EU health policy in the spotlight: Strengthen resilient health care systems and staff in Europe

CESI's take aways from the Reimagining Europe’s Health Systems Summit 2026 include:

1. Health systems should be treated as critical infrastructure: A central theme was that health systems are not merely social services but a strategic asset for Europe's competitiveness, resilience and security. Speakers argued that health should be viewed alongside energy, digital infrastructure and defence when governments make long-term investment decisions.
2. Europe needs health systems that can withstand 'permanent pressure': A policy spotlight session focused on what health systems should look like beyond 2029. The underlying premise was that crises are no longer exceptional; health systems must be designed for continuous stress rather than occasional shocks.
3. Prevention should become a strategic priority: Throughout the summit, organisers emphasised moving from reactive treatment to prevention-oriented care. The goal is to create a more holistic, data-driven health ecosystem that keeps people healthier for longer.
4. Innovation, AI and digital health must move beyond pilot projects: A dedicated session examined why many promising digital health initiatives remain stuck in the pilot phase. The consensus was that technology alone is not enough; organisational and regulatory changes are required for innovation to deliver real benefits.
5. Cross-border cooperation remains essential: The summit repeatedly highlighted the need for greater cooperation across Europe, particularly in preparedness.

CESI welcomes that the summit's discussions touched directly on health workforce shortages, the sustainability of public health systems, the value of cooperation and sharing of best practices, skills and training for digital transformation, long-term public investment in health services. Unfortunately, relatively limited representation was given to the role of social partners and and civil society organisations compared with government, industry and healthcare management stakeholders.

‍

The draft report of the European Parliament Committees on Employment and Social Affairs and on Public Health, as approved on June 3 and tabled for plenary on July 6, aims to improve working conditions and ensure sustainability of healthcare systems.

CESI welcomes that the committee report is broadly aligned with CESI’s priorities and represent s a significant step towards recognising the workforce crisis as a structural challenge requiring coordinated action at both EU and national levels.

The text demands safe staffing, workforce retention, decent working conditions, fair remuneration, mental health and psychosocial risks, full enforcement of the Working Time Directive, prevention of violence against healthcare workers, and the strengthening of social dialogue and collective bargaining.

It also calls for ethical recruitment practices, measures to tackle brain drain, increased investment in education and training, and the principle that digitalisation and artificial intelligence should support healthcare professionals rather than replace them (‘human in command’ principles should be in place).

Furthermore, the report characterises health expenditure as a strategic investment and calls for sustained public funding, stronger workforce planning, and dedicated EU support instruments to address shortages and inequalities in access to healthcare.

The main areas where alignment with CESI’s trade union perspective of healthcare workers is weaker concern the degree of enforceability of certain measures. While the report recognises the importance of safe staffing and workload controls, it ultimately favours a non-binding council recommendation and national frameworks rather than binding EU-wide minimum staffing standards and nurse-to-patient ratios.

CESI remains doubtful regarding the call for a review of the Professional Qualifications Directive to simply or speed up the recognition of diplomas and degrees in the health care sectors across Member States, as a revision may lead to a weakening of qualification standards or professional autonomy in the Member States.

Together, the Summit and the Parliament’s Committee report send a strong message: Europe’s health care workforce crisis requires sustained investment, better working conditions and coordinated action at both EU and national levels.

‍