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The most important news about health equity, wellbeing, and their determinants.
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Health Highlights
Welcome to Health Highlights, EuroHealthNet's monthly newsletter. We bring you the most important news and information about health, equity, wellbeing, and their determinants.
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“Public health is our shared responsibility”
Polish EU presidency holds conference on strategic orientations and actions for public health
Poland kicked off its presidency of the Council of the EU with the public health conference ’Together for Europe’s Health’ in Warsaw on 16 January, signalling its priorities for health over the next six months. Discussions addressed health promotion and prevention among young people, international cooperation on public health effectiveness, and mental health in the digital age. Speaking at a high-level panel with Ministers of Health, EuroHealthNet called for clear measures and regulations to address health risks and action to improve children's health in school settings.
The Polish EU presidency will organise a high-level debate on young people’s mental health and social media impacts on 7-8 April in Krakow.
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European Parliament approves new structure for its public health committee
SANT is upgraded from a sub-committee to a full-fledged standing committee with full legislative power.
The public health subcommittee SANT, which previously fell under the ENVI Committee (responsible for environment, public health, and food safety), has become an independent legislative committee. The decision by the Parliament gives SANT more power to shape and influence public health legislation and expands its membership from 30 to 43 members. The Committee can debate, amend and issue opinions on health-related policies without compromising the broader priorities of the ENVI Committee.
In addition, two new special committees have been created: one tackling the housing crisis and another on democracy.
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More is needed to protect children from harmful food marketing
WHO/Europe’s new guidance helps Member States to design legislative measures on the issue
The WHO report ‘Protecting Children from Unhealthy Food Marketing’ highlights how marketing energy-dense, highly processed foods influences children’s consumption patterns and undermines healthy diets. The report notes that very few countries have legally binding laws restricting unhealthy food marketing.
WHO identifies key areas for improving legislation, including comprehensive bans across all media frequently visited by children, robust food classification systems, and clear enforcement mechanisms. International commitments such as the United Nations' human rights frameworks can become a strong basis for taking legal measures against unhealthy food and beverage marketing.
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The EU and UNICEF join forces on children’s health
The three-year partnership focuses on mental and physical wellbeing
The European Commission and UNICEF have launched a €2 million partnership - Promoting a comprehensive, prevention-oriented approach to children’s health - to enhance the mental and physical health of children across the EU, Iceland, and Norway. Under the EU4Health programme, this initiative prioritises a prevention-oriented approach, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles, early intervention, immunisation, protection from harmful products, and mental health promotion.
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EuroHealthNet Partnership
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Our 2024 impact, our 2025 plans
EuroHealthNet strives to continue working with partners to respond to pressing challenges and promote a healthier future for all. Some key highlights to look out for are:
- EuroHealthNet’s Annual Seminar on climate change and health on 11 June 2025 in Brussels.
- The launch of our new report on social inequalities in health in September.
- Our final conference on health promoting schools in November, organised as part of Schools4Health.
- The last set of flashcards for our European Pillar of Social Rights Flashcard Tool.
EuroHealthNet also joined SP-EU, a new initiative on social prescribing which has just kicked off. SP-EU will promote and improve access to health and care services for people in vulnerable situations in Europe.
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Looking to learn about and test innovative solutions to finance health promotion?
Invest4Health has published an open call inviting regional and local governments, health authorities, and civil society actors to enhance their expertise in innovative financial models for health promotion and disease prevention. Through this call, Invest4Health will be offering capacity-building activities, testing these novel models, and connecting with international counterparts. The deadline for applications is 27 February 2025.
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Beyond competitiveness: rethinking the ideologies shaping our food systems
The new EU mandate places a lot of importance on competitiveness and productivity. But is this the right approach to tackling climate change, health crises, and our fragile food systems?
EuroHealthNet and FEAST – a project on sustainable food systems – are organising an online policy chat on the topic on 28 January. Register now!
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EuroHealthNet responds to consultations
Read all our consultation responses here.
Open consultations
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Swedish government introduces new strategy on mental health and suicide prevention
The 10-year strategy aims to create the conditions for better mental health in Sweden. Public health entities will have a key role in driving the strategy forward and achieving its objectives. For example, the Swedish Public Health Agency will support the implementation of this initiative and develop a separate strategy to combat and prevent loneliness. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) will also contribute to better mental health by increasing investments in primary care.
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De Nederlandse GGZ co-signs letter about the National Action Plan on Homelessness
De Nederlandse GGZ, along with other Dutch organisations, wrote a letter to the Dutch House of Representatives ahead of a plenary debate on the National Action Plan on Homelessness. The organisations called for more affordable housing, the rapid implementation of the ‘Housing First’ initiative, and an emergency solution for people in shelters who need care.
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Sante publique France publishes special journal issue on preserving nature to protect health
The issue describes the links between nature and individuals' physical and mental health. It addresses the need for urban renaturing policies and cooperation between health and environment departments at the local level. It also illustrates ways communities can reconnect with nature. (Both English and French versions available)
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“Preventing poor health is better value for money”
A new report from Public Health Wales highlights the significant cost of health inequalities to acute NHS services in Wales, amounting to £322 million annually. Findings show that it is urgent to increase long-term investment in large-scale prevention programmes to address the causes of inequalities and create healthier living conditions. Such programmes have an average return of £14 for every £1 invested.
