Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The EU Role in Global Health SEC(2010)380 SEC(2010)381 SEC(2010)382
Date: 2010-03-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU policy, developing countries, development policy, equal treatment, health policy, international affairs, medical research, public health, right to health

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 31.3.2010 
COM(2010)128 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The EU Role in Global Health 

SEC(2010)380 
 SEC(2010)381 
 SEC(2010)382 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The EU Role in Global Health 

1. 

THE GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE 

Global  health  is  a  term  for  which  no  single  definition  exists.  It  is  about  worldwide 
improvement of health, reduction of disparities, and protection against global health threats. 
Addressing global health requires coherence of all internal and external policies and actions 
based on agreed principles. 

The  Treaty  of  the  European  Union  stipulates  that  a  high-level  of  health  protection  shall  be 
ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities. The Charter 
of  Fundamental  Rights  further  stipulates  that  everyone  has  the  right  of  access  to  preventive 
healthcare and the right to benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by 
national  laws  and  practices.1  Increased  coherence  between  relevant  internal  and  external 
policies  will  reinforce  the  EU  as  a  global  actor.  The  EU's  social  model,  its  strong  safety 
norms,  and  its  global  trade  and  development  aid  position  allow  it  to  play  a  major  role  in 
improving global health. 

Health  is  influenced  by  social,  economic  and  environmental  factors  which  are  increasingly 
influenced by globalisation. Globally, improved health also depends on greater social justice. 
This fact is further proven by the effect of the financial and food price crises on the poor. The 
2008 WHO Report on Social Determinants provides evidence that progress requires changes 
in existing power balances – political, economic, social and gender-based. 

During  the  last  century  average  life  expectancy  has  doubled,  from  30  to  64  years.  On  one 
hand access to prevention, treatment, and care has increased. On the other hand the gaps have 
widened between rich and poor across and within countries. Population growth, urbanization, 
aging,  unhealthy  lifestyles,  environmental  degradation,  low  access  to  safe  water,  food  and 
health services, along with social and economic disparities require multi-sectorial and global 
action. 

Hence, public health policies need to go beyond the national level and require strong global 
institutions and coordinated efforts. 

Global health governance and international policy frameworks 

The  World  Health  Assembly  (WHA)  has  the  authority  to  adopt  resolutions  and  binding 
international  regulations.  The  Framework  Convention  on  Tobacco  Control2  is  the  first 
international  health  treaty.  More  recently,  the  WHA  adopted  the  International  Health 
Regulations  which  provide  a  framework  for  coordinated  management  of  public  health 

1 
2 

Article 35 OJ C 303/7, 14.12.2007, p.1 
FCTC, WHO, 21 May 2003. 

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emergencies.  However,  most  WHA  resolutions  are  not  binding  and  compliance  depends  on 
national capacities and political will. 

The  three  health  Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDG  4,  5  and  6)  have  enhanced  policy, 
regulatory and financial efforts of  the international community  to  improve  health  outcomes. 
Direct  aid  for  health  increased  from  4€  billion  in  1990  to  more  than  16€  billion  today. 
Emerging  donors  and  South-to-South  cooperation  are  also  playing  an  increasing  role.  We 
have good stories to tell and good examples on which to build. However, progress toward 
health  MDGs  is  uneven  and  largely  off  track  in  most  developing  countries.  Although  some 
progress has been made to reduce child mortality (MDG 4) including the impact of the Global 
Alliance  on  Vaccines  and  Immunization  (GAVI),  close  to  15%  of  children  in  Sub-Saharan 
Africa still die before the age of 5. Maternal mortality rates (MDG 5) have barely declined at 
all.  As  for  HIV/AIDS  (MDG  6),  the  number  of  people  from  developing  countries  receiving 
antiretroviral treatment has increased ten-fold in the last five years, largely due to the direct 
funding  of  the  Global  Fund  to  fight  AIDS,  tuberculosis  and  malaria  (GFATM)  3.  Still, 
HIV/AIDS remains the primary single cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

An unbalanced and fragmented attention to health priorities has undermined progress. More 
than  140  global  health  initiatives  targeting  specific  needs  often  run  in  parallel  and  might 
potentially  add  pressure  on  already  weak  health  systems.  Special  attention  need  also  to  be 
paid, through a multi-sectorial approach, to MDG 1 on nutrition, MDG 3 on gender equality 
and MDG 7on environmental sustainability, capturing a large share of the attributable risk for 
ill health in developing countries. 

