As COVID-19 settles into an endemic pattern, the European Union has no comprehensive, coordinated respiratory health plan to manage the long-term challenges posed by the disease and other respiratory infections. Respiratory illnesses are among the most common infectious diseases in Europe, and experts say many of their worst outcomes could be prevented with better planning. The bloc has invested heavily in emergency tools like the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), but these are designed for crises, not for sustained, integrated care.
A workshop to push for a lasting strategy
On 3 October 2025, Active Citizenship Network will host an EU workshop in Brussels aimed at shifting the EU’s approach to respiratory care from emergency-driven reactions to long-term strategies. The policy meeting is part of the EU project “Advancing Respiratory Care at the EU Level” and will gather patient advocacy group representatives from across Europe. The goal is to inform and empower civil society while pressing EU institutions to treat respiratory health as a permanent priority.
The workshop builds on earlier activities that promote respiratory care integration.
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According to the event’s documents, the EU currently lacks a cross-border framework that addresses both the legacy of COVID-19 and the systemic gaps exposed by other respiratory infections. The plan’s absence is a hole that needs filling.
Two documents and a campaign
During the meeting, two documents will be presented.
Their exact contents were not detailed in the announcement, but they are expected to outline policy recommendations for a unified EU respiratory health strategy. Organizers say they will provide a foundation for discussion among patient groups and EU officials.
Participants will also co-create the #CareForAll 2025 communication campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness among policymakers and the public, amplify patient voices, and reinforce the urgency of treating respiratory care as a top EU health priority. Active Citizenship Network described it as a way to shift the conversation from reactive emergency measures to sustained investment.
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Why a single plan matters
Respiratory infections place a heavy burden on Europe’s healthcare systems each year.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how quickly those systems can be overwhelmed when there is no coordinated regional plan. Despite the creation of HERA, which focuses on medical countermeasures and emergency stockpiles, there is no overarching policy for day-to-day respiratory disease management, prevention, and rehabilitation. The workshop’s organizers argue that integrating pandemic care into a broader respiratory framework would help Europe avoid repeating the same crisis-response cycle. That means funding for primary care, pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccination programs, and data sharing across borders. Without a structured plan, they say, the region risks leaving chronic respiratory conditions — like asthma and COPD — underfunded and underprioritized.
A missing piece in EU health policy
Some observers point out that past EU health initiatives have taken years to move from workshops to binding legislation. While the October meeting represents a step forward, achieving a formal respiratory health plan would require consensus among 27 member states, each with its own healthcare priorities. The European Commission has not yet signaled a timeline for drafting such a plan.
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