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.


Tobacco consumption is the major single cause for premature deaths in the European Union (EU). Special Eurobarometer 458/2017 indicates that over a quarter (26%) of European citizens are currently smoking, and an increase in consumption amongst young people aged 15-24 is observed since 2014 (from 24% to 29%). Smoking within the EU is estimated to cause 700.000 deaths annually, half of which are among 35–69-year-olds. As smoking is responsible for half the difference in deaths across socio-economic groups, tobacco control has a major role to play in reducing health and social inequalities.

ENSP plays a major role in the EU to prevent the tobacco industry from biasing and slowing down the tobacco control community effort. Key objectives for 2019:

O.1 - To assist and support the European Institutions with the complete implementation of tobacco control legislation, through the effective transposition and enforcement of the TPD (2014/40/EU) and the implementation of the WHO FCTC - through the provision of solid scientific evidence and awareness raising at the EU level.

O. 2 - To strengthen advocacy capacity at EU MS National level, and more particularly to empower Civil Society organisations, policy makers, academics, experts and all other relevant stakeholders through the provision of science-based evidence, increased health literacy, promotion of healthy lifestyle decisions, disease prevention and improving access to tobacco dependence treatment, through a wide range of channels and innovative tools.

O. 3 - To reduce health inequalities due to tobacco use at the micro level, through focusing on the 3rd Health Programme thematic priority areas and tobacco use, and through the engagement of youth in tobacco control activities.

O.4 - To enhance the sustainability of the actions performed through the Operating Grant so as to ensure the strategic long-term development and return on EU investment in the post Operating Grant period.




This project would contribute to the ultimate elimination of tuberculosis in the EU by utilising evidenced based interventions to ensure early diagnosis, improve integrated care and support community and prison outreach activities in low- and high-incidence countries. We aim to achieve this by bringing together several EU member states and jointly evaluating evidence based interventions, taking best practice approaches from countries where co-applicants have developed national strategic plans and providing a framework, in collaboration with ECDC, to support the adaptation and implementation of these measures. We will prioritise migrants, homeless persons, prisoners, problem drug users and those with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.


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.


Proposal for annual OPG to support Europe's largest civil society public health network in core activities and actions in support of all of the objectives of the European Union 3rd Health Programme.

EPHA will contribute to the realisation of all four objectives of the 3HP; EPHA activities for the period 2018-2021 will contribute to 20 of the 23 thematic priorities in Annex I of Regulation 282/2014.

The overarching objective driving EPHA’s entire policy and advocacy effort is: To promote good health and well-being, to reduce disease and health inequalities in European policies and programmes.
Operationalised by two further strategic objectives:
- Public health objectives and the reduction of health inequalities will be taken into account (‘mainstreamed’) through all relevant EU policies and programmes, with the EU institutions making a shift to a Governance for Health approach.
- EPHA generates new ideas to protect and improve public health, reduce health inequalities and ensure universal access to good quality care in sustainable health systems, and anchors them with European policy-makers.

The aims are further supported by specific objectives, followed by activities, milestones, deliverables and impact indicators for each of the priority work areas selected by the membership:
1.Prevention of chronic, non-communicable Diseases (incl food and agriculture, alcohol, tobacco )
2.Universal Access to Affordable Medicines
3.Action on Antimicrobial Resistance
4.Inclusive Digital Health
5.Healthy Trade Policy
6.Improving access to health/care for vulnerable groups (incl Roma)
7.Financing Public Health
8.Capacity building & Organisational Development (incl Solidarity Corps)

EPHA’s approach systematically mainstreams key concerns across all of these areas, including tackling health inequalities and improving access to healthcare, specific issues including mental health, health workforce, data protection, integrative care, children and youth and gender equality.
