| 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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European Commission adopts first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy
New social package strengthens action on child poverty, housing exclusion, and access to quality services
The new EU Anti-Poverty Strategy is part of a broader social package aimed at supporting the EU target of reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 15 million by 2030 and eradicating poverty by 2050. The strategy takes a life-course approach to poverty. It emphasises the role of quality employment, adequate income support, and access to essential services in reducing inequalities and strengthening social inclusion.
The package also includes a reinforced European Child Guarantee focused on persistent child poverty, mental wellbeing, and stronger outreach to vulnerable children, alongside a proposed Council Recommendation on fighting housing exclusion and homelessness through prevention measures and greater investment in social and affordable housing. Poverty and housing are two key determinants of health.
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Commission launches Global Health Resilience Initiative
Reinforcing resilience amidst geopolitical change
The initiative aims to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response to future health threats worldwide. It focuses on supporting resilient, country-led health systems; diversifying supply chains; reinforcing global preparedness capacities; and countering health misinformation, all while positioning the EU as a stronger actor in global health cooperation and health sovereignty.
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Protecting children online
EU to tackle children's exposure to addictive online platforms
European Commission President von der Leyen announced that the EU will introduce measures to curb harmful and addictive design practices on digital platforms by the end of 2026, with a particular focus on protecting children. Speaking at the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children in Copenhagen, she confirmed that the upcoming Digital Fairness Act will target practices such as attention capture and subscription traps. The Commission is also exploring a legislative proposal to set a minimum age for social media access, with a committee of experts expected to report by summer 2026.
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Climate, health, and culture: WHO Europe calls for united actions
New publications launched at WHA Geneva link climate change to public health and community resilience
Two new WHO/Europe publications, launched on the eve of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, reinforce the message that the climate crisis is also a health crisis. The Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health launched a Call to Action on 17 May 2026, urging decision-makers to prioritise health in climate action. The call asks the WHO to declare climate change a public health emergency, and pushes for stronger financing and mental health integration.
A companion policy brief highlights how arts and culture can strengthen community resilience and support climate-health communication. Both publications call for greater cross-sector collaboration and more ambitious, health-centred climate policies across the region.
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EuroHealthNet Partnership
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EuroHealthNet meets with Commissioner Várhelyi
EuroHealthNet and the International Youth Health Organization met with European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Olivér Várhelyi to discuss investment in health promotion and disease prevention, as well as stronger involvement of young people in shaping public health policies. Discussions focused on the health impacts of tobacco and novel nicotine products, ultra-processed foods, alcopops, and social media, as well as the importance of sustainable EU funding for prevention in the EU's long-term budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
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Last chance! Join the EuroHealthNet Annual on digital health on 1 June
EuroHealthNet’s 2026 Annual Seminar will explore how to ensure that rapid digital and AI transformations promote health equity rather than amplify existing gaps. Featuring speakers from WHO/Europe, OECD, and national health authorities, the seminar will focus on strategic considerations as well as promising initiatives.
The seminar will take place on the afternoon of June 1st and is kindly hosted by the Polish Institute of Public Health in Warsaw. Registration for in-person and online participation remains open.
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Gaining trust among communities that are avoiding vaccination
The RIVER-EU project worked with five underserved communities across European countries to better understand vaccine barriers and implement tailored approaches to improve access to MMR and HPV vaccination.
EuroHealthNet organised the final RIVER-EU conference in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), bringing together community representatives, national and international policymakers, WHO, UNICEF, IOM and public health authorities to discuss vaccine equity, RIVER-EU'S sustainability, and future policy pathways. The conference report and recording will be available soon.
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Housing as the foundation for healthy, inclusive, and resilient communities
EuroHealthNet, in collaboration with the European Policy Centre and MERGE, organised a Policy Lab on Housing on 19 May. The Lab explored how the Affordable Housing Plan can deliver healthier, more inclusive and affordable housing, and what it takes to make it work in practice.
Participants engaged in interactive breakout sessions to exchange experiences and co-create practical recommendations for implementation at national and local levels, focusing on healthy housing, inclusive housing for all generations, and sustainable finance for affordable housing.
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EuroHealthNet at the European Public Health Week and European Mental Health Week 2026
EuroHealthNet and Invest4Health co-organised a kick-off webinar for European Public Health Week to explore new ways to finance health promotion and disease prevention. The session introduced the Smart Capacitating Investment approach, which frames prevention as a long-term social and economic investment rather than a cost. The recording will be made available soon. EuroHealthNet also presented RIVER-EU at a European Parliament event on children and young people’s health, highlighting trust, community engagement and accessible health systems as essential to improving vaccination equity.
