Brussels, 5 March 2014 – Today, the European Commission released its Communication on the Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy (1) in what de facto launches the debate on the priorities for the European Union 2015-2020. Coinciding with this release, the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) launched today its manifesto to the European Parliament Elections (2). In its manifesto, EPHA urges Members of the European Parliament (MEP) candidates to put health at the heart of the European Union’s policy making.
“The Europe 2020 Strategy is falling short in creating smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe, let alone delivering better health and well-being for all. This review must put the environmental and social objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy on an equal footing with the economic ones, (3)” said Monika Kosińska, Secretary General of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA).
Health should have a more prominent role in the Europe 2020 Strategy (4). Quality employment, the reduction of inequalities, greater investments in social protection and healthcare systems, as well as a meaningful engagement with civil society are clearly missing from the Europe 2020 Strategy.
EPHA’s Election Manifesto outlines concrete actions that MEPs should take to provide the revision of the Europe 2020 strategy with better policy instruments. In its manifesto, EPHA displays a strong commitment to collaborate with the upcoming European Parliament, in promoting better health and enhancing the democratic legitimacy of the Europe 2020 governance process.
The EPHA Election Manifesto is an appeal to MEP candidates to ensure that the Europe 2020 strategy prioritises and delivers people’s health and well-being. “Business as usual is not delivering for Europe, nor for people living in Europe. To reach the goal of smart, sustainable, inclusive growth and fulfil targets, such as lifting 20 million Europeans out of poverty, employing 75% of the active population and reducing school drop-out rates below 10%, we need to ensure we are using tools that achieve these objectives and targets and not undermine them,” reads the manifesto.
– Notes to editors
1) The Europe 2020 Strategy was launched in 2010 to promote ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. The Commission released a mid-term review on Europe 2020 that will orientate the debate and gives a snapshot of progress achieved to date.
2) EPHA’s Election Manifesto, launched today, outlines the priorities of EPHA members on what the future European Parliament should hope to achieve, to create an inclusive, sustainable society, starting with a revision of the Europe 2020 Strategy to include an explicit health dimension.
3) The Commission Staff Working Document on Progress on ‘GDP and beyond’ actions notes the limitations of economic indicators for measuring progress towards key societal goals such as well-being and sustainability.
4) EPHA briefing: Health in the Europe 2020 Strategy describes the link between health and the Europe 2020 targets and flagship initiatives. EPHA Report: A post-GDP critique of the Europe 2020 Strategy outlines the growing body of evidence showing that GDP alone cannot measure all aspects of human development, does not account for social costs and provides recommendations on what Europe can do. EPHA’s 2011 Annual Conference debated whether Europe 2020 is set to achieve better health outcomes or if it threatens to increase health inequalities.
– Contact information
Javier Delgado, EPHA Communications Coordinator at j.delgado-rivera@epha.org or 32 (0) 2 233 38 876
