Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union (EU) has often been criticised for not having reacted strongly enough and for not having taken more leadership in coordinating the response. On the other hand, the pioneering efforts around the negotiations and the purchasing of the COVID-19 vaccines have showcased that coordinated action of all EU Member States is not only possible but necessary in times of a pandemic. Yet, the EU is limited in what it can do regarding health under the current Treaty, and the COVID-19 pandemic has starkly revealed the weaknesses in the division of powers and competences between the EU and its Member States. In this episode, European Health Union (EHU) initiators Dorli Kahr-Gottlieb and Anniek de Ruijter discuss the recently published position paper, by EHU initiative members, calling for a Treaty change in order to fully reach a EHU. Read the position paper here: https://europeanhealthunion.eu/

European Health Union Now!

Do we need a Treaty change for a true European Health Union?

Civil society has played a crucial role in advocating for better health in the EU during the COVID-19 crisis – but had already done that before. As we are moving towards a European Health Union (EHU) that works for all Europeans, strong partnerships and collaboration with civil society organisations are needed. Civil society organisations can play a fundamental role in bridging the gap between the EU and its citizens, thereby helping to make the EHU a truly transformative European effort. How can we strengthen the involvement of civil society in European policymaking processes? How can we ensure working in partnership across borders and sectors not only in preparation for the next pandemic, but for the future of health in Europe in general, becomes the new normal? In this podcast, Dorli Kahr-Gottlieb, Secretary General of the European Health Forum Gastein and a EHU initiator sits down with Milka Sokolovic, Director-General of the European Public Health Alliance, to discuss these topics. 

A European Health Union for the people - civil society at the heart of Europe's future

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening Europe’s resilience against current and future health threats has become a hot item on political agendas, as well as an essential concern for citizens. Under the leadership of Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, in November 2020 the European Commission took first steps in the scope of a ‘European Health Union’ legislative package, intended to unify and improve European responses to cross-border threats. Chief among the proposed measures, which are currently under negotiation in the European Council and Parliament, is an extension of the mandate for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). But what exactly would this new mandate entail? How could it protect Europeans? And how does this proposal fit in with larger, more ambitious visions of European cohesion on health? In this podcast, Dorli-Kahr Gottlieb, Secretary General of the EHFG and one of the initiators behind the European Health Union Initiative (EHUI), sits down with ECDC Director Andrea Ammon to find out.

Facing tomorrow’s health threats: a strong ECDC for a resilient Europe

Europe seems to have forgotten that nobody is safe until everyone is safe. Does the current era of vaccine nationalism and its concomitant failure to demonstrate solidarity put a European Health Union at risk?

Vaccine nationalism - where is the solidarity now?

This series of podcasts in the scope of the European Health Union (EHU) Initiative will discuss current political events and developments through the lens of the ideas and aims behind the EHU Initiative.

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European Health Union Now!

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