Tackling health inequalities in the EU The news: Despite increased prosperity and overall improvements in health the EU is faced with the challenge of large gaps in health between and within EU countries. A communication put forward by the Commission seeks to address these health inequalities. It focuses on different aspects of the problem, e.g. the provision of health services, the design of health promotion and health protection activities, as well as the improvement in living and working conditions. The Commission will support EU members in identifying successful strategies to reduce health inequalities and in implementing them. The Communication suggests to improve the data collection and monitoring on health inequalities; to identify and prioritize areas of improvement and best practices that can be shared by Member States; to build commitment across civil society and meet the needs of vulnerable groups. The Communication also suggest to better assess the impact of EU policies on health inequalities and to inform national authorities and other bodies on possible EU funding. The background: The main causes of health inequalities are systematic differences in a wide range of factors which influence health: income, living and working conditions, education, health related behaviours and the quality and access to services are some examples. Vulnerable and socially excluded groups such as people from some migrant or ethnic minority backgrounds have particularly poor levels of health. Large disparities in health also exist between regions, rural and urban areas and neighbourhoods. Addressing health inequalities is one of the objectives of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and of the Community Programme of Action on Health. The event: Joint Press conference with Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou and Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla (time tbc). Available on EBS The sources: Commission website on the Meeting of the Expert Group on Social Determinants and Health Inequalities: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/socio_economics/ev_090629_en.htm Commissionner Vassiliou's website: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/vassiliou/index_en.htm Commissioner Spidla's website: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/spidla/index_en.cfm The contacts: Nina Papadoulaki +32 2 29 86378 haravgi-nina.papadoulaki@ec.europa.eu Katharina von Schnurbein +32 2 298 1408 katharina.von-schnurbein@ec.europa.eu Antonie Kerwien +32 2 29 72686 antonie.kerwien@ec.europa.eu Carmel Dunne +32 2 299 8894 carmel.dunne@ec.europa.eu 3, Best - Hoofdinhoud

Despite increased prosperity and overall improvements in health the EU is faced with the challenge of large gaps in health between and within EU countries. A communication put forward by the Commission seeks to address these health inequalities. It focuses on different aspects of the problem, e.g. the provision of health services, the design of health promotion and health protection activities, as well as the improvement in living and working conditions. The Commission will support EU members in identifying successful strategies to reduce health equalities and in implementing them. The Communication suggests to improve the data collection and monitoring on health inequalities; to identify and prioritize areas of improvement and best practices that can be shared by Member States; to build commitment across civil society and meet the needs of vulnerable groups. The Communication also suggest to better assess the impact of EU policies on health inequalities and to inform national authorities and other bodies on possible EU funding.

The main causes of health inequalities are systematic differences in a wide range of factors which influence health: income, living and working conditions, education, health related behaviours and the quality and access to services are some examples. Vulnerable and socially excluded groups such as people from some migrant or ethnic

minority backgrounds have particularly poor levels of health. Large disparities   ealth also exist between regions, rural and urban areas and neighbourhoods. Addressing health inequalities is one of the objectives of the EU Sustainable development strategy and of the Community Programme of Action on Health.

Joint Press conference with Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou and Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla (time tbc). Available on EBS

Commission website on the Meeting of the Expert Group on Social Determinants and Health Inequalities:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/socio_economics/ev_090629_en.htm

Commissionner Vassiliou's website:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/vassiliou/index_en.htm

Commissioner Spidla's website:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/spidla/index_en.cfm

Nina Papadoulaki

+32 2 29 86378 haravgi-nina.papadoulaki@ec.europa.eu

Katharina von Schnurbein

+32 2 298 1408 katharina.von-schnurbein@ec.europa.eu

Antonie Kerwien

+32 2 29 72686 antonie.kerwien@ec.europa.eu

Carmel Dunne

+32 2 299 8894 carmel.dunne@ec.europa.eu

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