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More news from the Partnership
- EuroHealthNet presented on health promoting school approaches at a conference on the role of schools in promoting healthy and active ageing, hosted by South Denmark European Office.
- To learn more about health promoting schools, follow Schools4Health on its brand-new LinkedIn page!
- Read the latest from our EU initiatives:
- Pandemics, wars, and climate disasters amplify mental health inequities—how can Europe respond? The MENTALITY project will organise an event on innovating mental health solutions for crisis preparedness on 30 January, in Brussels and online.
- TabakTalks, a study by the Flemish Institute for Healthy Living vzw and Sciensano, is the first in Flanders to explore (ex-)smokers' behaviours. It offers key insights for improving smoking cessation strategies, including the proposal to provide all smokers with a budget to choose from six evidence-based smoking cessation methods.
- The Norwegian Directorate of Health published a new report to help the health and care sector use AI systems safely and effectively.
- Pharos, the National Centre of Health Disparities in the Netherlands, is organising the Week of Health Inequalities between 17-20 March, drawing attention to the causes of and the solutions to address health inequalities, with a specific focus on the impact of poverty and limited financial resources.
- Public Health Scotland (PHS), the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, and three Scottish local authorities have partnered to enhance and speed up efforts to improve health and reduce health inequalities across Scotland.
- The Slovakian Ministry of Health invites doctors and nurses to fill out a survey on mental health and wellbeing in support of WHO’s efforts to devise a future strategy to support and develop human resources in healthcare.
- Researchers from Public Health Wales have developed the international horizon scanning report ‘Fiscal Levers to Address Obesity’, which explores the influence of financial policies on healthy nutrition.
- The LINKS foundation will be leading on JUST STREETS, A European project which focuses on developing streets that support active mobility, prioritising the needs of groups living in more vulnerable circumstances.
- Radboud University in the Netherlands will carry out one of the largest physical activity studies in the country, aiming to develop personalised physical activity recommendations that help everyone achieve a healthier lifestyle.
- InFLAMES will lead a new, seven-year EU reference laboratory aimed at furthering the prevention and control of diphtheria and pertussis.
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News from the Institutions
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A recipe for success: Child Guarantee coordinators discuss the provision of school meals
EU Child Guarantee Coordinators noted positive developments since adopting the Child Guarantee in 2021. For example, Croatia and Luxembourg introduced universal free school meal schemes, while Ireland expanded its existing program and Denmark launched pilot projects. Moreover, participants recognised that quality school meal programmes are equally important to also address child malnutrition and obesity.
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Polish Presidency looks at the future of cohesive policy and the need for inclusive education
As part of the Polish presidency, high-level experts from EU-27 convened in Warsaw on 16 January to discuss the future role of cohesion policy after 2027. The debate focused on strengthening cohesion policy within the EU’s strategic framework and improving policy governance. Lessons learnt will shape the presidency’s work.
In a separate meeting on 21-22 January, national education ministers spoke about the challenges and opportunities to implement inclusive education and create a more equitable education system.
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European Health Data Space has been adopted
The Council of the EU has adopted the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation, establishing a framework for accessing and sharing health data across the EU. The regulation sets new rules to standardise data exchange and enhance cross-border interoperability while protecting personal health information. The EHDS aims to support research, policymaking, and healthcare innovation while giving individuals more control over their health data. The next steps include the implementation of the regulation at the national level, with Member States responsible for creating the necessary infrastructure and governance systems to enable its practical application.
As part of broader efforts to support digital transformation in the health sector, the European Commission has also unveiled an action plan to protect the healthcare sector from cyberattacks.
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Copernicus report shows alarming climate trends
Copernicus is the Earth observation component of the European Union's Space programme. The Copernicus Global Climate Report 2024 confirms 2024 as the warmest year on record - the first to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This reaffirms the importance of targets and legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. A communication previously published by the Commission sets out key steps to manage climate risks.
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WHO/Europe to shape future health priorities and address inequities across the region
WHO/Europe is evaluating its 2020-2025 European Programme of Work to inform its next five-year strategy. Meanwhile, the upcoming second ‘health equity status report’, will reflect on new and emerging challenges and propose strategies to address inequities in youth mental health, ageing and health governance.
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What we are reading...
Alcohol Excessive alcohol consumption claims nearly a million lives annually in Europe, the world’s highest alcohol-consuming region. A Euractiv discussion highlights the urgent need for stricter EU policies, such as mandatory labelling, advertising restrictions, and pricing reforms, to tackle alcohol-related harm and promote health equity.
Child health The Lancet Public Health examines the association between childhood adversity and the need for public services in early adulthood across three sectors: health, social welfare, and justice.
Child obesity WHO publishes policy brief on tackling childhood overweight and obesity, advocating for robust surveillance systems to monitor childhood obesity trends, facilitate strategic policy planning, and help integrate sugar taxes within broader health frameworks.
