On 1 July, the Interregional Group on Health and Wellbeing at the Committee of the Regions met in Brussels to discuss how better implementation of environmental and climate policy can protect public health across Europe. The session, chaired by Birgitta Sacrédeus, brought together regional politicians, EU institutions, health professionals, and civil society.

Opening remarks and regional perspectives

Birgitta Sacrédeus (Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Chair of the CoR’s IRGHW) opened the meeting by highlighting heat as a growing threat to patients and healthcare workers, calling for closer alignment between environmental and health policy.

Jules Vertriest (Climate Physician, Care Department of Government of Flanders) presented Flanders’ Climate Health Plan, describing it a “win-win” logic, where emission cuts bring direct health benefits, alongside measures to adapt to climate change impacts. He also noted a structural complexity in Belgium’s federal system, where prevention sits as a regional competence while healthcare financing remains federal. He closed with Flanders’ “Warme Dagen” campaign, reaching around 20,000 healthcare professionals and facilities, and simple tools co-developed with local “health makers,” including a popular hydration reminder card for elderly people.

Stefania Proietti (President of Umbria Region (IT) and CoR Member, CoR Rapporteur for the Environmental Implementation Review), presenting her draft CoR opinion, made the economic case for implementation, arguing that fully enforcing environmental legislation is essential for disease prevention, social cohesion, and economic resilience. Noting that regions and cities carry out most climate adaptation and much mitigation policy, she highlighted Umbria’s monitoring system for its ageing population as an example. She concluded by calling on the EU to move beyond infringement procedures, proactively support vulnerable territories, rigorously apply the “do no significant harm” principle, improve coordination across water, agricultural, and industrial policy, and strengthen action on persistent substances.

Civil society and public health perspectives

Representing the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), Ms. Milka Sokolović argued that fragmented governance, not lack of evidence, is the main barrier to implementation. She raised the “prevention paradox” – invisible success being politically unrewarding – and framed environmental implementation as an equity issue, proposing health as a shared language across sectors.

Sharing practices and implementation experiences

Michelle Renz (EU Affairs Unit for Healthacross, Lower Austria) presented HACK-IT-NET, a Interreg-funded Alpine project helping care organisations to adapt to heat. Discussion touched on tensions between air conditioning and energy savings, housing versus green space, and the challenge of sustaining support for prevention.

Key takeaways

• Inaction on EU environmental legislation costs €180 billion a year
• Heat and health are closely linked
• Regions and cities are central to turning EU policy into real protection on the ground
• Fragmented governance leaves prevention “everyone’s responsibility, and no one’s”
• The “prevention paradox” makes success invisible, and therefore politically unrewarding and underfunded
• Environmental risks compound existing inequalities, making implementation an equity issue
• Prevention offers a strong return, but its long-term and invisible benefits are a hard political sell.

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of strong cooperation between EU institutions, regional and local authorities, public health experts and civil society to ensure that environmental and climate policy is translated into concrete, territory-sensitive protection for public health across Europe.

EUREGHA, as Secretariat of the European Committee of the Regions’ Interregional Group on Health and Well-being, invites interested stakeholders to register for the upcoming Summer Meeting of the Interregional Group.

The meeting, titled “Protecting health and wellbeing through environmental and climate implementation”, will take place on 1 July 2026, from 9:00 to 10:00 CEST, at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, Room JDE70.

Environmental and climate-related risks are increasingly affecting people’s health and wellbeing across Europe, from air and water pollution to heatwaves, floods, chemical exposure and pressures on health and care systems. Regions and cities are at the forefront of translating environmental and climate policies into concrete prevention, resilience and public health measures.

Chaired by Birgitta Sacrédeus, Member of the European Committee of the Regions and Chair of the Interregional Group on Health and Well-being, the meeting will explore the links between environmental action, climate resilience and health outcomes, with a focus on the territorial dimension and the role of regions in protecting citizens’ wellbeing.

The agenda will include contributions from Stefania Proietti, President of Umbria Region and CoR Rapporteur for the Environmental Implementation Review; a representative from Department Zorg / Flanders; and more , followed by an open debate and Q&A.

