Information Day on the 3rd European Health Programme

The 3^rd EU Health Programme constitutes the main mechanism for the European Commission to implement the EU Health Strategy. The Programme runs through seven years, from 2014 to 2020 and has been allocated a total budget of €449.34 Million

The Information conference was divided in two main sections; a first one depicting the objectives and priorities of the Programme and a second one detailing the different funding schemes and the mechanisms that will govern the implementation process.

During the conference the 23 Priorities to be implemented through the Commission’s Annual Work Programmes were presented and an announcement was made that the 2014 Work Programme will be adopted and made public during the month of May 2014. The upcoming publication of calls for funding as well as the application process will be fully made and managed electronically through the CHAFEA website.

Amongst the four available objectives outlined in the Regulation setting the 3^rd European Health Program, objective three, entitled: “Support public health capacity-building and contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems” and two its associated priorities are of relevance for VPH. This third objective comprises measures to promote and facilitate innovation uptake as well as the identification of good practises to address potential shortages of human or financial shortcuts. The most pertinent priorities associated with this fourth objective which are of interest for VPH are: 12 and 14.

Priority 12: Uptake innovation and e-Health. This particular priority is very much in keeping with the promises set out in the eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020 with regard to advanced modelling and simulation for personalised and predictive medicine. It also gives ample indication of both the prioritisation and awareness of e-Health on the EU political agenda.

Priority 14: Setting up a mechanism for pooling expertise at Union level. This priority should lend itself to ensuring enhanced contributions from those actually working in health and research and as such should lead to the development of tailored and specific eHealth policy.

Regarding the three different available funding lines (Project Grants, Joint Actions and Operating Grants) are open for the participation of non-governmental bodies, independent from the industry and working in the field of Public Health at a European level (at least active in half of the Member States). This opens possibilities, the cooperation with health authorities and other health-related bodies for the development of pilot projects in line with the annually set objectives and the application for operating funding to support the day-to-day funding of the organisation.

Next steps for 2014 Work Programme

• the 2014 Work Programme will be adopted and made public during the month of May.
• National information days will be held during the next months (Lisbon in June and in Madrid on 24 June.
• The forthcoming publication of calls for funding as well as the application process will be fully made and managed electronically through the CHAFEA website.