From 9 to 11 June 2026, partners from across JA PreventNCD gathered in Rome for the project’s 3rd General Assembly. Hosted by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), the meeting brought together colleagues from across Europe to share progress, exchange experiences and look ahead to the final 18 months of the Joint Action.
The General Assembly marked an important moment for the project. Now more than halfway through its implementation, JA PreventNCD is moving from development and coordination towards stronger implementation, dissemination and uptake of results. Across three days of plenary sessions, workshops, parallel meetings and poster presentations, participants explored how the different strands of the Joint Action are contributing to stronger prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other non-communicable diseases across Europe.
Connecting evidence, policy and implementation
The opening session set the tone for the meeting by connecting the work of JA PreventNCD with national and European priorities for prevention. Speakers included Linda Granlund, JA PreventNCD Coordinator, Rocco Bellantone, President of the Italian National Institute of Health, Andrea Piccioli, Director General of the Italian National Institute of Health, Sergio Iavicoli, Director General for Prevention at the Italian Ministry of Health, and Antonio Parenti, Director for Public Health, Cancer and Health Security at DG SANTE.
In his keynote address, Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp, the scientific coordinator of JA PreventNCD, from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health reflected on why prevention is central to current calls for action on cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other non-communicable diseases, and how JA PreventNCD can contribute to stronger, more coordinated European responses.
A major focus of the first day was how JA PreventNCD can support the implementation of the EU Safe Hearts Plan. The session explored how activities across the Joint Action relate to cardiovascular prevention, including digital tools, smoking cessation interventions, polygenic risk scores and the integration of young people’s perspectives into prevention efforts.
Other plenary sessions addressed key themes for the future of NCD prevention in Europe. These included monitoring gaps in a rapidly changing market, strengthening Member State capacities, engaging key actors, and reducing social inequalities in cancer and other NCDs. Sessions highlighted work on policy impact modelling, Health in All Policies, health taxation, food environments, health literacy, environmental justice, early infancy, and community-level prevention.
The General Assembly also created space for deeper discussions in parallel sessions. These covered areas such as commercial determinants of health, physical activity, tobacco control, alcohol policy, healthier food environments, policy monitoring, sustainability, pilot assessment, policy briefs and communication. Together, these sessions reflected the breadth of work taking place across JA PreventNCD and the importance of connecting technical results with policy, practice and implementation.
Photo: Poster exhibition in Rome
Showcasing results and preparing for the final phase
One of the recurring themes across the meeting was the need to translate evidence and project outputs into sustainable policies and practices. Sessions on sustainability, policy briefs and policymaker engagement focused on how results from the Joint Action can be made clear, useful and relevant for decision-makers at European, national, regional and local levels.
The General Assembly also included a poster exhibition, giving partners an opportunity to showcase ongoing work, emerging findings and practical tools from across the project. In total 53 posters were on display reflecting the diversity of activities within JA PreventNCD, from monitoring and policy tools to local implementation, risk factors, health equity and prevention in everyday settings. Selected posters were recognised during the closing session, and several of the topics will be explored further through JA PreventNCD communication activities during the summer.
Beyond the formal programme, the meeting offered an important opportunity to strengthen relationships across the consortium. Bringing partners together in person helped create space for exchange, problem-solving and new connections between work packages, countries, thematic areas and cross-cutting activities.
The closing plenary brought participants together to reflect on progress and look ahead. Contributions from the External Expert Advisory Board, the Youth Advisory Group, HaDEA and project leadership underlined both the achievements so far and the importance of maintaining momentum as JA PreventNCD enters its final phase.
The General Assembly demonstrated the strength and breadth of the JA PreventNCD partnership. It also highlighted a clear shared priority for the months ahead: to ensure that the knowledge, tools, pilots and collaborations developed through the Joint Action are translated into visible, useful and sustainable contributions to NCD prevention and health equity across Europe.
JA PreventNCD extends its thanks to all participants, speakers, organisers, hosts and contributors who helped make the General Assembly a success.
