The pressures facing European public health associations and other civil society organisations (CSOs) continue to mount. Having left many organisations in unsustainable budgetary situations whilst delaying the publication of the 2025 work programme, the Commission has now confirmed the cancellation of the operating grants which support many health CSOs. Moreover, for those organisations able to access more limited grant financing, they have been advised that their lobbying and advocacy activities will no longer be eligible for such funds. The Commission’s decisions, which do not serve health or the CSOs that advocate for it, raise fundamental questions about how CSOs can continue to fulfil their core function as advocates for interests that would otherwise struggle to be heard in the health policy process.
Building on EUPHA’s previous contributions to the Stand up for Science initiative, and in collaboration with the Health Politics, Policy and Governance Research Network (Health-PPG), this webinar highlights the challenges currently facing health civil society, the similarities with marginalisation trends seen in the United States, and the threat presented by a diminishing civil society voice in EU health policymaking.

Speakers
– Charlotte Marchandise, EUPHA Executive Director, Netherlands
– Eleanor Brooks, Senior Lecturer in European Health Policy, University of Edinburgh, UK, and co-chair of the Health-PPG Research Network
– Yann Heyer, Policy Officer European Patients’ Forum and EU4Health Civil Society Alliance, Belgium

Moderator
– Scott Greer, Professor of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, US, and Senior Expert Advisor on Health Governance for the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

Join us to explore how we can work collectively.