The fact that physical and mental health is a human right and that health is a prerequisite for sustainable development are among the conclusions on the ‘EU Global Health Strategy: Better health for all in a changing world’ approved on 29 January 2024 by the European Council. The document reaffirms the leading role of the EU and member states in advancing global health: an effort that would require multilateralism and inclusive multistakeholder partnerships.
The Council identified three complementary priorities of the EU Global Health Strategy: deliver better health and well-being for people across their life course; strengthen health systems and advance universal health coverage; prevent and combat health threats, including pandemics, applying a One Health approach. The EU Commission, the High Representative and member States are now called to apply these guiding principles and to implement the resulting lines of action and initiatives, among which is the multilateral cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).