As part of European Mental Health Week, EuroHealthNet contributed to an event organised by the Mental Health Intergroup at the European Parliament, presenting progress in population mental health measurement under the EU Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health. This work is part of the Resilient and Mentally Healthy Societies (REMESOS) initiative.
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EuroHealthNet responds to consultations
Read all our consultation responses here.
Open consultations:
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Social Prescribing-EU kicks off randomised trial
Social Prescribing-EU has enrolled its first patient in what is set to become the largest Europe-wide randomised trial on social prescribing. The study will assess how connecting people to community-based and non-medical support can improve health and wellbeing among older adults living alone, refugees and first-generation immigrants, and LGBTIQ+ people.
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A call on EU policymakers to address determinants of health
The Exposome Alliance connects policymakers, researchers, and civil society to promote prevention‑focused EU policies through an exposome‑based approach, addressing the combined environmental, social and lifestyle determinants of health.
EuroHealthNet signed the alliance’s manifesto, which calls for three key EU actions: a dedicated 'Mission Exposome' under Horizon Europe, a European Exposome Data Space linking health and environmental data, and a Common Prevention Pillar to strengthen coordinated action on non-communicable diseases and health inequalities across sectors.
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Austria addresses loneliness by stepping up youth social participation
The Austrian National Public Health Institute’s new ‘True Connection’ initiative addresses loneliness among young people. Through a new online participation platform, young people aged 14 to 25 can contribute their ideas for greater social cohesion, which will be further developed at a workshop with young people, associations, experts, and representatives from the administration and health promotion sectors.
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Embedding prevention in local care and service centres in Flanders
The Flanders Institute for Healthy Living in Belgium offers support to assisted living centres and local service centres to embed disease prevention throughout their operations, including dental health, nutrition, fall and fracture prevention, and psychotropic drugs. Its 2025 evaluation shows that over 500 centres are now participating in the projects, and 100 centres have successfully concluded their trajectory.
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Cross-border collaboration for training and exchange between prevention coordinators
The Slovak Ministry of Health presented the Swiss-Slovak training programme for prevention coordinators. The programme builds professional, communication, and coordination competencies and establishes a structured process in which prevention coordinators reflect on their work, receive feedback, and seek better, more effective ways of dealing with work situations. Topics so far have included EU frameworks for prevention, data-driven prevention, and ethics, equality, and human rights approaches.
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More news from the Partnership
- Hosted by Santé publique France, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Knowledge Hub on Public Awareness is organising a webinar ‘Evaluating prevention campaigns: a key step toward effective tobacco control actions’ on 15 June from 13:00 – 15:00 CEST. Thanks to live interpretation, the webinar will be in both English and French.
- The Promotion Documentation Center of Piedmont Region (DoRS) has published its Italian translation of the Schools4Health policy brief ‘Health promoting schools as a lever for equity in education’.
- In Finland, SOSTE’s social barometer shows that accessing the services that promote employment – e.g., social, health, and rehabilitation services – is particularly difficult for people who are long-term unemployed, even as long-term unemployment is expected to continue to grow.
- Evaluating the 2023-2025 Dutch Action Plan on Physical Activity, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands found that simple, less effective measures such as sharing knowledge and stepping up collaboration have been implemented, but little has been done to improve the environments where people spend time.
- Contributing to a Parliamentary debate, Pharos published a position paper advocating for measures that make digital care available to all, including people with low literacy levels. Pharos also developed a board game to raise awareness of the complexities of navigating the healthcare system among municipalities, care organisations, and app developers in a playful way.
- The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) made recommendations for the next government’s program, aiming to strengthen mental resilience and confidence through measures for good physical and mental health, social wellbeing, and a well-functioning society.
- Opening a conversation on mental health, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) organised a roundtable with three well-known Slovenians who spoke about their own experiences, wellbeing, ups and downs, and challenges to their mental health.
- With the ‘policy assessment for mental health’, Trimbos helps municipalities, local health services, and local organisations use their insights into their population’s needs to implement a Mental Health in All Policies approach.
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News from the Institutions
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Commission presents plan to simplify EU lawmaking
The European Commission has presented a new plan to modernise EU lawmaking and simplify existing legislation, with the aim of making rules clearer, easier to implement, and better aligned with the needs of citizens and businesses. The initiative focuses on several areas, including embedding ‘simplicity by design’ into future legislation, reducing regulatory overlap, and strengthening enforcement of Single Market legislation. The critical question is how to ensure that efforts to reduce red tape do not compromise robust health, safety, and environmental standards.
