EUREGHA responds to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence Consultation on Cardiovascular Health Checks
As part of the European Commission’s public consultation/call for evidence on cardiovascular health checks, EUREGHA – the European Regional and Local Health Authorities – has provided its contribution outlining how future EU action on cardiovascular prevention and early detection should better integrate the regional and local dimension to ensure effective implementation and equitable health outcomes across Europe.
Drawing on the insights and experiences of its members, EUREGHA’s response highlights the importance of recognising the role of regional health systems in translating European priorities into practice, adapting prevention and screening approaches to territorial realities, and strengthening collaboration across governance levels.
What we highlighted in our contribution on cardiovascular health checks:
- Recognising local and regional health authorities as health system actors:
Regional and local authorities are often responsible for prevention programmes, health checks, care pathways and service delivery. They should be explicitly recognised as implementation partners rather than generic stakeholders. - Strengthening territorial implementation of prevention and screening:
Cardiovascular prevention and health checks require place-based approaches that can respond to different population needs and territorial realities. Regions play a central role in adapting interventions and ensuring continuity of care. - Promoting integrated and community-based care models:
Prevention, early detection and follow-up should be embedded within integrated care pathways and community-based approaches that support citizens throughout the care continuum. - Reinforcing digital health and data governance at regional level:
Health data systems, registries, interoperability frameworks and the implementation of data-sharing initiatives are frequently organised at regional level. Strengthening the territorial dimension of digital health is therefore essential. - Supporting interregional cooperation and knowledge exchange:
EU instruments, including Joint Actions and collaborative initiatives, can support mutual learning, facilitate the scaling up of good practices and strengthen cooperation between regions facing similar challenges. - Aligning EU priorities with territorial investment mechanisms:
Future cardiovascular initiatives should ensure stronger links with cohesion policy instruments and other funding mechanisms that support regional health investments and reduce territorial inequalities.
Bridging policy ambition and practical delivery:
Effective implementation requires governance structures that involve those responsible for delivery. Regions should be structurally involved not only in implementation but also in planning, monitoring and evaluation processes. These recommendations are further informed by discussions held during the CoR’s Interregional Group on Health – Well-being meeting on the Safe Hearts Plan (6th May 2026), which highlighted the importance of strengthening the regional dimension in translating EU policy ambitions into tangible health outcomes.
As Secretariat to the European Committee of the Regions Interregional Group on Health and Well-being and through its working groups, projects and policy activities, EUREGHA will continue supporting exchanges and bringing regional perspectives into broader EU health discussions. Building on contributions from members and discussions on the European Safe Hearts Plan, EUREGHA will continue advocating for a stronger territorial approach to cardiovascular health policies — one that empowers regions to move from implementation actors to strategic partners in improving health outcomes across Europe.
EUREGHA and members’ inputs to the call for evidence/consultation
Click on the links below to access EUREGHA’s full response to the Call for Evidence consultation, as well as examples from members’ inputs and consultation submissions. The list will be continuously updated.
