Plenary 3

A moonshot for a true European Health Union?

Organised by the European Health Forum Gastein and the European Health Union initiative

In light of the multiple crises facing the continent, this plenary will examine where Europe stands now, and in what ways a true European Health Union can offer solutions to the challenges with which the continent is confronted. Can a European Health Union better equip Europe to deal with these crises and address the complex interplay of forces behind them? The shocks experienced in recent years could serve as triggers to move towards concerted efforts to tackle the shared complex challenges that have come to the fore.

We have been brutally reminded of the importance of peace for health, of looking out for the most vulnerable in our societies, of better supporting, training and equipping our frontline workers, and of the importance of making ambitious efforts to move global health forward on European political agendas. What does this vision of a moonshot for a Health Union involve, with what new fuel can the initiative be powered, and what actions need to be taken to guide the moonshot on the right trajectory before the window of opportunity for launch closes? Is a European Health Union the bold new approach needed to help restore the equity, solidarity and trust that of late has been repeatedly called into question?