A  major  challenge  is  the  inability  of  countries  -  often  fragile,  post-conflict  or  without 
sufficiently strong institutions and adequate resources - to implement effective public health 
policies,  including  the  access  to  adequate  health  services.  For  example,  Sri  Lanka  has  30 
times  lower  maternal  mortality  rates  than  Angola,  with  similar  GDP  per  capita  levels,  or 
Malawi has half the under five mortality rate of Equatorial Guinea, with 30 times lower GDP 
per capita. 

This Communication proposes an EU vision on global health, defines the guiding principles 
that should apply to all relevant policy sectors and presents a number of areas where the EU 
could more effectively act.4 

2. 

THE EU LEGITIMACY TO ACT 

The  Treaty  on  the  European  Union  states  that  the  EU  shall  combat  social  exclusion  and 
discrimination, and shall promote social justice and protection, equality between women and 
men,  solidarity  between  generations  and  protection  of  the  rights  of  the  child5.  It  also  states 
that in its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values6. 

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6 

UNAIDS, AIDS epidemic Update, 2009. 
The  Communication  is  accompanied  by  three  Staff  Working  Documents  dealing  respectively  with: 
"Contributing to Universal Coverage of Health Services through Development Policy"; "Global health: 
responding  to  the  challenges  of  globalization"  and  "European  Research  and  Knowledge  for  global 
health" where the policy issues herein are detailed. 
Compliance  with  the  UN  Convention  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child,  art  24  on  children's  enjoyment  of 
highest attainable standard of health. 
Art. 3 of the Treaty of the European Union.  

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The EU has agreed on shared values of solidarity towards equitable and universal coverage of 
quality  care7.  A  recent  Communication  also  addresses  the  challenge  of  health  inequalities 
within the EU8. 

EU  action  to  improve  health  in  third  countries  is  underpinned  by  the  Treaty  on  the 
Functioning of the European Union. It specifies that the Union and the Member States shall 
foster  cooperation  with  third  countries  and  the  competent  international  organisations  in  the 
sphere of public health, and that a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in 
the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities9. 

The EU Health Strategy states that sustained collective leadership in global health is needed 
for  better  health  outcomes  in  Europe  and  beyond.  Through  its  Research  Framework 
Programmes,  the  EU  has  been  supporting  research  across  the  entire  innovation  cycle.  This 
starts  with  basic  research,  clinical  research  and  public  health  and  health  services  research. 
This  includes  information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT)  for  health  (eHealth).  In 
addition,  EU  policies  on  environmental  standards  or  on  the  implementation  of  multilateral 
environmental agreements also have a positive impact on global health. 

The European development consensus10 recognizes health as an essential objective within the 
MDG  framework.  The  EU  promotes  inclusive  leadership,  human  rights,  democracy,  good 
governance  and  stability,  all  of  them  essential  factors  for  healthy  societies  and  vice  versa. 
Health is a critical element to reduce poverty and promote sustainable growth. The EU policy 
on health and poverty reduction11 addresses these links. Special attention is given to poverty-
related  diseases12  and  to  the  crisis  of  human  resources  for  health13.  There  are  clear 
commitments  to  increase  development  aid14  as  well  as  its  levels  of  alignment  with  partner 
countries' own strategies and predictability, so as to enable them to own their health policies 
and actions. 

The  EU’s  leading  role  in  international  trade,  global  environmental  governance  and  in 
development  aid,  as  well  as  its  values  and  experience  of  universal  and  equitable  quality 
healthcare give it strong legitimacy to act on global health. 

3. 

A STRONGER EU VISION, VOICE AND ACTION 

3.1. 

The  challenge  of  governance:  how  strong  leadership  can  coordinate  global 
actors 

There is a plethora of actors and initiatives engaged in global health and a continuing need to 
mobilize  resources.  This  calls  for  a  clearer  and  more  efficient  global  leadership.  With  the 
entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the role of the EU in WHO would need to be included in 
wider reflections concerning its role in the United Nations (UN). 

