Issue 113
January 2023
ISSN 2315-0017
Spotlight on the European Health Union
The start of a new year is a time of reflection and resolutions. Commonly, our thoughts centre on health and well-being: topics of primary concern for all of us.
While EU countries hold primary responsibility for organising and delivering health services and medical care, the EU health policy serves to ensure that health protection is taken into account in all EU policies. It complements and supports the efforts of the Member States by ensuring the accessibility, resilience and modernisation of their health systems and by creating and exploiting synergies at European level. In short, the EU’s health policy aims to foster good health, provide protection from health threats, and harmonise strategies between EU Member States.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to important initiatives, as one of the main lessons of the pandemic was that no single country could effectively deal with that or a similar crisis in the future, alone. These initiatives include among others the creation of the new European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and a pharmaceutical strategy for Europe.
Together, with the European Health Data Space, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and more, these initiatives pave the way towards a European Health Union. As part of the European Health Union, all EU countries prepare for, and respond together to, health crises; medical supplies are available, affordable and innovative; and countries work together to improve prevention, treatment and aftercare for diseases such as cancer.
This year´s first edition of our newsletter brings a selection of EU publications about health, along with publications on other interesting topics, from media freedom to the taxonomy of insects. We wish you a happy 2023, filled with hope, happiness, and good health!
Health at a glance PDF
Europe 2022: state of health in the EU cycle
Developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in cooperation with the European Commission, this report series assesses the EU's progress toward effective, accessible, and resilient health systems. It presents a balanced, descriptive assessment of all EU countries based on publicly available data and indicators. The 2022 edition examines the key challenges European countries must address following the acute phase of the COVID 19 pandemic. It includes a special focus on how the pandemic has affected young people’s mental and physical health.
Available in English
EU global health strategy PDF
Better health for all in a changing world
What happens in one part of the world affects health elsewhere. More than ever before, global health is being impacted by the triple global crisis of climate change, biodiversity and pollution. The EU Global Health Strategy, adopted in November 2022, represents a new way to address health challenges at the global level and in a changing world. This publication sets the outline and principles of the external dimension of the European Health Union.
Available in English
Climate change as a threat to health and well-being in Europe PDF
Focus on heat and infectious diseases
Climate change poses multiple threats to human health and well-being. Despite high average living standards, Europe’s ageing society renders its population particularly vulnerable. This report focuses on two such threats: heat - the greatest direct climate-related threat to human health - and climate-sensitive infectious diseases.
Available in English
Study on eHealth, interoperability of health data and artificial intelligence for health and care in the European Union PDF
Lot 2, Artificial Intelligence for health and care in the EU - Final study report
Artificial intelligence technologies can help citizens better monitor their health, receive better diagnoses and more personalized treatments, as well as live a healthier and more independent life. A key objective of the European Commission is to make the most of these technologies for the benefit of EU citizens. This study assesses the progress towards this goal.
If you have a special interest in technology for the health sector, you can also read this story about health data.
Available in English
Assessing the health burden of infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the EU/EEA, 2016-2020 PDF
Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a major global health threat. Previous studies have consistently described these infections having a considerable public health burden in terms of attributable deaths and life years. This report aims to provide updated estimates of the burden of infections with selected bacterium–antibiotic resistance combinations in 2016-2020 and assess how this burden has changed from previous estimates.
Available in English
The failure of global public health governance PDF
A forensic analysis
COVID-19 has underlined the fact that public health is a basic global public good, the provision of which presupposes effective and timely collective action at global level. In this context, this paper positions global public health governance in a wider context. It sets out a framework for understanding the failings – and successes – of the different phases of the international response to COVID-19. It examines how factors that have been found to be important in a number of policy areas manifest themselves in the pandemic response. Finally, it assesses the positive development of the decision to work towards a new pandemic treaty in the context of the broader reform agenda of global health security governance.
