Five major EU4Health initiatives, JA PreventNCD, ELISAH, FILTERED, PEACHD and ShowUp4Health have joined forces to strengthen collaboration to reduce one of the greatest public health challenges facing Europe; the fact that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases account for more than 80% of all deaths and disability across the region. This partnership aimed to maximize publicly funded action and strengthen collective efforts in preventing NCD and promote equitable access to health, aligning the work with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the Healthier Together EU NCD Initiative.
This joint effort culminated in the Final Synergy Conference – European Synergies on Cancer and NCD Prevention: Tackling Health Inequalities across the Prevention Spectrum which took place on 5 November, in Brussels, Belgium.
The meeting brought together stakeholders and project partners to discuss and identify successful synergy actions, showcase progress and recommendations for future health prevention initiatives in Europe, aimed at reducing inequalities.
The main objective of the conference:
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Reinforce the importance of placing equity at the centre of prevention efforts. This includes highlighting the evidence of savings and benefits, and strategies to address health inequalities comprehensively.
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Present the objectives and strategies employed in the five projects focusing on experiences from addressing health inequalities with different population groups.
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Discuss future pathways for fostering collaborations between EU initiatives to reduce health inequalities. This includes showcasing good and promising practices for synergistic collaboration.
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Present effective interventions that support a comprehensive approach to NCD prevention, including regulatory, population-based measures and targeted interventions for specific groups, including at-risk populations.
Building on the discussions held throughout the day, the programme highlighted the level of expertise represented across the five EU4Health initiatives. Sessions focused on practical examples of how prevention policies can be strengthened at every stage of the spectrum, from creating supportive environments and introducing effective regulatory measures, to tailoring interventions for communities most affected by health inequalities. Speakers emphasised that while Europe has strong technical capacity and commitment, scaling and sustaining these efforts requires continued collaboration, shared learning, and investment across Member States. In one of the sessions, joint policy recommendations developed across the initiatives were also presented, reflecting the shared learnings and practical insights gained through their work.
Civil society’s contribution was also emphasised throughout the programme. The civil society organizations' ability to build trust and turn policy into action makes them crucial in reaching people who are often overlooked. However, reduced funding is limiting their capacity to stay engaged over time, underscoring the need for sustained support to ensure their continued role in shared prevention efforts.
The agenda also highlighted the importance of ensuring that prevention systems are designed to reach those who are most often left behind. Presentations focused on approaches for engaging vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, including culturally sensitive outreach, community-led initiatives, and integrating prevention services into everyday settings. These examples demonstrated how targeted measures and structural policies can work hand-in-hand to reduce gaps in access and outcomes.
As Linda Granlund, Project Coordinator of JA PreventNCD, reminded participants: “We need environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice, and we need to reach those who are not easily reached.” Her words captured the essence of the conference: a shared European commitment to ensuring that prevention efforts reach everyone, regardless of background or circumstance. A warm thank you to all partners, speakers, and participants who contributed to the day’s inspiring and forward-looking discussions. Together, we are highlighting the need for stronger, fairer, and more effective prevention in Europe.