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Council Conclusions (2006/C 146/01) 
COM (2009)567, 20 October 2009. 
Art. 168 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union 
COM (2006)/C 46, 24 February 2006. 
COM(2002) 129, , 22 March 2002.  
COM (2005) 179 
COM (2006) 870. 
Council conclusions: EU Agenda for Action on MDGs, 11096/08, 24 June 2008. 

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3.2. 

The challenge of universal coverage: ensuring access to health services for all 

Reducing  the  current  gaps  in  coverage  by  health  services  will  require  not  only  increasing 
domestic  resources  but  also  development  aid  in  the  poorest  countries.  Beyond  improving 
resource  allocation  between  and  within  countries,  it  means  stepping  up  policy  dialogue  on 
health systems and their financing arrangements. In pursuing the aid effectiveness agenda, the 
EU should increase the alignment and predictability of its support. The approach to the health 
MDGs needs to take account of their link with the other MDGs (mainly gender, nutrition and 
water  and  sanitation).  It  also  needs  to  cater  for  other  important  needs,  particularly  Non 
Communicable  Diseases  (NCDs)15,  and  the  special  needs  of  people  in  humanitarian  crisis 
situations.  To  follow  this  holistic  "systems"  approach,  the  EU  will  need  to  improve  its 
capacity  for  analysis  and  dialogue  on  global  health  challenges  at  national,  regional  and 
international levels. 

3.3. 

The challenge of policy coherence: health policy can not be handled in isolation 

The EU has an opportunity to combine its leading global roles in trade and in development aid 
with  its  commitment  to  social  and  environmental  progress,  to  forge  a  coherent  approach  to 
global  health.  The  five  priority  areas  recently  agreed  by  the  EU  in  addressing  Policy 
Coherence  for  Development  cover  the  main  factors  that  influence  global  health.  These  are: 
trade and financing, migration, security, food security and climate change. Increased attention 
to  development  impacts  in  these  policy  areas  and  others  like  education  and  youth 
empowerment will bring benefits for global health. 

3.4. 

The challenge of knowledge: investing in research that benefits all 

Innovation in health research has made a major contribution to improving human health and 
quality  of  life  in  Europe  and  beyond.  It  is  not  enough  for  new  interventions  or  medical 
products to be effective and safe; they also have to be acceptable, affordable, and accessible 
so  they  can  be  put  to  benefit  the  entire  population.  ICT  can  have  a  key  role  in  improving 
health service provision. There is still an enormous gap between what is known to improve 
health  and  what  is  being  delivered  in  practice.  Moreover,  the  incentive  structure  for  the 
development  of  new  medicines  and  medical  technologies  is  less  effective  when  patients  are 
either too few or too poor. It is therefore essential that research priorities are geared to making 
the  biggest  impact  on  public  health.  Access  and  innovation  need  to  be  addressed 
simultaneously,  as  highlighted  in  the  Global  Strategy  and  Plan  of  Action  on  Public  Health, 
Innovation and Intellectual Property.16 Policy-makers and researchers must translate research 
findings into evidence-based decisions. Evidence-based policies can only be grounded in solid 
health information systems and country-led research and knowledge generation. This requires 
multi-disciplinary research capacity at national level. 

4. 

AN ENHANCED EU RESPONSE 

The EU should apply the common values and principles of solidarity towards equitable and 
universal coverage of quality health services in all external and internal policies and actions. 

15 
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WHA 2008 61.14. 
Resolution WHA61.21, 2008 

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4.1. 

Democratic and inclusive governance 

•  At global level, the EU should endeavour to defend a single position within the 
UN  agencies.  The  EU  should  work  to  cut  duplication  and  fragmentation  and  to 
increase  coordination  and  effectiveness  of  the  UN  system.  It  should  support 
stronger  leadership  by  the  WHO  in  its  normative  and  guidance  functions  to 
improve global health. The EU should seek synergies with WHO to address global 
health  challenges.  It  should  decrease  the  fragmentation  of  funding  to  WHO  and 
gradually  shift  to  fund  its  general  budget.  At  regional  level,  the  EU  should 
promote  closer  networking  among  neighbours  and  foster  the  establishment  of 
regional  health  networks  such  as  the  Northern  Dimension  and  the  South-East 
Europe  Health  Network.  Where  regional  institutions  (e.g.  the  African  Union)  or 
dialogues  (such as under the  European  Neighbourhood policy) already exist, the 
EU  should  promote  inclusion  of  global  health  issues  among  their  priorities  and 
strengthen cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Control.  

