What can the Investment Plan for Europe do for health?

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Today, in Brussels, Member States and regional representatives, healthcare service providers, public and private investors, economists, and practice innovators, participate in a Seminar on strategic investments for the future of healthcare, organised by the European Commission.

A vital economic sector

Health is a vital economic sector representing 10% of the EU’s GDP and accounting for 8% of the total workforce in the 28 EU countries. Today’s seminar explores what the Investment Plan for Europe can do for health: What types of investments are needed in the health sector? Which funding streams can support these investments? How can we invest to ensure successful implementation of new care models? These are just some of the questions that will be raised.

The Seminar was opened by Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission and Ambriose Falloye, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank with closing remarks by Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, who points out that: “Health authorities in the European Union and beyond are looking at ways to transform healthcare delivery through innovative and integrated healthcare models. This requires smart investment and creative approaches. Indeed, it may be difficult, but not impossible. From the Commission’s side, we will continue to promote the opportunities offered by the Investment Plan for Europe. As far as I am concerned, two key words are: “collaboration” and “partnerships”. I thus welcome this event and encourage a continuous engagement. If there is political will and if all stakeholders – politicians, care professionals, patients, technology providers and investors – are committed to working together, then we can make our healthcare systems effective, accessible, sustainable and resilient so they can face future societal challenges.”

Working together for innovation

This was also the core of the message of the event AER organised last December “E-health: Let’s find a common language” to bring together stakeholders who are not always used to work together for health innovation.

The report from the Commission’s seminar on EFSI for health will be available on DG Santé’s website shortly.

The EFSI Fact sheet on mobilising funds for the health sector provides a series of tips and examples on how the European Investment Plan for Europe can be utilised for
• Medical research
• Innovative products, services and delivery solutions (including
by SMEs, mid-caps and start-ups)
• New models of health infrastructure especially for primary and
integrated forms of care
• New technologies and e-health
• Medical education and training

EFSI will also be discussed during the joint AER-LGIU conference “Mind the gap: Sustainable financing for the regions” which will feature speakers on long term investing and impact investing”.

Finally AER is also cooperating with the High Level task Force on financing social infrastructure and maximising public value at the European Commission. AER regions interested in shaping the next Investment Plan for Europe should contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius