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EU4Health is the EU’s response to this challenge. By investing €9.4 billion, this programme will:
1

• boost EU’s preparedness for major cross border health threats

• make sure health systems are resilient and can face epidemics as well as long-term challenges such as an
ageing population and inequalities in health status.

4.2 The EU Health Programme

The Health Programme is a funding instrument to support cooperation among EU countries and underpin
2
and develop EU health activities. The legal basis for the Health Programme is agreed with the European
Parliament and the Council for a period of several years. Regulation (EU) 282/2014 is the legal basis for the
current Health Programme. With a budget of €449.4 million and throughout 23 priority areas, the Health
Programme serves four specific objectives:

Promote health, prevent disease and foster healthy lifestyles through ‚health in all policies’,

Protect EU citizens from serious cross-border health threats

Contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems

Facilitate access to high quality, safe healthcare for EU citizens.

The Programme is implemented by means of annual work programmes agreed with countries on
a number of annually defined priority actions and the criteria for funding actions under the programme.
On this basis, the Consumers Health Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) organises calls for
proposals for projects and operating grants, as well as calls for joint action and tenders. Direct grants are
signed with international organisations active in the area of health.

Proposals are evaluated by the Chafea, assisted by external experts. External experts are selected through
calls for expression of interest.

The Commission wants to directly support the healthcare systems of EU Member States in their fights
against the coronavirus pandemic through measures that can best be taken at EU level. For this purpose
and based on the solidarity principle, the Commission will complement in a fast, flexible and direct way the
ongoing efforts at national level.

The Emergency Support Instrument provides support to help Member States in their efforts to address the
COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a broad EU tool-box to respond to needs which can be best addressed in
a strategic, coordinated manner at European level. As a financing arm of the Joint European Roadmap to-
wards lifting COVID-19 containment measures, the instrument helps mitigate the immediate consequences
of the pandemic and anticipate the needs related to the exit and recovery.

1 https://ec.europa.eu/health/funding/eu4health_en
2 https://ec.europa.eu/health/funding/programme_en