This international, full-day policy event takes place during the Danish EU presidency, showcasing and disseminating key insights from major strategic European health initiatives under the EU4Health programme to facilitate valuable dialogue and knowledge exchange.

Purpose and Aim

The purpose of the event is to boost collaboration and knowledge exchange among European health stakeholders. It seeks to lay the groundwork for effectively addressing key EU health policy priorities by disseminating the latest knowledge from participating Joint Actions to develop potential joint strategies and sustainable solutions within European healthcare.

Hence, the event will delve into future actions required to tackle pressing health challenges, including:

• Prevention and treatment of cancer and other non-communicable diseases
• Green and sustainable health systems
• Inequalities in health
• Mental health and more.

To do so, it will bring together leading actors from strategic health projects and decision-makers to create vital synergies and collaboration on these critical issues.

Gains and Outputs

The event will inspire the planning and development of joint strategies to tackle some of the most pressing health challenges across Europe by obtaining the following outputs:

• Output 1: Improve the knowledge foundation for decision-making among decision-makers. The event will disseminate the latest insights and knowledge from some of the largest strategic European health projects under the EU4Health programme.
• Output 2: Enhance the understanding and prerequisites for incentives and decision-making structures that support sustainable Joint Actions within the EU. The event will reinforce synergies, efforts, and strategic focus among Joint Action projects and European Member States, aiding sustainability and boosting the value of Joint Action activities in addressing EU health policy priorities.
• Output 3: Provide the foundation for a policy paper, disseminating the latest knowledge from the participating Joint Actions. Moreover, to cover the main outputs of the event and any further actions to ensure sustainable and effective project results. Ultimately meeting the deliverables of JA PreventNCD and other Joint Actions.

09:15-09:30    Welcome and introduction

By Bo Libergren, Chairman, Regional Council, Region of Southern Denmark and the moderators; Lars Henrik Jensen, Chief Medical Officer, Lillebælt Hospital; Emil Høstrup, Specialist Consultant, Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark

09:30-10:05    Session 1 – The European health challenges
What is the status of the European health challenges and how can large strategic projects, such as Joint Action partnerships, support the efforts in reducing the disease burden throughout Europe.

By Stine Bosse, MEP and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Public Health

10:05-10:40    Session 2 – Global health challenges
How are global and European health challenges linked with focus on prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and what is the role of European partnerships?

By Dr Gauden Galea, Former Strategic Adviser on NCDs and Innovation

10:40-10:55    Break

10:55-12:00    Session 3 – Joint Actions and sustainability
Six selected Joint Action coordinators will pitch their strategic aims and focus on the newest knowledge and work with sustainability, emerging from the Joint Actions.

• Ja PreventNCD, Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
• JA EUnetCCC, Dr Thomas Dubois, Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute, France
• JANE-2, Annalisa Trama, Director of the Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS National Cancer Institute, Italy
• JA MENTOR, Sibilla Laura Neimane, Head of Project Unit, National Centre of Mental Health, Latvia
• JA TEHDAS2, Markus Kalliola, Programme Director, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
• JADE Health, TBA.

12:00-13:00    Lunch and networking

13:00-13:40    Inspirational talk – How do we succeed with implementations of health care initiatives across borders.

By Pellegrino Riccardi, Award-winning TEDx talker

13:40-14:35    Session 4 – Mechanisms to succeed with sustainability
Inspirational talks on the mechanisms to succeed with sustainability, followed by a panel debate with participants from relevant Joint Actions, decision makers and International and European organisations.

By Line Vold, Director General, Ministry of Health and Care Services, Norway; Thomas Dubois, Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute, France; Liene Sīle, Director of Mental Health Institute and adviser to the Minister of Health, Latvia, and more to be announced. 

14:35-15:05    Break

15:05-15:50    Session 4 continued – Mechanisms to succeed with sustainability
Inspirational talks on the mechanisms to succeed with sustainability, followed by a panel debate with participants from relevant Joint Actions, decision-makers and international and European organisations.

By Aiga Balode, Deputy state secretary on digitalisation and change management of the Ministry of Health, Latvia; Gabrielle Schittecatte, Research, Sciensano, Belgium; Hanna Tolonen, Director of Research, Development and Innovation, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare; and more to be announced.

15:50-16:00    Final remarks and closure

16.00-17.00    Networking – drinks and snacks.