The 2015-2017 framework programme of Alzheimer Europe aims to achieve the following objectives:1. Increasing knowledge about current national dementia policies and strategies, in order to promote best practices and reduce inequalities in dementia care in Europe (dementia-friendly communities, legal capacity and proxy decision making, care standards and care services for people with dementia and their carers),2. Promoting collaboration and exchange on ethical issues linked to dementia through the organisation's European Dementia Ethics Network (Ethical challenges faced by professional carers, the changing definition of Alzheimer's disease and disclosure of risk information, societal obligations to people with dementia and their carers),3. Improving the involvement of people with dementia in EU activities through the active consultation and involvement of the European Working Group of People with Dementia,4. Improving the information exchange on dementia through the setting up of a European Dementia Observatory and the organisation of an Annual Conference,5. Capacity building for national Alzheimer associations via the organisation of an Alzheimer Association Academy,6. Ensuring effective governance.The organisation's activities are fully aligned with the European Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias which recognised that "the importance of these conditions has long been recogned at a European level has long been recognised at a European level" and will provide important support to the growing number of Member States that are implementing or developing national dementia strategies. The work plan also addresses the priority identified in the third health programme of "support[ing] cooperation and networking in the Union in relation to ]...] improving the response to chronic diseases including [...] neurodegenerative diseases, by sharing knowledge, good practices and developing joint activities.
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People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have a wide range of chronic and acute health issues and conditions. In many instances, more frequent and severe symptoms than the general population. They are twice as likely to have significant visual problems and at much younger age and are hardly ever engaged in vigorous physical activity and find it difficult to make themselves understood when speaking with health professionals. The health conditions are may be similar to the general population, the impacts can be greater on those with ID. People with ID experience higher mortality rates as a result of higher rates of cardiovascular diseases. The general objective of SOEEF is to provide year around training and competition as well as well being and health promotion initiatives for athletes across the EU 28.Furthermore the goal is to expand the network of trained coaches and health care professionals through training model, seminars and meetings. The ultimate goal is to engage more athlete, families, service providers and further stakeholders into Special Olympics programs to guaranty the growth of sport, well being and health opportunities throughout the EUan as well as have positive impact on health and well being of people with ID in general.The Special Olympics Health Program "Healthy Athletes" offers free of charge Health screenings and intervention for children and adults with an intellectual disabilities (ID). People with ID are often excluded from quality health care and/or have difficulties to find qualified health care providers. HA provides also comprehensive training opportunities for health care providers, families that have members with an ID, medical students and other health care experts.
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The European Organisation for Rare Diseases – EURORDIS – represents the voice of an estimated 30 million people living with a rare disease in the EU, and their families. The proposal submitted for Operating Grant FPA 2015-2017 is structured around four main objectives of utmost importance for the European rare disease patients’ community:
1. To consolidate the Rare Disease patients’ community and strengthen the RDs patients’ voice;
2. To actively engage rare disease patients’ representatives into the effective implementation and monitoring of relevant EU legislation / strategies and support their integration at national level;
3. To build capacities and empower rare disease patients advocates, members and volunteers;
4. To sustain human, financial and organisational resources.

EURORDIS achieves these objectives through the following activities: collecting data as well as gathering, disseminating and sharing information; support capacity-building to empower patients’ advocates; providing patients, families, carers, decision-makers and other stakeholders with relevant expertise to inform policy-making; generating EU added-value and support Member States efforts; promoting translational research towards therapeutic intervention for patients; serving as a relay of two-ways information flow between policy makers and rare disease patient groups; promoting access to high quality and safe healthcare services for rare disease patients throughout the EU.

Through these activities, EURORDIS will contribute to the implementation of the priorities of the Third Public Health Programme which are to complement, add value and support national policies and strategies implemented by Member States to improve health, reduce health inequalities, support health capacity-building, generate and disseminate health information, contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems, support cross border healthcare in order to facilitate access to better and safer healthcare.
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