•  At national level, the EU should enhance its support to the full participation of 
all stakeholders in the development, implementation and monitoring of national 
health  and  other  relevant  policies.  It  should  promote  parliamentary  scrutiny  of 
public  financing  decisions  influencing  the  delivery  of  health  services  in  partner 
countries. These actions should include links with education, involving of youth, 
families  and  communities,  and  empower  them  to  lead  healthier  lifestyles, 
maximize their human potential and effectively contribute to the policy process17. 

4.2. 

Towards  universal  coverage  of  basic  quality  health  care:  where,  what,  how  to 
act 

•  The  EU  should  give  priority  to  and  increase  its  support  for  countries  in  fragile 
contexts,  aid  orphans  and/or  those  worst  off-  track  from  the  health  MDGs.  It 
should  support  them  designing  and  implement  national  policies,  strategies  and 
programmes  to  make  faster  progress  towards  achieving  of  health  MDGs.  This 
approach should be pursued consistently by the EU through bilateral channels and 
participation  in  global  initiatives  and  international  fora.  The  Commission  will 
propose  a  list  of  priority  countries  where  the  EU  should  concentrate  its  health 
Official Development Assistance in view of the 2010 MDG Summit. 

•  The  EU  should  concentrate  its  support  on  strengthening  of  health  systems  to 
ensure  that  their  main  components  –  health  workforce,  access  to  medicines, 
infrastructure and logistics and decentralised management – are effective enough 
to deliver basic equitable and quality health care for all without discrimination on 
any  grounds  as  defined  by  Art.  21  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights.  This 
approach is particularly important for MDG 5. The kind of process piloted by the 
International Health Partnership in assessing comprehensive national health plans 
(through the Joint Assessment of National Strategies), funding one national health 
budget  and  one  monitoring  process  should  be  the  preferred  framework  for 
providing  the  EU  support.  A  comprehensive  approach  including  all  priorities  is 
the only efficient one. 

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COM(2007) 498 

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The  EU  should  promote  this  approach  in  global  financing  initiatives  such  as  the 
GFATM  and  the  GAVI  and  through  its  participation  in  the  governance  of 
International  Financial  Institutions  (IFIs).  The  existing  global  funds  should  be 
adapted to the challenges of global health, rather than creating new instruments. 

•  In delivering on its promises on development aid, the EU should increase support 
for implementation of national health strategies through country systems. Whether 
direct or indirect (as part of budget support or global initiatives), EU aid for health 
should  offer  a  predictability  of  at  least  three  years.  This  is  essential  to  enable 
the  design  and  implementation  of  national  health  strategies  in  countries  with 
lowest public funding capacity. Member States should be encouraged to join the 
Commission  in  "MDG  contracts",  which  offer  predictability  and  increased 
national resources. A well defined linkage with joint health sector monitoring and 
dialogue  mechanisms  based  on  national  health  policies  will  improve  their 
relevance  for  health.  In  line  with  aid  effectiveness  objectives,  the  EU  should 
channel  two  thirds  of  health  ODA  through  partner  countries  owned 
development  programmes  and  80%  using  partner  countries'  procurement 
and  public  financing  management  systems.  The  EU  should  also  actively 
explore with global partners the opportunities for additional innovative financing 
to tackle global health challenges and the role the European Investment Bank can 
play in financing social and health-related infrastructures. It should also promote 
division of labour between institutional actors and private organisations. 