Available in English
Research and innovation
CORDIS results pack on viruses PDF/Paper
Europe has always supported robust virology research. This is already helping in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will be essential if we want to tackle other current viral challenges and potential new ones in the future. In this results pack, we introduce a number of innovative EU-funded projects that are making contributions not only to the battle against SARS-CoV-2 but also to the wider virology field that will improve our overall understanding of viruses, as well as our ability to create even more effective antiviral treatments and vaccines.
Available in English
(Individual article also available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish on the CORDIS website)
Also out recently
China 2.0 PDF
Status and foresight of EU-China trade, investment, and technological race
This report analyses China's performance on international and capital markets as well as on technological developments. It does so from various viewpoints and by consistently comparing China vis-à-vis the EU, and the US whenever suitable.
Available in English
Media freedom and pluralism in the EU PDF
Free media are a key pillar of every democracy. On a global scale, the European Union remains a stronghold for free media, setting standards based on democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Yet, there are increasingly worrying trends. Building on past efforts, the Commission has taken a number of measures to protect media freedom and pluralism in the EU. Find out more about these measures in this factsheet.
Available in English, French and German
VAT gap in the EU PDF
Executive summary 2022
VAT is one of the core sources of government revenue in the EU. Meeting the fiscal objective of VAT requires confronting the key challenge of taxpayer non-compliance. It also requires sensible fiscal policies. This publication is the executive summary of an annual report presenting VAT gap estimates: estimates of the overall difference between the expected VAT revenues and the amounts actually collected. It aims to support tax administrations in their tax gap monitoring efforts. If you are interested in the complete report you can find it here (available in English).
Available in English, French and German
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Impact of COVID-19 measures on democracy and fundamental rights PDF
Best practices and lessons learned in the Member States and third countries
This study examines the impact of COVID-19 measures on democracy and fundamental rights in the EU. It considers what best practices have been evidenced, and the lessons that can be learned from comparative experience within EU Member States as well as third countries.
Available in English
European Red List of insect taxonomists PDF
Insects play a significant role in the functioning of healthy ecosystems and human well-being. Our ability and expertise to recognise insect species and biodiversity are fundamental for their conservation. However, there is increasing concern regarding our capacity to identify insects and describe and name new insect species. This capacity has traditionally been provided by taxonomists, working in museums, institutes or universities. This European Red List of Insect Taxonomists provides the first assessment of the status of taxonomic expertise capacity in Europe.
Available in English
EU & me PDF/Paper
If you are between 15 and 18 years old and interested in finding out more about the European Union, then this booklet is for you. It will tell you how the European Union – or ‘EU’ for short – was built. It will also tell you what values we share, who does what in the EU and how all of this is relevant to your daily life. You will also learn about how the EU deals with today’s big challenges, including climate change, the digital world and COVID-19. What the EU is doing today will shape your future tomorrow.
Available in all official languages of the EU
Our news
The second edition of the European Data Conference on Reference and Semantics, ENDORSE 2023, brings into focus the power of multilingual reference data and the role of semantic technologies in our everyday lives. The conference, organised by the Publications Office of the European Union with the support of the Digital Europe Programme, will take place online in three afternoon sessions from 14 to 16 March 2023 and is now open for registration
Programme
The programme features over 40 contributions from EU and international experts in multilingual reference data and semantic technologies, and several panel discussions. The sessions are organised in two parallel tracks to give participants an opportunity to choose a topic of their interest. The tracks cover Multilingual reference data, Using reference data and semantics, and Semantic technologies in our everyday lives - tangible impacts and linked data.
Join us!
ENDORSE brings together users, practitioners, experts, researchers, solution seekers and providers from the EU institutions and agencies, national public services and universities, as well as in international and intergovernmental organisations and the private sector. Book your place by registering for online presence!
To find out more, join or follow the event, visit the ENDORSE website or follow us on Twitter, with the hashtag #ENDORSE2023.
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