Commercial determinants The Danish Parliament has adopted the final 16 of 30 initiatives targeting children and young people’s consumption of tobacco, alcohol and nicotine products. Almost DKK 500 million has been allocated to the initiatives—ranging from banning high-nicotine e-cigarettes to restricting alcohol sales to minors—which are to be fully implemented by 2026.
Demographic challenges The European Parliament Research Service has analysed the implementation of the 2023 Demography Toolbox, highlighting the past achievements and upcoming initiatives, such as the review of the 2022 Council recommendation on long-term care by the Polish Council presidency.
Digital safety The European Commission has published two booklets for educators seeking to stay informed on the Digital Services Act and European digital rights, helping to spark classroom discussions on online safety and digital rights.
Finance and funding Market studies supported by the InvestEU Advisory Hub and CEB identify social infrastructure priorities in nine EU countries. It highlights challenges and needs in the housing, health, and education sectors, while providing strategies to enhance access and affordability.
Housing A new report by the UCL Institute of Health Equity highlights the profound impacts that housing has on health and wellbeing. The report provides four recommendations to maximise the positive impact of housing while limiting the negative impacts.
Mental health Ireland launches its first national mental health promotion plan, with the goal of empowering individuals and the communities they live in, while tackling the structural barriers to good mental health at the societal level – Department of Health, Ireland
Occupational health EU legislators have adopted a directive improving platform workers’ conditions and clarifying their employment status. It aims to address misclassification, enhance transparency, and provide fairer conditions for over 28 million platform workers.
Poverty In 2023, 16.2% of the EU population—over 71 million people—were at risk of poverty. Guyane, France (53%), Calabria, Italy (40.6%), and Sicilia, Italy (38%) had the highest rates, while Romania’s București-Ilfov region had the lowest (2.1%) - Eurostat
Regions and cities The OECD 2024 edition of Regions and Cities at a Glance provides internationally comparable data to highlight areas where economic or social outcomes—and the factors influencing them—have been stronger or weaker, offering valuable tools and guidance for policy development.
Social media A Joint Research Council study shows that the way in which young Europeans use social media has a larger effect on their wellbeing than the amount of time they spend online. Passive scrolling is linked to loneliness, while no such effect was found for active scrolling.
Skills The second international Survey of Adult Skills finds that adult literacy and numeracy skills have mostly declined or stagnated over the past decade in Europe. Only a few EU Member States, including Finland and Denmark, showed improvements – European Commission
Tobacco Belgium has prohibited the sale of disposable vapes on health and environment grounds, a first for the EU – Euronews
Tobacco New tax reforms in Spain raise prices for cigarettes and introduce a tax on e-cigarette liquids, effective April 2025 – Tobacco Journal International
Tobacco From January 1, Milan, Italy prohibits smoking in all public spaces unless 10 meters from others. The ban aims to reduce pollution and protect public health in one of Europe’s most polluted cities ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics - Euronews
Tobacco A recent systematic review published in the journal Tobacco Control highlights the effectiveness of banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship in reducing smoking prevalence by 20% and smoking initiation by 37%.
Tobacco and nicotine The Austrian Ministry of Health has introduced a draft law banning sale of nicotine pouches to minors under 18 and regulating their advertising and a nationwide smoking ban on children’s playgrounds.
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Events
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Beyond competitiveness: rethinking the ideologies shaping our food systems, EuroHealthNet & FEAST Policy Chat webinar – 28 January, online
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European Climate Resilient Health Systems course, co-organised by ASPHER and Columbia University – 10 sessions between 28 January - 8 April, online (EuroHealthNet speaking on 18 February)
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Climate workshop (expert meeting) - Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU – 28-29 January, Gdańsk (Poland)
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WHO webinar on understanding and addressing digital determinants of health – 29 January, online
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Putting Mental Health at the Heart of Europe: Strengthening Preparedness for EU Polycrises – MENTALITY final conference (EuroHealthNet speaking) – 30 January, Brussels (Belgium) and online
- WHO/Europe, the second European Programme of Work hearings – 30 January, 28 February, 7 March – online
- An International Benchmarking Study. Public Sector Performance 2022-2025 - EIPA - 5-7 February 2025 - online (EuroHealthNet speaking)
- EuroHealthNet Policy and Strategy Meeting - 13 February - online (for members only)
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WHO Launch of the European Public Health Report 2024 – 13 February, online
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Ministerial conference on the ministry’s presidency priority ‘Future of labour in a digital Europe’ – Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU – 20-21 February, Gdańsk (Poland)
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2nd World Conference on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health – 2-5 September, Lisbon (Portugal)
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European Forum for Primary Care Conference – 7-9 September, Vienna (Austria) – Call for abstracts now open (Deadline 15 April)
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In case you missed it...
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EUHPP Live Webinar: Cancer Mission Prevention (Early Detection and Screening) Cluster Policy webinar - 10 December 2024 (Recording available here)
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Info Session - Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships in the field of Youth submitted by European NGOs 2025 – 15 January (Presentations and recording available here)
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EuroHealthNet is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of EuroHealthNet only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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