EuroHealthNet calls on Commissioner Mînzatu to prioritise health equity in all policies
EuroHealthNet has sent a letter to the new Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu. The letter congratulates Commissioner Mînzatu on her appointment and calls on her to use her leadership to advance the European social model and to build a fully inclusive Europe where nobody is left behind.
The letter highlights that a healthy population is essential for a competitive and inclusive Europe. It welcomes the Commissioner’s vision for a strong EU Anti-Poverty Strategy and emphasises the need for better integration between social and health policies. It also calls for embedding the Wellbeing Economy in the European Semester process, ensuring that policies are designed to improve people’s quality of life in harmony with the environment.
The letter sets out specific recommendations for addressing health inequalities through social policies:
- The revision of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan must prioritise timely access to affordable, preventive, and curative healthcare of good quality.
- The European Child Guarantee should strengthen its focus on health promotion, including mental health, healthy nutrition, and physical activity.
- The upcoming European Affordable Housing Plan should ensure access to good-quality housing, which is crucial for people’s wellbeing.
- The European Long-Term Care strategy should support active and healthy ageing through a life-cycle preventive approach.
- The new Union of Skills agenda should include a strong focus on health literacy to empower people to maintain and improve their health.
