EuroHealthNet urges EC to make 2020 a healthier new year

EuroHealthNet, the network linking health promotion bodies in the EU, has urged European Commission chiefs to revise their draft plan for economic strategies to include health and social improvements.

Responding to the current consultation process for the EU 2020 proposal, the Brussels-based organisation points out that the Commission recently published its proposals for addressing health and social inequalities but has overlooked its own plans in the suggested priorities to replace the Lisbon strategy.

“We looked in vain for mentions of how health will contribute to meeting EU objectives” said EuroHealthNet director Clive Needle, “after all, wellbeing is included as an aim in Article 3 of the new EU Treaty so we expect leaders to demonstrate how they will help to deliver it."

"But our New Year Message to President Barroso and colleagues is you can do much better – and better health for EU citizens can help you meet your aims," he said.

"The omission of health as an economic benefit is unacceptable and we call on EU Member States and the new Commissioners to substantially revise the draft text. Lisbon is failing because the objectives were ill judged , and we fear the 2020 objectives will also be missed on the basis of the first draft," he added.

"By the midterm review we will also see how the EU is playing its part towards achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, so now is the time to adopt an inclusive approach to tackling the real causes of ill health regionally and globally – and the evidence shows that needs sustainable economic, social and environmental actions.”

EuroHealthNet has pointed out that between EU states there is a 14 year gap in life expectancy at birth for men and an 8 year gap for women. It calls on EC leaders to take into account such data in economic planning, and to take up the recommendations of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

In October the EC published its Communication on strategies to address such health and social inequalities, which implied progress in the post Lisbon priorities.

In its consultation response EuroHealthNet recommends:

•    the inclusion of indicators showing policymakers the extent and cost of inequities;
•    a stronger sustainable development approach
•    investment in improvement of wellbeing measures, particularly in early years of life.

EuroHealthNet is a member of the EU Health Policy Forum and is also supporting that body’s response on the public health implications of the 2020 plan.

The EuroHealthNet consultation response in full is available from the publications page.