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DRAFT OPINION (2026/0000(BUD))

“General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2027 - all sections”

SANT-PA-789116

Committee on Public Health · Rapporteur: Michalis Hadjipantela

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

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The Committee on Public Health calls on the Committee on Budgets to include its points in the 2027 budget resolution. It asks for public health to be a strategic priority, more EU4Health funding, and support for health workers, rare diseases and EU agencies. It wants external health spending targeted at preparedness and partner-country health systems, and funding to treat patients from conflict zones within the Union. It seeks coordination between EU4Health, ESF+ and cohesion funding, and extra resources through InvestEU, STEP and Digital Europe, with transparent, result-oriented spending. It asks for dedicated funding to fight antimicrobial resistance and for better working conditions and retention of healthcare workers. It welcomes proposed increases for the ECDC and EMA and continued support for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, including rescEU.

Committee position. The Committee on Public Health calls on the Committee on Budgets to incorporate its points into the 2027 budget resolution. It asks for more EU4Health funding, public health as a strategic priority, and support for health workers, rare diseases and EU agencies.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Commission, Member States and stakeholders to focus the 2027 budget on EU added value in public health, while respecting Member State competences and avoiding fragmentation.
  2. Wants public health treated as a strategic autonomy, security and competitiveness priority, with investment in underserved regions and interoperable cross-border tools.
  3. Says external health spending should target preparedness, surveillance and resilient partner-country health systems, and calls for funding to treat patients from conflict zones within the Union.
  4. Notes EU4Health commitments fall from 687.9 million EUR in 2026 to 635.3 million EUR in 2027, a reduction of around 7.6%, and calls on the Council and Parliament to increase the allocation.
  5. Warns that current funding for the Critical Medicines Act and the pharmaceutical package risks limiting their effectiveness, and calls for dedicated EU4Health actions on critical medicines and medical devices.
  6. Calls for stronger coordination between EU4Health, ESF+ and cohesion funding to train, upskill and retain health professionals, with clear key performance indicators and no duplication.
  7. Encourages extra resources through InvestEU, STEP and Digital Europe, with public health outcomes and patient access as central criteria, and stresses transparent, result-oriented spending.
  8. Underlines that combating AMR requires dedicated funding for research into new antimicrobials, diagnostics and alternatives, and for infection prevention and control.
  9. Calls for budgetary support to improve working conditions, professional development and retention of healthcare workers, especially in underserved regions.
  10. Calls for strengthening and resourcing European Reference Networks for rare and complex diseases, and supports establishing a dedicated EU structure such as a European agency or centre for rare diseases.
  11. Welcomes proposed increases for the ECDC and EMA, and calls for a staffing and capability review in light of their expanded mandates.
  12. Welcomes continued support for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, including rescEU, and stresses coordination between UCPM, DG HERA, EU4Health and national authorities.

Who is affected

  • The Commission, Member States and stakeholders, which are asked to focus the 2027 budget on public health priorities.
  • The Council and Parliament, which are asked to increase the EU4Health allocation in the draft budget.
  • Health professionals, who would benefit from funding for training, working conditions and retention.
  • Rare disease patients, who would gain from stronger European Reference Networks and a dedicated EU structure.
  • The ECDC and EMA, which would receive increased contributions and a staffing and capability review.

Figures and deadlines

  • 687.9 million EUR — total EU4Health commitments in 2026 in the draft budget.
  • 635.3 million EUR — total EU4Health commitments in 2027 in the draft budget.
  • around 7.6% — reduction in EU4Health commitments from 2026 to 2027.