Please note that, given the limited number of seats, priority will be given to CoR members, with any remaining available spots allocated by the Secretariat on a first-come, first-served basis.

On 6 May 2026, the Interregional Group on Health and Well-being of the European Committee of the Regions, for which EUREGHA acts as Secretariat, held a meeting on “Shaping the EU Safe Hearts Plan: regional perspectives for cardiovascular health.” The meeting brought together EU institutions, regional and local authorities, public health experts and stakeholders to discuss how the forthcoming Plan can support cardiovascular prevention and care across Europe.

Opening remarks and regional perspectives

Opening the meeting, Birgitta Sacrédeus, Chair of the Interregional Group of Health and Wellbeing, recalled that cardiovascular diseases remain one of the leading causes of death in Europe and stressed the importance of involving all levels of governance. Carmine Pacente, CoR Rapporteur for the opinion on the Safe Hearts Plan, presented the ongoing work on the draft opinion, highlighting the role of local and regional authorities in promoting collective prevention through urban planning, food policies, healthier school environments and support for healthy lifestyles.

European and Commission perspectives on the Safe Hearts Plan

Sharing practices and implementation experiences

The meeting also featured contributions from Benedetta Armocida, Coordinator of JACARDI, who presented the Joint Action as a key European framework on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and Prof. Cristina Gavina, who illustrated the Portuguese Strategic Plan for Cardiovascular Health and its practical actions on awareness, screening, data and access to treatment.

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of strong cooperation between EU institutions, regional and local authorities, public health experts and stakeholders to ensure that the EU Safe Hearts Plan is translated into concrete, territory-sensitive action for cardiovascular health across Europe.

Brussels, 4 March 2026 – The Interregional Group on Health and Well-being (IRGHW) of the European Committee of the Regions officially launched its 2026 activities with a constitutive meeting bringing together regional representatives, policymakers and health stakeholders to define priorities for the year ahead. 

Opening the session, Chair Birgitta Sacrédeus welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of the meeting as a starting point for shaping the group’s work program. She underlined the key role of the IRGHW as a platform for cooperation and exchange, enabling regions to contribute actively to EU health policy debates. 

Setting the scene: IRGHW as a platform for cooperation and policy dialogue 

During the introductory session, Marco Di Donato (EUREGHA) presented the working methods of the Interregional Group, emphasizing its role as an informal yet strategic platform within the Committee of the Regions. 

The IRGHW facilitates dialogue between regional authorities, EU institutions and stakeholders, while supporting the development of CoR opinions and strengthening regional input into European health policymaking. The group is expected to meet four to five times in 2026, including thematic sessions and discussions involving external experts. 

Defining priorities: mental health, cardiovascular health and beyond 

The core of the meeting focused on identifying thematic priorities for the 2026 work plan. Several key areas emerged from the discussion, including: 

• Mental health 

• Cardiovascular health 

• Women health 

• Digital health and the European Health Data Space 

• The role of culture and arts in health 

• Links with the future EU Multiannual Financial Framework 

Looking ahead: a structured agenda for 2026 

In her closing remarks, Chair Sacrédeus welcomed the strong engagement from participants and highlighted the clear convergence around key priorities such as mental health, cardiovascular health, and prevention. 

She reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration between regions and EU institutions, positioning the IRGHW as a key forum for exchange, policy dialogue, and advocacy. 

The European Committee of the Regions’ Interregional Group on Health and Well-being (IRGHW) met on 10 December 2025 to discuss the future of EU investment in health and regions under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The meeting, titled “Shaping the Next EU Long-term Budget for Health and Regions”, built on earlier exchanges held during the European Week of Regions and Cities and focused on how regions can meaningfully shape and implement EU health and public health policies beyond 2027. The session was supported by EUREGHA, which acts as Secretariat of the Interregional Group.

Opening the meeting, Chair Birgitta Sacrédeus recalled that while EU-level decisions define strategic priorities, it is local and regional authorities that translate them into action. She underlined that the design and governance of future EU funding instruments must therefore fully recognise regions as key actors in implementation, particularly in the health field.

