Public health

Good health is a major concern of European citizens. The European Union (EU) works for better health protection through its policies and activities, in accordance with Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. EU action on health issues aims to improve public health, prevent diseases and threats to health (including those related to lifestyle), as well as to promote research.

The EU does not define health policies, nor the organisation and provision of health services and medical care. Instead, its action serves to complement national policies and to support cooperation between member countries in the field of public health.

• • Lifting COVID-19 containment measures — roadmap
• Steering EU public health
  • State of health in the EU
    • Driving patient-oriented innovations in EU health systems
    • Ensuring the sustainability of Europe’s health systems
    • Economic crisis and healthcare: European health strategy
  • Health programmes
    • EU4Health Programme (2021-2027)
• Ensuring health security
  • Preparedness and response
    • Combating serious cross-border threats to health
    • EU digital COVID certificate
  • Blood, tissues and organs
    • Human blood and blood components - maintaining standards
    • Safe human tissues & cells for transplantation
    • Quality standards to be met by blood banks
    • Quality and safety of organs intended for transplantation
• Improving healthcare systems
  • Cross-border healthcare
    • European health insurance card
    • Healthcare in other EU countries — patients’ rights
  • Healthcare workforce
    • The EU’s healthcare workforce
    • Preventing injuries to healthcare workers: EU social partners' agreement
  • Patient safety
    • Patient safety and quality of care in EU public health systems
    • Patient safety and the prevention of healthcare associated infections
  • eHealth
    • Unlocking the potential for mHealth (mobile health) in the EU
• Risk assessment
  • The precautionary principle
  • Scientific committees
    • EU scientific committees on consumer safety (SCCS) & on health, environmental and emerging risks (SCHEER)
• Disease prevention
  • Antimicrobial resistance
    • A European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance
    • Prudent use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine
    • Antimicrobial resistance — EU action
  • Communicable diseases
    • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
  • Vaccination
    • The role of vaccination in the EU’s healthcare system
    • Seasonal influenza vaccination
  • Major and chronic diseases
    • Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: EU initiatives
    • Promoting cancer screening in the EU
  • Rare diseases
    • Rare diseases — improving care and quality of life
• Endrocrine disruptors
  • Safe insect repellents, disinfectants and other industrial chemicals (biocides) in the EU
• Health in society
  • Workers' health
    • Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (ACSH)
    • Health and safety at work — general rules
    • Health and safety of workers: conditions applicable to the workplace
    • Equal treatment of temporary agency workers
    • Workplace health and safety for temporary workers
    • Workers’ health and safety in the mineral-extracting industries
    • Use of personal protective equipment
    • Temporary and mobile work sites
    • Safety at work - manual handling of loads
    • Provision of health and safety signs at work
    • Protection of young people at work
    • Protection of workers from exposure to biological agents
    • Preventing and reducing chemically induced illnesses and injuries at work
    • Protecting pregnant workers and new mothers
    • Limiting the exposure of workers to risks from electromagnetic fields (from July 2016)
    • Minimum health and safety standards while using work equipment
    • Health and safety of workers in the extractive industries
    • Health and safety at work: exposure to noise
    • Exposure to chemical agents
    • Exposure to carcinogens and mutagens
    • Exposure to asbestos: worker protection
    • Exposure to artificial optical radiation
    • Fishing vessels — health and safety of workers on board
• Promoting good health
  • Nutrition and physical activity
    • Nutrition, overweight and obesity — EU strategy
    • Tackling the epidemic of childhood obesity
    • Promoting healthy diet and physical activity across Europe
    • Promoting health-enhancing physical activity for all
  • Alcohol
    • EU alcohol strategy
  • Tobacco
    • Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke
    • Systems for tobacco traceability and security features
    • Tobacco advertising and sponsorship
    • Tighter EU rules on tobacco
    • Preventing smoking
• Pharmaceuticals
  • Medicines for human use
    • Clinical Trials
    • Supplementary protection certificates for medicines and plant protection products
    • Transparency of decisions regulating the prices and the reimbursement of medicinal products in EU countries
    • Safe medicines for Europeans — European Medicines Agency
    • Medicines for rare diseases - orphan drugs
    • Medicines and investigational medicines for human use — safe production
    • Medicinal products for paediatric use
    • Ingredients used in medicines – guidance for importers and distributors
    • Export of generic medicines to developing countries: compulsory licences
    • High safety standards and streamlined procedures for EU clinical trials
    • European Pharmacopoeia - EUR-Lex
    • EU rules on the authorisation, import and production of medicines for humans
    • EU rules for new medical products based on genes and cells
    • Ensuring the safety and performance of medical devices
    • Ensuring the safety and performance of in vitro diagnostic medical devices
  • Medicines for veterinary use
    • Authorisation, import and manufacture of veterinary medicines
    • Veterinary medicines — good manufacturing practice
    • Residues of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin
    • Preparation and marketing of medicated feedingstuffs for animals
    • EU rules on the authorisation, import and production of veterinary medicines
• Archived summaries
  • A safe and healthy work environment
  • A new strategic approach to health for the EU (2008-2013)
  • Action on HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries 2006 - 2009
  • Action plan on Organ Donation and Transplantation
  • Action against Cancer: European Partnership (2009-2013)
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Ban on smoking in public places
  • BSE: state of play in March 2003
  • Combating HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries (2009-2013)
  • Combating stigma and discrimination in relation to mental health
  • Combating stress and depression-related problems
  • Community action in the field of mental health
  • Community strategy against antimicrobial resistance
  • Community strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm (Council conclusions - 2001)
  • Community Tobacco Fund: information programmes
  • Drinking and driving: Maximum authorised level of alcohol in the blood
  • Early warning and response system for the prevention and control of communicable diseases
  • Drinking of alcohol by young people
  • e-Health: improving health and healthcare through the use of information and communications technologies
  • Ensuring medical devices are safe and efficient for patients
  • Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010
  • Environment and health strategy
  • Executive Agency for Health and Consumers
  • Green Paper on Mental Health
  • Green Paper on promoting healthy diets and physical activity
  • Exposure to electromagnetic fields
  • Exposure to electromagnetic fields
  • Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Proposal)
  • Green Paper on promoting smoke-free areas in the European Union
  • Health for Growth: EU health programme (2014-20)
  • Healthy diet for a healthy life
  • Informing the general public in the event of a radiological emergency
  • Modern, responsive and sustainable health systems
  • Nutrition and health
  • Obesity, nutrition and physical activity
  • Manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products
  • Multi-annual programme of action for health (2014-2020) (Proposal)
  • Network for the surveillance and control of communicable diseases
  • New Community health strategy
  • Radiological protection for persons undergoing medical examination or treatment
  • Rare diseases: Europe’s challenges
  • Organ donation and transplantation in the European Union
  • Preparing for an influenza pandemic and other health threats
  • Preventing HIV/AIDS (Council conclusions of 2005)
  • Public-private partnership in innovative medicines
  • Programme of Community action in the field of public health (2003-2008)
  • Safe active implantable medical devices
  • Telemedicine systems and services
  • Women's health
  • Scientific Committees for consumer safety, public health and the environment
  • Second programme of Community action in the field of health (2008-2013)
  • The fight against bioterrorism (communication)
  • Suitability of blood donors
  • The future of health care and care for the elderly: guaranteeing accessibility, quality and financial viability