The  EU  should  support  third  countries  efforts  to  formulate  effective  policies  to 
mobilise domestic revenues, scale up fair financing of health systems and develop or 
strengthen  social  protection  mechanisms  in  the  health  sector.  This  is  promoted 
through  the  enlargement  process  where  legal  alignment  with  the  EU  health  acquis, 
policies  and  practice  is  regularly  monitored  by  the  Commission.  In  Developing 
Countries,  replacing  of  user  fees  with  fair  financing  mechanisms  and  compliance 
with  commitments on  national  budgets' allocation to health should  be considered18. 
The EU will support the WHO, within the current partnership agreement, to assess, 
analyse and provide regular estimates of national public funding gaps for delivery of 
basic health care. The EU should address the multi-sector nature of health and its 
close  links  to  gender,  nutrition,  water,  sanitation,  environmental  quality  and 
education  in  all  relevant  policy  dialogues.  Together  with  the  regions  or  countries 
worst  affected  by  maternal  and  child  malnutrition,  the  EU  should  support  the 
formulation and implementation of government nutrition policies, interlinking health 
and food security interventions. 

4.3. 

Coherence between relevant EU policies related to global health 

The  EU  should  ensure  that  all  relevant  internal  or  external  policies  contribute  to 
promoting equitable and universal coverage of quality health services. In order to do 
so, the impact assessment of the relevant policy areas should analyse the effects of 
policy  options  on  global  health  19.  The  linkage  between  the  EU's  humanitarian  and 

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African Union Heads of States Abuja Declaration and Plan of Action on HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis 
and  Other  Infectious  Diseases  (ORID)  of  2001  and  Brussels  declaration.  ACP/83/016/07,  26  October 
2007 
As  foreseen  in  Impact  Assessment  guidelines  (SEC  (2009)  92  ,  COM(2005)172  of  27.4.2005  and 
COM(2009) 205 final of 29.4.2009. 

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development aid should be promoted. In line with the commitments made on policy 
coherence for development20, the EU should be prepared to address the following 
aspects of global health: 

•  On trade, the EU should work to ensure more effective use of TRIPS21 provisions 
to  increase  the  affordability  and  access  to  essential  medicines.  The  EU  should 
support the priority actions identified in the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on 
Public  Health,  Innovation  and  Intellectual  Property.  This  should  address  the 
challenges  expected  after  2016  when  the  TRIPS  framework  enters  into  force  in 
least  developed  countries.  The  EU  should  continue  to  ensure  that  EU  bilateral 
trade  agreements  avoid  clauses  which  may  undermine  access  to  medicines. 
Generic  competition22  and  rational  use  of  medicines  are  of  major  importance  to 
ensure  the  sustainability  of  healthcare  systems23.  The  EU  should  also  work  at 
global and regional level to eliminate trade in falsified medicines e.g. through the 
International  Medical  Products  Anti-Counterfeiting  Taskforce.  The  EU  should 
also  address  further  the  problem  of  illicit  drugs  and  its  effects  on  health  and 
consider  the  crucial  role  of  demand  reduction.  The  EU  should  also  continue 
advocating  for  a  better  global  governance  of  health-relevant  environmental 
agreements. 

•  On migration, the EU Member States should ensure that their migration policies 
do  not  undermine  the  availability  of  health  professionals  in  third  countries 
whilst  respecting  the  individual  freedom  of  movement  and  personal  and 
professional aspirations. In this respect, the EU should speed up progress towards 
the  agreed  commitments  under  the  European  Union  Strategy  for  Action  on  the 
Crisis in Human Resources for Health in Developing Countries and contribute to 
the WHA Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. 
The  EU  should  facilitate  circular  migration  as  a  means  to  mitigate  brain  drain 
from countries experiencing such strain. EU Member States should step up their 
efforts  to  ensure  that  everyone  -  including  migrants-  in  the  EU  has  access  to 
quality health services without discrimination.  

