On 24 February, EUREGHA officially launched the 2026 activities of its Working Group on Cross-Border Healthcare (CBHC) with a constitutive meeting bringing together members from regional and local health authorities across Europe. The meeting marked the starting point for renewed collaboration on cross-border health issues, EU funding opportunities, and key policy developments affecting border regions.
The session provided an opportunity to exchange expectations, identify priority themes, and align on the Working Group’s objectives for the year ahead.
Key focus areas for 2026
Discussions highlighted a strong interest in reinforcing cooperation among regions on cross-border healthcare governance and service delivery. In particular, members underlined:
- The importance of strengthening the role of regions in EU policy discussions, particularly in the context of the upcoming post-2027 MFF and evolving frameworks for territorial cooperation
- The central role of Interreg and other EU funding instruments (Horizon Europe, I3, IHI, EU4Health) in supporting sustainable cross-border initiatives, alongside concerns on increasingly performance-driven funding models
- The need to facilitate matchmaking and collaboration among regions for participation in EU-funded projects, building on EUREGHA’s mapping of members’ interests
- The relevance of key thematic priorities, including medicines management, workforce mobility, continuity of care, Mental Health, and the implementation of the European Health Data Space
- The importance of addressing structural challenges such as governance, interoperability and long-term integration of cross-border services
Members also emphasised the role of the Working Group as a platform to exchange experiences and consolidate regional expertise into a stronger, coordinated advocacy voice at EU level, feeding into EUREGHA’s upcoming position paper on cross-border healthcare
Next steps
Looking ahead, the Working Group will focus on:
- Supporting targeted matchmaking and collaboration around upcoming EU funding opportunities
- Deepening thematic exchanges in future meetings and strengthening peer learning across border regions
- Enhancing EUREGHA’s engagement with EU platforms and policy processes related to cross-border healthcare
The meeting confirmed the continued relevance of cross-border healthcare as a strategic priority for regional and local authorities, particularly in light of ongoing EU policy developments and funding discussions.
For more information about EUREGHA’s Working Group on Digital Transformation of Healthcare, or to get involved, get in touch with us and visit:
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