EuroHealthNet

The public health community is well aware of the detrimental impacts of #UltraProcessedFoods (UPFs), such as the increased risk of obesity, cancer, and other diseases. Yet, these unhealthy foods - often rich in salt, sugar, and saturated fats - have disappeared from the debate about EU #agriculture policies. Now, as the European Commission prepares to publish its Vision for the Future of Agriculture and Food, EuroHealthNet calls for measures to halt the overconsumption and omnipresence of UPFs. Building on the work started by the #FarmToFork strategy, these measures should include: - Front-of-pack nutrition labelling across the EU. - Restricting marketing and advertising of UPFs, especially to children. - Making healthier alternatives more accessible. Too often, we have seen the food industries lobby to water down legislation in favour of voluntary commitments. This makes it crucial that measures are regulatory. Read our statement on the role of #UPFs in the European Union's upcoming Vision ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eDVZxHjj Learn more about #UPFs as a risk factor for health in our new Policy Précis. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eZaJ2sUP Christophe Hansen Daniel Buda Eric Sargiacomo Sergio Antonio Berlato Mireia Borrás Pabón Asger Christensen Barry Cowen MEP CARMEN CRESPO DIAZ Salvatore De Meo Herbert Dorfmann Sebastian Everding Carlo Fidanza Luke Ming Flanagan Maria Grapini Cristina Guarda Martin Häusling Valérie Hayer Elsi Katainen Camilla Laureti Dario Nardella André Franqueira Rodrigues Katarina Roth Nevedalova Bert-Jan Ruissen Anna Strolenberg Pekka Toveri Jessika van Leeuwen Maria Walsh European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) ECPObesity HDHL World Obesity Federation The Good Food Institute The Good Food Institute Europe European Food Information Council (EUFIC) EU Health and Food Safety Samuele Tonello Silvia Ganzerla Anne Wagenführ-Leroyer #NCDs #FoodSystems #HealthPromotion #FoodSystems #PublicHealth #Food #HealthInequalities #HealthEquity #Obesity #Cancer #Nutrition #CAP

⏰ Reminder of tomorrow debate in the EP on #EUSemester and #HealthPromotion. EuroHealthNet will present the main findings of our report on Health and the Semester. 🔻 Check out #EuroHealthNet report here: https://lnkd.in/d6HFU9ye

🚨 We must give people a voice in #MentalHealth, not just information. 🚨 People should be involved in research and implementation, not simply told where to seek help. Giving individuals agency in shaping mental health solutions helps build stronger, community-based care. This was one of the key takeaways from the recent "Putting Mental Health at the Heart of Europe: Strengthening Preparedness for EU Polycrises" event, organised in partnership with Mental Health Europe. This event brought together policymakers, mental health experts, and advocates to discuss how Europe can strengthen mental health support, especially during crises like pandemics, climate disasters, and displacement. Some key insights included: ✅ Measuring the impact: Europe needs to find clear measures to monitor mental health and the effect of policies on mental health and wellbeing. ✅ One-size-fits-all solutions do not work. Mental health strategies must be adapted to different countries and communities. ✅ Community-based services—which are interventions designed to meet individual needs—help break barriers to care. ✅Co-creation and empowerment are crucial. People should shape mental health solutions, not just be recipients of them. The event showcased innovative pilot practices developed within the #MENTALITY project. It highlighted initiatives such as teacher toolkits, migrant mental health workshops, and interactive maps to bridge care gaps. Explore the MENTALITY's successful practices here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/edjw2Gnv Find out more about the project here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ef4WbEsb Photograph by Elio Germani Estuar Foundation Prolepsis Institute Liga za duševné zdravie SR Polish Migration Forum Foundation Maria Walsh Hannes Jarke Claudia Marinetti 