•  On  security,  the  EU's  Common  Foreign  and  Security  Policy  should  boost 
progress  on  the  EU  response  to  situations  of  fragility24  and  highlight  the 
importance  of  access  to  health  services  for  populations  under  stress  in  fragile 
contexts,  humanitarian  crisis  and  in  peace  and  stabilization  processes.  The  EU 
should  contribute  to  the  global  and  third  countries'  national  capacities  of  early 
the 
prediction,  detection  and  response 
International Health Regulations. Because of the threat of zoonotic diseases, this 
also means paying closer attention to the concept of ‘one world, one health’25. 

to  global  health  threats,  under 

•  On  food  security,  food  assistance  and  nutrition  the  EU  should  ensure  that  its 
policies  work  to  increase  access  to  food  and  link  with  national  health  strategies 

20 

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24 
25 

Policy  Coherence  for  Development  -  Accelerating  progress  towards  attaining  the  Millennium 
Development Goals, COM(2005) 134, 12 April 2005 and biannual reports, latest COM(2009) 461. 
WTO, Geneva, 30 August 2003 
COM (2009) 351 of 08.07.2009 
COM (2008) 666 10.12.2008 
COM(2007) 643 
See : http://www.oneworldonehealth.org/ 

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that  include  nutrition  services  and  monitoring  of  nutritional  status  in  the 
population,  as  elaborated  in  the  Communications  on  Food  Security  and  Food 
Assistance.  The  EU  should  contribute  to  developing  a  strong  and  effective  one-
UN global leadership on nutrition and on developing of a Global Multi-sectorial 
Nutrition  Framework26.  The  EU  should  also  seek  to  contribute  to  food  security 
through the implementation of the biodiversity and desertification conventions. 

•  On  climate  change,  the  EU  will  take  global  health  objectives  into  account  in 
implementing  the  collective  commitment  by  developed  countries,  in  December 
2009, for new and additional resources at the 15th Conference of Parties. 

4.4. 

Research and evidence based dialogue and action 

•  The EU should coordinate more effectively research on global health in order to 
address the highly fragmented landscape and identify shared global priorities for 
health  research.  It  should  promote  effective  and  fair  financing  of  research  that 
benefits the health of all people.  

•  The EU Research Framework Programs should continue to give priority to actions 
which  tackle  global  health  challenges.  These  actions  should  be  based  on  joint 
priority  setting  processes,  equitable  partnerships  and  safeguard  access  to  the 
knowledge generated.  

•  The EU should strengthen and balance the complete health research process of 
innovation,  implementation,  access,  monitoring  and  evaluation.  Such  research 
should  provide  effective  input  for  health  policies,  improve  health  service 
provision, and include mechanisms for partner countries to build and sustain their 
national research capacity.  

•  The EU should enhance its current work27 with relevant national and international 
bodies  such  as  WHO,  the  OECD  and  the  Health  Metrics  Network,  to  improve 
health information systems and the collection of comparable data and statistics 
to  allow  benchmarking  and  inform  global,  European  and  national  policies.  The 
EU should promote the use of ICT, including eHealth. 

•  All global normative action on the safety of food, feed, products, pharmaceuticals, 
and  medical  devices  must  be  evidence-based.  The  EU  should  promote  the 
dissemination of information on hazards and risks in these areas.  

4.5 

Delivering  results  through  enhanced  coordination,  monitoring  and  capacity 
building 

To  maximize  and  measure  the  impact  of  its  policies  and  programmes  that  relate  to 
global health, the EU will establish the following mechanisms: 

•  Facilitate joint EU action on health at country and global levels; the Commission 
and Member States should each designate a coordinator on global health. All EU 
global  health  coordinators  will  work  together  in  a  platform  to  exchange 

26 
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WHO EB126/9, 19 November 2009 
Joint Eurostat /OECD/WHO data collections on health care. 

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information and meet regularly to agree on common positions and opportunities 
for joint action. 

•  Monitor  the  EU's  overall  aid  to  health  and  how  it  is  distributed.  The  EU  should 
ensure full implementation of the EU Code of Conduct on Division of Labour28 
in the area of health. The EU should build up a collective expertise on capacity 
in global health analysis and policy dialogue so that it can speak with one voice 
with  third  countries  and  in  international  fora.  The  mapping  of  existing  EU 
expertise should be the foundation for action in this area.  

•  Conduct  dialogues  with  key  global  players  and  stakeholders:  The  EU  should 
continue  to  work  in  partnership  with  the  UN  agencies  and  IFIs  concerned  with 
global health. The EU should include global health challenges in its dialogue with 
other key global players. The next EU-Africa summit at the end of 2010 will also 
be another key moment for the two continents to act together on the health MDGs. 

28 

COM(2007) 72, 28 February 2007. 

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10 

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