EPHA’s annual work programme for 2017 is based on our multiannual work programme prepared for 2015-2017. EPHA’s activities will continue to be relevant to all four objectives of the 3rd Health Programme. This proposal for the third year of activities builds on those undertaken during 2015 and 2016 and continues implementation of EPHA’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan. The problem analysis and evidence base presented for the FPA and SGA 2015 remain valid. EPHA's mission, vision and values are enshrined in our Statutes and remain unchanged.

EPHA’s overarching objective for 2016-2020 remains: To promote good health and wellbeing, to reduce disease and health inequalities in European policies and programmes.

In addition to our selected policy campaigns which are now up and running effectively, in 2017 we aim to step up our horizontal public health activities. This is intended to fulfill two objectives: firstly to increase cooperation with the WHO as we have been invited to enter into Official Relations status for 2017-2020. Secondly, we seek to pull our work packages and members together with a compelling, overarching narrative for European public health action.
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The Conference will organise an exchange of information and best practices on key aspects of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing in the fields of Integrated care, Prevention, Dementia friendly society and Innovative solutions.

The Conference is also in line with the areas singled out in the Commission Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer`s disease for greater EU collaboration, namely 1. Acting early to diagnose dementia, 2. A shared European effort in research, 3. National solidarity and exchange of best care practices, 4. Respecting the rights of people with dementia.

In order to support the actions outlined in the Innovation Partnership and the Commission Communication, the 23rd AE Conference will focus on these four priorities and organise an exchange of information, experiences, projects and best practices in the following areas:
1. Integrated care (Post diagnostic support, care in the community, carer training, residential care), 2. Prevention (Preventing dementia, behavioural problems, carer burnout and hospitalisation), 3. Dementia friendly society (Dementia friendly communities, Dementia strategies, Perceptions and image of dementia, Ethical and legal aspects), 4. Innovative solutions (Assistive technologies, dementia and the arts, new psychosocial approaches, involvement of people with dementia).

In all areas, AE will identify keynote speakers to provide state of the art presentations on the current knowledge and understanding, whilst inviting presenters to submit abstracts on ongoing and recently finalised research, projects and experiences.

In addition, AE will collaborate with EU funded initiatives to share the progress and results of research initiatives of programmes and projects like the Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Disease, the Joint Action (ALCOVE-Alzheimer COoperation and Valuation in Europe), projects supported under the FP7 and AAL Programmes and by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (PharmaCog).
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The general objective of the 2011 European Public Health Conference is to further the aims of the second European Community action in the field of health by building the capacity of public health and welfare experts, practitioners and policy makers through enhancing the European exchange of knowledge, policy and best practice.
More specifically, the 2011 European Public Health Conference aims to:
- offer a wide platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing research outcomes and discussing best practice in all fields of health and welfare and their interrelationship;
- provide a plenum for EU policies and projects with an audience of public health and welfare professionals;
- create, support and promote close and active collaboration links among European public health organisations and schools of public health;
- increase knowledge and skills among representatives of EUPHA and ASPHER member associations by the organisation of capacity building seminars.
- mobilise public and official bodies in the organising country and the Nordic countries for the promotion of public health.
The above general objective and aims are linked directly to the third objective of the second Health Programme (2008-2013) - to generate and disseminate information and knowledge.

The parallel scientific programme of the conference, which is based on submitted and ranked abstracts, covers the objectives and strands of the 2010 Work Plan. Workshops and presentations will focus on the various priority areas of the Work Plan such as quality of healthcare and patients` safety, sustainability of health systems in the face of challenges such as the ageing population and inequalities in health within and between EU Member States. EUPHA sections and ASPHER working groups cover priority issues such as mental health, communicable diseases and child and adolescent health in half-day or full-day pre-conferences.

The conference offers a meeting place for various projects funded by the second Health Programme and the 7th Research Framework Programme.


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EPHA is a leading NGO advocating for better health for everyone living in Europe. Our mission is to bring together the public health community to provide thought leadership and facilitate change; to build public health capacity to deliver equitable solutions to European public health challenges, to improve health and reduce health inequalities. Our key role is to promote health in the European Union at the highest levels of policy making across the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council.

80 million people still live in poverty in the EU, and poor living conditions, low income, poor employment conditions and unhealthy diets due to being unable to afford to buy healthy food are all key determinants of health. In addition, many of the key determinants of health lie outside of the control of individual citizens, such as how healthcare systems are managed, how food production in the EU is organized and how trade regulations enable or discourage healthy food choices and how pharmaceutical policies and the cost of medicines are regulated, for example.

EPHA's proposal for an operating grant under a Framework Partnership Agreement covers core operating costs for actions on all four objective of the Third Health Programme. EPHA's work plan covers 4 strategic aims: improve overall population health and healthy life years, strengthen European health systems for better patient outcomes and reduced inequalities, and support institutional and policy frameworks that promote health and to strengthen and increase effective public health.

Health in all Policies, prevention-promotion-protection, reduction of inequalities and solidarity are central tenets of EPHA's work plan and are reflected in our approaches to working on food systems, trade and EU governance. Decreasing health inequalities is a core value that we endeavor to mainstream through all EPHA activities. Actions in the 2015 work plan reflect the final year of EPHA’s current strategic plan, and this year will be crucial for setting the 2016 to 2020 strategy.
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