EUREGHA Responds to the European Commission’s Feedback Consultation on the EU’s Next Long-Term Budget (MFF)

As part of the European Commission’s feedback consultation on the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), EUREGHA – the European Regional and Local Health Authorities – has provided its contribution outlining how the next EU budget should strengthen the health dimension across all policies and empower regional and local actors to deliver long-term impact. 

Drawing on the insights and experiences of its members, EUREGHA’s response stresses the importance of aligning EU investment with territorial needs, promoting cross-sectoral collaboration, and ensuring that future financial instruments remain fit for purpose in an evolving health and social landscape. 

What we highlighted in our Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF):

• Empowering Local and Regional Health Authorities (LRAs):
  Local and regional health authorities must be recognised as full partners in EU programme governance. Their proximity to citizens ensures investments meet real needs and strengthen trust in Europe.

• Making health a strategic, cross-cutting priority:
  Health should remain visible across all major EU instruments, ensuring that research, innovation, and digital investments translate into stronger health systems and better outcomes.

• Preserving dedicated health funding:
  The next MFF must maintain standalone health programmes such as EU4Health and Joint Actions to drive reform, share best practices, and deliver EU-wide health initiatives effectively.

• Protecting Cohesion Policy for health and territorial equity:
  Cohesion Policy and Interreg are vital to regional health investment and innovation. Their governance must stay shared between EU, national, and regional levels to ensure funding reaches territorial needs.

• Fostering cross-border and interregional cooperation:
  Interreg and similar tools should continue supporting cross-border health integration, improving access to care and reinforcing solidarity between regions.

• Simplifying access and building long-term capacity:
  Simpler, harmonised procedures and stronger coordination across EU departments will make funding more accessible, while sustained support for capacity building and networks like EUREGHA ensures lasting impact.

• Strengthening coherence and continuity:
  Better coordination between DG SANTE, DG REGIO, DG RTD, and DG EMPL will link research, reform, and implementation, ensuring successful initiatives can grow and endure.

As Secretariat to the Interregional Group on Health and Well-being and through our working groups and project involvement, EUREGHA will continue to support exchanges and bring regional insights into wider EU health and investment discussions. In line with our Manifesto for 2024 and beyond, we continue to advocate for a more strategic, inclusive, and health-sensitive approach to EU investment—one that enables real reform, sustainable impact, and lasting partnerships across all territories.