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European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA)

EU’s health priorities

Paving the way to a European Health Union

The European Commission is building a strong European Health Union, where all EU countries prepare for and respond together to health crises and modernise and improve the resilience of the EU’s health systems. The EU is continuing international cooperation on global health threats and challenges such as vaccination and antimicrobial-resistant infections. 

EU4Health

The EU’s funding programme EU4Health is investing in current health priorities, such as: 

EU4Health was created as a response to the COVID-19 crisis. It focuses on four main themes: health promotion and disease prevention; crisis preparedness; healthcare workforce; and digital health, with a cross-cutting focus on cancer. 

The EU is also investing in Health research, technology and innovation.  

Horizon Europe - Health

The objectives of Horizon Europe (Cluster 1 ‘Health research’) include:  

  • Contributing to the promotion of social cohesion and inclusiveness and the health and well-being of people.  
  • Helping to develop “an economy that works for people” by supporting research (and coordination) in order to make innovative, high-quality health technologies and healthcare both available and affordable for citizens; and 
  • Making health care systems more accessible and sustainable, including through the digital transformation of health and care.

Horizon Europe Cluster 1 ‘Health’ contributes to the EU Mission on Cancer as well as to Coronavirus research and innovation.