The challenging circumstances for public health and the shrinking space for civil society require strong civil society organisations like EPHA to deliver equitable solutions to public health challenges in Europe and beyond, all to improve health and reduce health...

The recent EU elections, which took place on 6-9 June, represent a pivotal moment for Europe. Citizens were called to the ballot box to uphold European democracy and express what matters to them. Ahead of the elections, EPHA and its members, along with a multitude of different actors from civil society, partnered with the European Parliament in an election campaign to promote the importance of voting.

The report builds on the Lancet series on the Commercial Determinants of Health, and it explores how commercial interests exacerbate non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as key strategies used by commercial interests to influence NCD-related policies negatively, at both national and international level. It also offers practical and hands-on examples with 33 case studies which illustrate the subtle tactics of certain commercial actors.

PRESS RELEASE: Brussels, 21 June 2024 The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) welcomes the Council (EPSCO) Conclusions on the Future of the European Health Union. EPHA expresses its approval and support for the recently agreed Council Conclusions adopted today on...

Our voice matters! Actions that citizens and civil society can take to tackle the commercial determinants of NCDs On June 12th, the WHO Regional Office for Europe released a pivotal report on the Commercial Determinants of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This...

Ahead of the European Elections this year, and recognising the growing importance and awareness of food and farming among EU citizens, EU FPC participating organisations joined forces to shed light on the voting records of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) – and the political groups they belong to – over the last mandate (2019-2024).

Liver health is intrinsically linked to the overall public health landscape. Chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, pose significant public health challenges, affecting millions of Europeans.

The European Parliament’s elections campaign, with the tagline #UseYourVote or others will decide for you, set out to be a loud message aiming at including and bringing to the conversation as many voices as possible.

On May 22, the European Commission adopted a Communication on the European Health Union. This document, presented by the Commissioner for Health (DG SANTE), Stella Kyriakides, highlights the significant strides made in EU health policy over the last five years; a period marked by unprecedented challenges and critical advancements. The Communication was unveiled at an event where Commissioner Kyriakides set the stage for future developments under her successor.

In the ongoing battle against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), confronting the commercial determinants that adversely affect public health remains a significant challenge. These determinants are largely fuelled by industries that profit from products linked to NCDs and their main risk factors, including tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy diets.

Flanders has more and more neighbourhoods with an abundance of unhealthy food (food swamps). Elsewhere, adequate access to healthy food is the problem (food deserts). This makes it increasingly difficult to promote healthy eating habits in Flanders. 

A significant proportion of the global chronic disease burden is caused by dietary patterns that are low in plant-based foods and high in red/processed meat, and foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.

Almost every day dire headlines govern the news: record temperatures, droughts, biodiversity loss, food inflation, record numbers of diet-related diseases, animal welfare issues uncovered…the list goes on.

In March 2024 Flanders organized the Open Food Conference in light of the Belgian Presidency of the EU. It took stock of the progress towards the ambitions and goals set forward in the European Farm to Fork Strategy. This conference tackled a broad range of topics which covered the whole food

In March 2024 changes to the tobacco legislation were officially approved in Slovenia. These
changes are in accordance with the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100.

The European elections of 6-9 June will be a turning point for the EU health policies. Health systems are in crisis, particularly regarding the health and care workforce, which situation has been labelled a ticking time bomb.

As we navigate the complex landscape of public health, initiatives like JACARDI are valuable steps on the way to reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes (DM) across Europe.

The upcoming European elections will be decisive for the future of the European Union and its plans in facing and addressing the growing global challenges. EPHA carried out an analysis of political parties’ manifestos to identify their plans and ambitions related to...