Opinion by Dr Milka Sokolović and Clémentine Richer Delforge
The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance is a vibrant and growing network of over 30 European civil society organisations spanning the full breadth of public health, from patient advocacy to disease-specific groups. We speak with one voice to amplify three key messages:
- Public health must remain a top priority on the EU agenda. COVID-19 reminded us how central health is to our lives, societies, and economies
- Public health policy deserves bold investment and ambitious budgets
- Civil society must have a seat at the table — backed by sustainable, independent funding to make our engagement meaningful
These core messages shaped our 2024 EU elections campaign and continue to guide our collective work.
Why it matters
Our message is more relevant than ever in a context where civic space is shrinking, and the role of civil society organisations is increasingly under threat. Access to sustainable, regular funding — especially through operating grants and multiannual frameworks — allows CSOs to:
- Remain independent
- Plan long-term
- Maximise impact
- This, in turn, enables civil society to:
- Advocate for the public interest in EU policymaking
- Share vital expertise with EU institutions
- Amplify the voices of citizens, especially vulnerable groups
- React quickly to emergencies and support community resilience
- Help the EU deliver on health priorities
- Act as a watchdog to safeguard democracy and the rule of law
- Promote European values at every level
Two key documents underscore this:
The Council Conclusions of the Slovenian Presidency (2021)
The World Health Assembly resolution on Social Participation (WHA77), adopted by 190 WHO Member States, including all EU countries
A story of milestones & mobilisation
The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance wasn’t born in comfort. It emerged as a campaign and quickly evolved into a network in direct response to a looming threat.
Back in 2017, the European Commission’s Future of Europe White Paper suggested scaling back EU action in several policy areas, health among them. We couldn’t stay silent. Our joint campaign pushed back, calling for strong EU action on health. That campaign not only influenced the next programme – it gave the EU4Health Programme its name, launched in 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
But that success was just the beginning.
A new challenge quickly emerged – in the form of sustainable funding.
In 2021, civil society organisations discovered – with no warning – that operating grants had disappeared from the EU4Health Work Programme. We mobilised fast. The Alliance coordinated a joint letter signed by 56 MEPs urging Commissioner Stella Kyriakides to reconsider. With support from Member States (led by Slovenia) and media coverage, the campaign led to the reinstatement of operating grants for 2022.
Yet there were no guarantees for the future. Uncertainty lingered, and the campaign became perpetual. Each year, we advocated for the renewal of operating grants, while also pushing to improve the overall funding landscape:
- Clearer financial regulations
- Transparent evaluation processes and results
- Consistency and predictability in grant timelines
- Broader access for more CSOs
In 2023, we hosted a major event in the European Parliament, highlighting funding inconsistencies across EU programmes (EU4Health, CERV, LIFE, ESF).
We also called for a return to multiannual Framework Partnership Agreements (FPAs), last seen under the Third Health Programme. Thanks to the Alliance’s united voice – and Commissioner Kyriakides’ understanding of civil society’s value – FPAs for 2025–2026 were reinstated. Another major win.
Where we stand now
Despite these gains, we face another critical hurdle.
As of April 2025 – already one quarter into the year – there is still no official information on the 2025 EU4Health Work Programme.
That means:
- No clarity on when (or if) the 2025 operating grants call will open
- No information on whether current activities, already underway since January, will be eligible and supported
- Many organisations are struggling to pay staff or plan ahead
This silence is deeply worrying, especially in a time when civil society is facing pushback across the EU and beyond. The LIFE programme’s recent restrictions are just one EU level example, as are the Dutch cuts on grants to civil society on the national level.
We are raising the alarm, including at our March event in the European Parliament, focusing on ambitious funding for health in the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
We are continuing our campaign, gathering our forces, and calling urgently for:
- Clarity on the 2025 operating grants
- Clarity on the EU4Health Work Programme and objectives for the year in health policy
- Funding opportunities for organisations not in FPAs or currently receiving OPGs
- A sustainable path forward for health civil society in Europe
Because now, more than ever, public health needs an independent civil society voice. And that voice needs to be heard and funded.