The European Commission has recently presented its proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) from 2028-2034 which includes an ambitious overall budget, a new Horizon Europe (FP10) and a mix of bottom-up and top-down instruments. The proposal includes a restructuring of existing elements, including of health and research related funding.
BioMed Alliance (35 medical & research societies, including the European Academy of Neurology) and 17 other civil society organisations representing patients, European Reference Networks, healthcare professionals and the wider health community call on policy makers to ensure that the next multiannual EU budget will be fit-for-purpose to address current and future health threats. They ask the Commission, the Council and the Parliament to ensure strong, ringfenced health funding in a dedicated cluster or window, and to ensure that patient needs will be met.
Read the full statement here:
The statement outlines the importance of investing in health, highlighting increasing health challenges, pointing out important elements that are absent from plans for the future budget, and noting the strong public support and economic justification for health investment.
Recommendations for the next MFF are detailed in the statement, including calls for the European Commission to:
- Create a standalone health window within the ECF and Horizon Europe
- Ringfence the health budget to enable strategic planning and enhance resilience
- Pursue health policies and funding for unmet medical needs and enhancement of the safety and availability of health innovations
- Maintain Horizon Europe as a standalone programme and clarify any links with the proposed European Competitiveness Fund
