG programme through the lens of marginalised communities, interview relevant experts, and envision what must be done to make sure nobody is left outside when creating a true European Health Union. The overarching question asks what needs be done to make sure nobody is left outside the healthcare system? The conversation will be built on sharing reflections of the day, related to conference sessions as well as overall observations and ideas.

The Von der Leyen Commission has announced a full revamp of the rules around the pharmaceutical sector in Europe, with the headline commitment that the EU will find treatments for unmet needs and will ensure that EU citizens, regardless of where they live, have access to the best medicines. All actors in the European healthcare systems agree with these objectives. But will they agree on how to achieve them?

In this interactive session, participants are invited to experience the roles of those they sometimes challenge in policy debates: for example, payers will have the opportunity to play industry representatives, patients to play regulators and industry to play civil servants from ministries of health or finance. The goal: design the best pharmaceutical ecosystem for Europe moving forward. The difficulty: everyone wants to take different approaches and actions, but without concerted efforts towards collaboration, no one will win!

Join us and walk a mile in someone else´s shoes!