2014 is a significant year for the European Union marked by numerous elections that influence health in Europe. The 17th edition of the European Health Forum Gastein opened on 1 October within this context under the theme “Electing Health – The Europe we want!” underpinning the idea of health as a political choice at all levels of governance. Covering a large array of subjects and bringing together high level representatives from European institutions, international organizations, governments and experts from various health fields, the conference explored several issues that are of particular relevance for health-related governance issues.
Professor Ilona Kickbusch, Director of the Global Health Programme, presented at four conference sessions on the themes of Ebola, public health leadership, patient empowerment, and NCDs and the private sector. She highlighted the importance of good governance for a coherent response to health issues at all levels: global, regional and national. In this respect there shouldn't be necessarily a question of the size of the health portfolio but close attention should be paid to the implications of other policies that impact on health, thus giving health officials a stronger brokerage role. The Health in All Policies concept should move from the discourse level into action. A stronger culture of holding national policy makers accountable should be fostered, as well as ensured continuity that declarations made in forums, such as the European Union, will translate to domestic settings.
The European Health Forum Gastein also set the stage for further discussions on the role of the European Union in regards to other major actors in the global health arena such as the World Health Organization. It was revealed that although the EU is a relatively new actor in respect to WHO, it is becoming a stronger voice, willing to facilitate the negotiating processes that characterize the negotiating hub that WHO has become. The Forum also touched on other issues such as the negotiating processes around the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the elaboration of national global health strategies, what a comprehensive European response to the Ebola outbreak should be, and the post-2015 sustainable development goals among others.
Several sessions highlighted the fact that health inequalities in Europe continue to exist both between and inside countries; a united European approach to health problems, customized to fit the diverse country contexts, will represent a more efficient response to these issues than fragmented national actions.