EuroHealthNet welcomes the establishment of the new SANT Committee in the European Parliament As Europe faces growing public health challenges, such as rising non-communicable diseases, and mental health issues, we are committed to policies that prioritise health equity and wellbeing. We welcome the opportunity to work with #SANTCommittee to advance strategic policies, such as: 🔹Investing in health promotion and disease prevention  🔹Addressing the commercial and social determinants of health to build healthier environments 🔹Strengthening the European Health Union to ensure resilient and equitable health systems To support these actions, we call for: 1️⃣A comprehensive strategy to address health inequalities  2️⃣Stronger tobacco control by fast-tracking key EU directives to address the consumption of novel tobacco and nicotine products, especially among youth 3️⃣ Mandatory alcohol labelling to inform consumers about alcohol-related risks 4️⃣ Regulation of ultra-processed foods to limit availability and consumption of high-fat, salt, and sugar products 5️⃣ A mental health approach in all policies, ensuring support across all age groups 6️⃣ Strong EU4Health funding We look forward to working with the SANT Committee to turn these priorities into action. Read more about our key asks for the new mandate here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dqnKET4T Adam Jarubas Tilly Metz Stine Bosse Emmanouil Fragkos Andras Kulja MD Victor NEGRESCU Ignazio Roberto Marino, MD, ScD Letizia Moratti ALESSANDRA MORETTI

This week, Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the European Commission’s competitiveness compass, outlining its plans to steer Europe towards growth and innovation. In a recent FEAST Policy Chat we hosted along with open science for open societies - os4os, Samuele Tonello linked this drive for competitiveness to a crucial question: how did it gain so much momentum in Europe, and why is it vital for health sector representatives to resist surrendering to it?   Experts including Professor Tim Lang (City, University of London), Anant Jani (Heidelberg University), and Molly D. Anderson (Middlebury College) pointed out the potential challenges of this narrow focus—especially for Europe’s fragile food systems.   So, what were our key takeaways? 🗨️ Tim Lang: climate change and geopolitical conflict increasingly turn food into a tool of control. Fragile global chokepoints for essentials such as soy, wheat, and maize put Europe at constant risk. 🗨 Anant Jani: sustainable, healthy food must be accessible to everyone—not just privileged consumers. 🗨 Molly Anderson: Europe must rethink urbanisation and strengthen rural producer-consumer connections.   This fixation on market competition with the US and China distracts from more pressing issues:   🥕 Alternatives matter. Should resilience, not competitiveness, guide our future? 🌱 Food democracy goes beyond consumer choice—it requires active citizenship and community engagement. 🥗 Future-proofing food systems demands decentralisation, reduced corporate dominance, and stronger local ties.   👉We weren’t part of the Draghi process—but it’s time we claimed a seat at the table. Europe’s future should prioritise feeding all people well, fostering resilient systems, and safeguarding democracy—not just chasing global competitiveness.   Missed it? No problem. Catch up on the chat here: https://lnkd.in/eeNsqs_d   #PublicHealth #EU #Europe #FoodSystems #Sustainability #FoodDemocracy #EconomyofWellbeing #Economics #Competitiveness #CompetitiveCompass #HealthInequalities #HealthEquity

Last chance to register for today's event. Details in the post below 👇 #PublicHealth #FoodSystems #Economy #Competitveness #Europe #EU #Event #Climate

✨ "Together for Future Health" was the #PolishPresidency event of 16 January, setting out strategic orientations and actions. At the panel on health promotion for #children we had an enriching discussion on the need for integrated and coordinated policies to ensure the well-being of children. I mentioned, in my speech, the #EuropeanChildGuarantee as a great example of a comprehensive approach, addressing the interrelated elements of social inclusion and health, including programmes for #HealthPromotion, #HealthyNutrition, #MentalHealth, and #PhysicalActivity. We need to continue with this interdisciplinary approach by: 👉 Leveraging on the potential of #schools to foster children’s well-being. 👉 Making the most of data: better collection and stratification are essential for well-targeted policies. 👉 Moving from knowledge to policy: better #evaluation to understand what works and translating findings into actionable strategies for policymakers. 👉 Values matter: health is a #humanRight, not a commodity. Society has a duty to protect and promote the well-being of children. Collaboration across sectors—education, health, and social inclusion, and many others—is critical to achieving meaningful progress. With Caroline Costongs Pedro Gullón Tosio @Mojza Blenkus

