On December 5, EUREGHA will host its high-level annual conference to take a step towards an EU wide multi-stakeholder debate around ESI Funds for health.

Even though health was not a specific priority among the 11 thematic objectives of the ESIF 2014-2020, the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) covered health investments in improving access to healthcare, reducing health inequalities, and boosting healthcare reforms for around 9 billion euro.

With more than 7,000 health-related projects financed in the programming period 2014-2020, cohesion policy demonstrated its crucial contribution to supporting social and economic convergence around Europe and helping to ensure the health of EU citizens.

As cohesion policy is one of the main European policy and investment instruments to achieve the EU treaty objective of economic, social, and territorial cohesion, we believe significant resources should be allocated to investments in health prevention and promotion, health care and health infrastructures within the Multiannual Financial period 2021 - 2027.

To this extent, it is important to foster a positive dialogue among European, national, and regional public authorities, industry, and civil society to ensure these investments genuinely contribute towards more equitable access to healthcare and improved wellbeing for citizens, as well as more efficient, resilient and sustainable health systems.

The aim of the conference is to showcase examples of best regional practices, followed by a discussion with representatives from industry, patient's organisations, NGOs, and regions on the policies and investments needed for the healthcare of tomorrow.