An informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for health will take place on 30 September and 1 October in Dublin.
The informal meeting will be chaired by Ireland’s Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD, and will convene health ministers from EU Member States and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations, along with the European Commissioner responsible for Health and Animal Welfare, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, and the head of the European Medicines Agency.
This meeting will provide a dedicated forum for ministers to have an open and forward-looking exchange on population health, innovation, life sciences and health competitiveness. Throughout the day, discussions will centre on how EU cooperation can reduce health inequalities, strengthen health systems, and enhance Europe’s position as a global leader in health and in the life sciences, while improving the health and wellbeing of people across the EU.
Ministers will discuss the central role of strong and resilient health systems as both a foundation for improved health outcomes and a driver of economic performance. By supporting human capital, boosting productivity, and fostering innovation and social cohesion, health systems are integral to Europe’s competitiveness. Attendees will explore how targeted investment in high-value innovation — across health research, biotechnology and digital transformation — alongside advances in technology, data, and models of care, can enable earlier intervention, more efficient services, and more equitable access to care.
Across these themes, the added value for EU countries is better access to medicines and to medical technology and for EU citizens, it is better access to high-quality, innovative and resilient care. New models of integrated, preventive, community and home-based care can improve continuity of care and quality of life on an equitable basis and stronger EU coordination and cooperation will be vital in building up the resilience and innovation of our health services and our life sciences ecosystem.