The Better Regulation for Better Health project has organised a consultation activity to identify barriers and enablers of civil society participation, particularly in terms of consultation activities (i.e., surveys, workshops, events, feedback processes). Elements such as capacity, access to funding and the setting and design of the avenues and/or platforms for participation can be enablers as much as barriers to civil society participation.
The consultation project ran from March to June 2024 and was disseminated to health civil society organisations among EPHA’s networks, in particular the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance and the Food Policy Coalition. The consultation was meant for organisations that had experience with at least one consultation related to public health, but not necessarily a consultation led by DG SANTE.
The project team has identified 10 key recommendations, articulated in three key priorities, for improved avenues involving civil society in policy-making:
Improve design and planning to make it more accessible
- Improve the written feedback designs
- Improve planning
- Improve the design of events
Make the processes more meaningful, inclusive and diverse
- Foresee more meaningful participation
- Ensure more balance, inclusivity and diversity
- Improve participation
- Allocate more time for interaction
Increase transparency to build trust
- Enhance transparency
- Integrate feedback loops
- Build trust