With the European Commission positioning the 'competitiveness compass' as its new guiding principle in last month's European Council Conclusions, what does this mean for society—especially for people’s health and wellbeing? Meanwhile, the rise of oligarchs to political power in other countries is amplifying growing political and wealth inequalities. Yet true competitiveness comes from unlocking everyone’s potential, not just a privileged few. In the latest edition of our magazine, Samuele Tonello explores why addressing wealth inequalities is essential for EU health policy. Economic competitiveness and public health aren’t conflicting goals; they can work hand in hand. Fairly distributed resources lead to stronger economies and healthier societies. Industries can remain profitable while promoting wellbeing, as healthier food systems have shown us. By prioritising policies that benefit everyone, we can create a future where economic growth and public health strengthen one another—ensuring a thriving, sustainable future for both people and the planet. Full story: https://lnkd.in/e2J5Twci Continue the conversation with Samuele on Tuesday, 28/01, as we, in collaboration with FEAST, host a policy chat: Beyond Competitiveness: Rethinking the Ideologies Shaping Our Food Systems. Join us as we explore ways to counteract and challenge the competitiveness-centred narrative, proposing alternatives that help build building fairer, healthier, and more sustainable food systems. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eHk8teUz   #EU #Europe #Policy #Competitiveness #Business #PublicHealth #HealthInequalities #Economy #Economics #EconomyOfWellbeing #Sustainability #Environment #Magazine

Only one week left to register for the FEAST and EuroHealthNet Policy Chat Webinar on the 28/01 from 14:00 to 16:00 (CET). We will discuss how to rethink the competitveness ideology shaping current EU political landscape, focusing especially on which alternatives can guide the transition towards healthier and more sustainable food systems. More information in the link below, and on the registration page. Secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/efKiZ5yh

The very first conference of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union was on public health! Hans Kluge's keynote stressed the need to elevate health in the political agenda, better use regulatory and public finance solutions, reinforce the foundations of public health (incl. data), tackle multi-morbidity and improve primary care. Health is linked to economic stability! I was honoured to be part of the opening panel alongside health ministries and Mark Pearson from OECD - OCDE. We have to make health relevant to other policy areas. The costs for the labour market are huge. A 3.3% reduction in GDP is due to overweight-related conditions (!). I encouraged countries to make progress in regulating health risks at the EU level: alcohol & food labelling, restricting marketing of unhealthy products to children, regulating vaping and nicotine pouches, changing EU internal market law to control fast food outlets, and ensuring an adequate EU health budget as part of the future EU financial framework. I then chaired an insightful session on the effectiveness of public health measures. Proven effectiveness is key for scale-up and for the long-term sustainability of interventions. Hanna Tolonen from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) demonstrated the importance of health monitoring, Eunan McKinney from the Institute of Public Health talked about the success story of Ireland's Public Health Alcohol Act (health costs of alcohol in Ireland are 1.9 bn€ per year!), and Knut Inge Klepp presented #JAPreventNCDs and Norway's plans to ban the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children. The session panel included MEP Aurelijus Veryga, Sara Cerdas, Ewelina Chawłowska and Kremlin Wickramasinghe. There is still a big gap between evidence and legislative processes in European (and national) Parliaments. Building joint capacity is key. Politicians need to be equipped with health (economics) data and data to help counter mis- and disinformation. The EU needs to move as a block, with consistent policies, which is more powerful than individual countries trying to tackle health-harmful industries alone. EuroHealthNet's Silvia Ganzerla and Mojca Gabrijelcic from Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje NIJZ spoke in a session on child health and school health promotion, #Schools4Health and the #EuropeanChildGuarentee. In the closing plenary, Marco Marsella from EU Health and Food Safety mentioned that investment in public health remains a priority. There are plans to tackle Cardio-Vascular Diseases #CVDs & on social media and wellbeing. Ilona Kickbusch also highlighted the invisible burden of mental health and the need for more action, particularly among children. The Polish Presidency will further discuss young people's mental health and the impact of social media in preparation for EU Council conclusions on this topic. The next event on this topic to watch out for is 7 April in Krakow, Poland! #Poland25EU #EUHealth