The European Commission, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have published Country Health Profiles summarising the status of health and health systems of 27 Member States of the European Union (EU), as well as of Iceland and Norway.
The 'State of Health in the EU' cycle is a 2-year process initiated by the European Commission, designed to improve country-specific and EU-wide knowledge in the field of health.
The 29 reports, developed by the Observatory and the OECD, are concise and policy-relevant profiles based on a transparent, consistent methodology that uses both quantitative and qualitative data, flexibly adapted to the context of each EU Member State.
The 2023 editions focus on the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges facing countries’ health systems in delivering services, investing in health system recovery and resilience, improving critical areas of the health sector and better preparing for future emergencies.
Each country health profile provides a short synthesis of:
- health status
- health determinants (including behavioural and environmental risks)
- the organisation of the health system and health spending
- the effectiveness, accessibility and resilience of the health system
- For the first time in the series, a spotlight section on the state of mental health and related services within the country.
Funded by the EU4Health Programme, the State of Health in the EU initiative aims to create a means for mutual learning that supports the efforts of EU Member States in their evidence-informed policy-making.. This strengthens the evidence base for policymakers and other health stakeholders seeking to improve the performance of health systems in the EU.
The Synthesis report 2023 examines how health systems are performing across the Union in meeting the needs of European citizens. It includes dedicated Country Health Profiles, where particular attention is given to the mental health impact of COVID-19 and reforms carried out by Member States to address this growing challenge.
A strong commitment to improving mental health in the EU
The synthesis report looks at how health systems across the Union are performing, and highlights three key findings that need to be addressed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Mental health of EU citizens deteriorated following the pandemic. Therefore, mental health reforms that cover de-stigmatisation, prevention, treatment and reintegration are needed across all Member States. At EU level, the Commission adopted a comprehensive approach to mental health in June 2023, consisting of 20 flagship initiatives and backed by €1.23 billion in funding.
- The State of Health report stresses the need to address growing health inequalities across the Union, as well as increasing unmet medical needs. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a widening of the gap in life expectancy at birth between 2019 and 2021 across Member States. However, life expectancy estimates from 2022 show a narrowing of the gap. In this respect, cancer is highlighted as a key priority area to address. The Commission has already taken a number of important steps in this regard, including a number of important initiatives under Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.
- The report also highlights the importance of continued investment in health, to prepare for potential future crises. One particularly important area is the continued need for comparable and valid health data, which is key for informed policy making and effective health innovations. The European Health Data Space, proposed by the Commission in May 2022, will help to unleash the full potential of health data and empower EU citizens through better digital access and control of their health information.
This is the fourth edition of Country Health Profiles, which were published on 15 December 2023 during a virtual launch.
- View the presentation slides from the launch webinar
- Learn more and download the 29 Country Health Profiles from 2023
- State of Health in the EU – European Commission Synthesis Report