On 16 June 2026, the EEAC Working Group on Health hosted an online webinar on “A Europe That Cares: Health Policy in an Era of Security, Competitiveness, and Strategic Autonomy”.
In recent years, health has become an important part of the EU's broader policy agenda. It is increasingly being discussed in connection with Europe’s ability to respond to emerging challenges and plan and prepare for the future. This also shows the need for a wider approach that considers health beyond the healthcare sector and connects it to the conditions that influence people's lives.
The session "A Europe that cares: Health Policy in an Era of Security, Competitiveness, and Strategic Autonomy" examined how health and wellbeing can be better integrated into broader EU policymaking. It opened with remarks by Arnau Queralt Bassa, Chair of the EEAC Network and a brief introduction by Valentin-Veron Toma. Subsequently, Caroline Costongs, Director of EuroHealthNet, discussed the worsening state of health inequalities in Europe and highlighted the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to poor health. Dr. Matthias Wismar, Programme Manager at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, focused on health policy in a changing geopolitical landscape, including preparedness, resilience, and the need for stronger cooperation between sectors. The webinar ended with a questions session followed by closing remarks by the WG Health Chair, Valentin-Veron Toma.