The CoR Perspective: Regions as Genuine Partners in the Future MFF

Speaking on behalf of Sari Rautio (FI/EPP), Rapporteur of the Committee of the Regions’ Opinion on the MFF post-2027, Annukka Mäkinen, Development Manager at the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, presented the main messages of the CoR Opinion on the MFF 2028–2034.

Ms Mäkinen stressed that the debate on the next MFF is not only about financial allocations, but also about democracy, trust and cohesion within the European Union. She warned that a shift away from regional programmes towards more centralised national plans could undermine cohesion policy, multilevel governance and citizen confidence in the European project.

Referring to the CoR Resolution on the MFF 2028–2034 adopted in October 2025, she recalled the Committee’s call for a revision of the Commission proposal, the preservation of place-based policies and strong involvement of local and regional authorities. While welcoming adjustments announced by the European Commission in November 2025 regarding competitiveness-related budget headings, she noted that further clarification and binding legal guarantees remain necessary.

A central element of the Opinion is the introduction of effective regional checks and safeguards to ensure that local and regional authorities are fully involved in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of future National and Regional Partnership Plans. Ms Mäkinen also highlighted the need to apply the “do no harm to cohesion” principle across all EU funds and programmes, ensuring that simplification and flexibility benefit end users without weakening the partnership principle.

Cohesion policy, she emphasised, remains a cornerstone of European solidarity and competitiveness. Major EU priorities—including security, sustainability, competitiveness and the green transition—can only be delivered effectively at local and regional level. In this context, she underlined the importance of placing subsidiarity and partnership on a firmer legal footing, alongside predictable funding, clear eligibility rules for all regions and a stronger role for EU own resources.

Regional and Stakeholder Perspectives: Health, Cohesion and Competitiveness

The open debate brought together regional networks, health stakeholders and CoR members to reflect on how regions can be better empowered to access, combine and implement EU funding for resilient and equitable health systems.

Representing the EURegions4Cohesion Alliance, Aki Ishiwa (Regione Emilia-Romagna Brussels Office) outlined the alliance’s advocacy work in response to concerns about the nationalisation of cohesion policy. She highlighted its engagement with EU institutions, its call for guaranteed funding and a stronger regional role, and its growing membership across Member States.

From the perspective of the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN), Kyle Galea emphasised the strategic role of regions in building research and innovation ecosystems, particularly in health and digital domains. He pointed to the importance of EU-level programmes and infrastructures in reducing fragmentation, supporting interoperability and strengthening collaboration across regions.

Speaking on behalf of EuroHealthNet, Silvia Ganzerla raised concerns about the limited visibility of health in current MFF discussions. She stressed that health promotion and disease prevention risk being sidelined when competing with other priorities, and called for stronger indicators to enable regional and local authorities to use EU funds more effectively for prevention and well-being.

Michele Calabró, representing EUREGHA and the Secretariat of the IRGHW, reflected the views of regional health authorities. He underlined the importance of safeguarding dedicated health funding, reinforcing cohesion policy, maintaining cross-border cooperation instruments and ensuring continuous and meaningful involvement of regions through multilevel governance arrangements.

Cross-cutting Issues: Funding, Governance and Preparedness

The discussion also touched on several cross-cutting issues, including the eligibility of regional and local authorities for future funding instruments, ethical considerations linked to competitiveness-driven health innovation, and the coordination of health funding across EU programmes. Participants stressed the need to avoid competition between health and other policy priorities within shared funding envelopes.

Additional reflections highlighted the relevance of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism for health crisis preparedness, including stockpiling and distribution of vaccines and medical countermeasures, as well as the governance and regional dimension of the European Competitiveness Fund and its health-related components.

Looking Ahead

In her closing remarks, Chair Birgitta Sacrédeus summarised the broad consensus emerging from the discussion: health is foundational to social cohesion, territorial resilience and long-term economic competitiveness. She confirmed that the work of the Interregional Group on Health and Well-being will continue in 2026, with further exchanges planned on upcoming legislative files and funding instruments.

Referring to Alfred Nobel Day, the Chair concluded with a reminder of the importance of sustained regional engagement, both in shaping the next EU long-term budget and in delivering health policies where they matter most.