The Joint Action Towards the European Health Data Space (TEHDAS) is a consortium of 26 EU MS and other countries that work to improve cross-border use of health data for the benefit of citizens’ health, for public health, research and innovation.TEHDAS builds on earlier EU actions fostering the digital transformation of European health systems. It contributes to responding to the Member States’ call at the October 2020 European Council to set up a European Health Data Space and proposed by the von der Leyen Commission.The Joint Action helps Members States and the Commission in developing and promoting concepts for sharing of data so that in the future Europe, citizens, communities and companies benefit from a protected and seamless access to health data regardless where it is stored.TEHDAS will suggest options for an operational framework and governance in order to overcome legal and technical differences between countries. TEHDAS is grounded on the principles of transparency, trust and citizen empowerment. It will work on technical and semantic challenges, propose services, architectural and infrastructural elements required in the European Health Data Space.Citizens increasingly manage their data which requires a better understanding and a European perspective. To maintain trust in fair and secure data sharing, TEHDAS will suggest strengthened governance mechanisms for cross-sector use of health data in common data spaces at the EU and Member State levels.TEHDAS will reach out and engage with many types of stakeholders to reflect their needs and expectations, explore views on economic issues, and suggest concrete ways to integrate results into the future the European Health Data Space.
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Topic: • Addressing differences in national General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implementation in the health sector, including the European Health Data Space and the health data use
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Joint Action on Dementia 2015-2018The Joint Action will focus on two phases on work: approximately 12 months on developing a consensus on the best evidence of effective action in 4 key areas (diagnosis and post-diagnostic support; crisis and care coordination; quality of care in residential care settings; and dementia-friendly communities); and approximately 24 months on testing the best evidence of effective action in localities to develop a greater understanding of how change can be taken forward in practice.In addition, there will be 3 additional components: evaluation of the joint action (outputs and quality: dissemination; and overall coordination of this project.The project will be achieved through collaborative effort, with the 4 main work plans having identified leads or co-leads and other countries contributing time to the work.
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The effects of health inequalities within and between EU MS are widely recognized,and reducing health inequalities is on the agenda of many MS. Moreover new challenges like the huge migration flows and the economic crisis and austerity policies that affect EU citizen’s everyday life are worsening the scenario. Despite an increasing concern and awareness on health inequalities, a wide gap exists in Europe in terms of political response.
The Joint Action Health Equity Europe will represent an important opportunity for MS to work jointly to address health inequalities and underlying social determinants of health.
The general objective of the project is to improve health and well-being of the EU citizens and achieve greater equity in health outcomes across all groups in society by a focus on socio-economic determinants of health and lifestyle related health inequalities. A particular priority will be given to migrants, since poor health and lack of access to health services can be an obstacle to integration.
This Joint Action aims to: deliver a policy framework with a menu of actions and recommendations for national, regional and local uptake and implementation; develop better policies improve monitoring, governance, implementation and evaluation; implement good practices and facilitate exchange and learning; identify factors of success, barriers and challenges and how to overcome them.
The Joint Action will contribute meeting two objectives of the Third health Program by introducing the equity lens in “Objective1: Promoting health, preventing diseases and fostering supportive environments for healthy lifestyles taking into account the ‘health in all policies” and in “Objective4: Facilitating access to better and safer healthcare for Union citizens”.
This Joint Action will follow a three-step approach that will facilitate: identification of policy options to tackle health inequalities; implementation of feasible and effective actions in all MS involved; elaboration and dissemination of further recommendations and guidelines.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious public health threat that is gaining swift ground. The increase of multi-resistant bacteria associated to the lack of new antibiotics represents a threat to global health. Some patients are faced with no therapeutic solutions as some bacteria resist to all antibiotics. Moreover, “old” antibiotics and to some extent more “recent” ones are gradually removed from the market because they are not economically sustainable, albeit being still possibly efficient. The issue of antimicrobial resistance is a real challenge that decision-makers are well aware of and has gained a high priority among public health challenges.
A closely related challenge is the issue of Healthcare Associated Infections that shall not be considered separately. In fact, infection prevention and control strategies should go hand in hand with i) prudent use of antibiotics ii) appropriate tools for monitoring and surveillance and iii) accurate diagnostic tests to decide on the right therapy.
The various national, European and international initiatives that have emerged over the last decade have shown a great commitment to actively tackle these issues.It is essential that all actors in the field of AMR join forces so as to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure greater coherence. Moreover, it is essential that the strategies adopted extend beyond the sole human health domain and bring a global One Health response.
The overall objective of the AMR-HCAI JA is to ensure that policies for control of AMR and HCAI are adopted and implemented across EU MS in a coordinated way, ensuring national specificities are accounted for, in line with the ECDC and WHO guidelines and recommendations, and in conjunction with other European initiatives.This will be made possible by bringing together different networks of policy makers, experts and organizations on AMR and HCAI working in different European and International initiatives and projects relevant for policy decision.
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During their EU Presidency, the Netherlands will organize a Ministerial Conference on Antibiotic Resistance on the 9th (evening only) and 10th of February 2016 in Amsterdam. All EU/EEA Ministers for Health and Agriculture will be invited. Aims is to discuss progress to combate AMR in the EU so far and the need for (measurable) action in the near future, with a focus on a One Health approach.
The conference should lead to an outcome document, and be adopted in both Health and Agriculture Council.
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This Joint Action aims to reinforce market surveillance between Member States. Best practice, training, knowledge and resource will be shared to increase public health protection in the medical devices sector. A key aim is to improve coordination and help lower-resourced Member States develop skills and capacity in the market surveillance network. It will help to ensure consistent and proportionate approach across all Member States in manufacturer inspections and clinical process and resource development.

Methods will be developed as follows:
1. Manufacturer inspections:
• Develop methods, agreed tools and guidance’s for a joint, consistent and proactive approach
• Establish specific inspection scopes and objectives to complement those conducted by conformity assessment bodies
• Develop different approaches and focus to manufacturer inspections
• Develop and deliver collaborating mechanisms designed to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of resource deployment
• Develop an inspector training course to provide inspectors with basic skills and establish an inspectors expert group for ongoing collaborative approaches
2. Clinical process and resource development:
• Establish communication platforms and protocols
• Establish current practices and identify development and/or training needs and evaluation of clinical data by authorities
• Identify and prioritise medical devices which require development of common specifications to define clinical criteria for safety and performance.

In harmonising the European market surveillance system detection and reduction in the occurrence of safety issues will lead to increased public health protection by ensuring that medical devices conform especially to the requirements relating to safety and performance.


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