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Council adopts Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus
The Council of the EU has adopted a Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus (NEB), calling on Member States to integrate sustainability, inclusiveness, and high-quality design into urban development, housing and climate policies. The Recommendation highlights the links between the built environment, public health and social cohesion, with measures to promote affordable and sustainable housing, green and blue infrastructure, active mobility, climate adaptation and healthier neighbourhoods.
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EU strengthens disability rights
The European Commission has announced an enhanced strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030, with a stronger focus on implementation and everyday impact for persons with disabilities across the EU. New actions include the rollout and digitalisation of the European Disability Card, improved access to transport, healthcare, education, and employment, and stronger support for independent living and inclusive emergency preparedness.
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New Lancet Commission on the European Health Union launched
The Commission comprises 23 Commissioners from 15 countries with diverse areas of expertise, including the Director of EuroHealthNet, and aims to generate new insights into how Europe can ensure sustained health and wellbeing for all.
The Commission will begin by reviewing the European Health Union Package for pandemic preparedness and the 2024 Belgian Presidency Council Conclusions on a European Health Union, exploring innovative ways to build on these initiatives. Its end goal is to offer a new vision for a strengthened European Health Union; one that addresses the complex needs of population health and recognises health as a catalyst for peace, social cohesion, and economic prosperity in Europe.
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Belgium strengthens action on youth nicotine addiction and prevention
Belgium and WHO/Europe have signed a new Country Cooperation Strategy for 2026–2030 focused on disease prevention, health system resilience, mental health, climate and health, and emergency preparedness. The agreement comes alongside strengthened Belgian measures to tackle youth nicotine addiction, including restrictions on flavoured e-cigarettes, disposable vapes, and nicotine pouches as part of the country’s broader ambition to achieve a smoke-free generation by 2040.
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What we are reading...
Artificial intelligence The European Commission has updated its Living Guidelines on the responsible use of Generative AI in research to reflect rapid technological developments and emerging risks. Check capitalisation
Built environment A new experimental study finds that urban green infrastructure, including green walls and green roofs, can improve thermal comfort, mood, and stress levels during extreme heat exposure – Building and Environment
Cardiovascular health A new policy briefing by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) highlights that nearly one in five cardiovascular disease deaths in the EU are linked to environmental pollution and calls for stronger action to reduce air and chemical pollution at source, phase out public financing for fossil fuels, and better integrate pollution prevention and climate action into future cardiovascular disease strategies.
Climate World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s ‘The European State of the Climate 2025’ report finds that Europe continues to experience accelerating climate impacts, including record sea temperatures, widespread drought, severe heatwaves, biodiversity loss, and the largest wildfire-burnt area on record.
Climate Extreme heat is increasingly threatening food security, labour productivity, and livelihoods by placing pressure on crops, livestock, fisheries, and agricultural workers - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) & World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Climate & health The 2026 Europe report of the Lancet Countdown finds that heat-related deaths, food insecurity, infectious disease risks, and climate-related health inequalities are increasing across Europe. The report calls for faster and more integrated climate and health action to protect vulnerable populations and maximise health co-benefits.
Gender equality A European Parliament briefing finds that the proposed European Social Fund (ESF) for 2028–2034 weakens gender equality provisions compared with the current funding period due to the removal of clear gender equality obligations for Member States, weaker gender mainstreaming requirements, and reduced funding for social objectives.
Mental health Mental ill health affects more than one in five people across OECD and EU countries and is projected to reduce healthy life expectancy by 2.5 years. Evidence‑based interventions in primary care, schools, and workplaces can improve health outcomes and boost economic growth through improved productivity and labour market participation - OECD
Physical activity The Healthy Lifestyles for Europe (HL4EU) project has published new policy recommendations calling for the integration of physical activity into health and prevention systems, strengthening collaboration across sectors such as mobility, education, and urban planning, and addressing social and environmental barriers to healthy living through a more equitable, life-course approach.
Poverty New modelling by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) finds that the EU could exceed its 2030 poverty reduction target through a combination of higher minimum wages, expanded employment, and stronger minimum income schemes.
Social participation In the ‘Ageing in good health’ pilot in the Netherlands, the collaboration with so-called ‘key persons’ - people who are familiar with the language, culture, and living environments of older people with a migration background - every Euro invested resulted in an ROI of 3.30 Euros in societal value - VitaValley
Tobacco & vapes The UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Act has become law, introducing a smoke-free generation by permanently banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The legislation also strengthens the regulation of vaping products and aims to reduce smoking-related health inequalities through stronger prevention measures, enforcement powers, and expanded support for smoking cessation.
Vaccination A study on seasonal influenza vaccination in the WHO European Region finds that although vaccine distribution has doubled since 2008/09, major inequalities persist between higher- and lower-income countries, and vaccination coverage among priority groups remains low – The Lancet Regional Health Europe
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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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