On 5 March 2021, the European Commission launched the “Union of Equality: Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030” report, setting out how the Commission aims to support...
EU Action
The European Union has undertaken a number of actions in support of dementia in recent years, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. These actions range from political declarations and conferences which have helped raise the profile of dementia at a European level, to funded programmes and instruments which have supported policy, practice and research into the condition.
In this section, you will find key EU actions in the areas of policy, practice and research, with further information and links within the pages.
EU4Health is the EU’s health programme which seeks to improve the experience of patients, improve health systems, as well as examining crises response and resilience, particularly in light of the...
On 2 February 2021, the European Commission formally launched Horizon Europe, the EU’s programme for research and innovation.
In January 2021, as part of its work around demographic change in the EU, the European Commission published its "Green Paper on Ageing", launching a broad policy debate to discuss...
Joint Programming addresses EU countries willing to engage in the development of a common Strategic Research Agenda. The first-ever Joint Programming Initiative focuses on Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and...
On 17 November 2017, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission proclaimed the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2017.
On 15 November 2010 the European Commission adopted a strategy to break down the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in society on an equal basis. The European...
The Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation was launched by the European Commission in January 2014, with a budget of more than EUR 77 billion available over 7...
The Innovative Medicines Initiatives (IMI 1 & 2) is the world's biggest public-private partnership (PPP) in life sciences, providing a collaborative platform to facilitate and fund research across the EU...
The third EU health programme was the main instrument used by the European Commission to implement the EU Health Strategy , which supported the Europe 2020 strategy. The programme had...
The European Accessibility Act took effect on 27 June 2019, aiming to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent...
On 1 August 2019, the Work-life Balance initiative, a key deliverable of the European Pillar of Social Rights , came into effect across the European Union. As the measure is...
Building on the success of ALCOVE (Alzheimer Cooperative Valuation in Europe), the first Joint Action on Dementia, the European Commission supported the launch of a 2 nd Joint Action through...
European Parliament - Written Question on the dismantling of the Commission Expert Group on Dementia
Deirdre Clune, MEP, member of the European Alzheimer’s Alliance has submitted a written question to the Commissioner to address the question of why the Expert Group on Dementia was disbanded...
On 15-16 May 2017, the Maltese EU Presidency hosted a meeting of the Government Group of Experts in St Julian’s, Malta. The focus of the meeting was on the Promotion...
On 9-10 May 2016, the Dutch EU Presidency held a two-day conference dedicated to dementia entitled “Living well with(out) dementia” in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The aim of the conference was to...
On 29 November, the Slovak EU presidency held a conference entitled “Alzheimer’s disease – epidemic of the third millennium: Are we ready to face it” in Bratislava, Slovakia. The conference...
On 11 April 2016, the following eleven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) submitted a Written Declaration on the prioritisation of a European Dementia Strategy: Deirdre Clune (Ireland), Roberta Metsola...
On 7 December 2015, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council of the Luxembourgish EU Presidency, adopted conclusions (2015/C 418/04) on a number of health-related items, including...
On on 5 October 2015, a Written Declaration (0057/2015) was launched by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs): Dominique Bilde (France), Patricija Šulin (Slovenia), Ivo Vajgl (Slovenia), Luke Ming Flanagan...
On 14 November, the Italian EU Presidency held a conference entitled “Dementia in Europe: a challenge for our common future” in Rome, Italy. The aim of the conference was to...
Launched in April 2011 and running until 2013, yhe ALzheimer's COoperative Valuation in Europe (ALCOVE) was a Joint Action co-financed by the European Commission and comprised of 30 partners from...
The Seventh framework programme of the European Community for research and technological development including demonstration activities (FP7) ran between 2007 an 2013, with the aim of strengthening industrial competitiveness and...
The Second EU Health Programme was the main instrument to support health policy coordination to implement the EU’s 2008-2013 health strategy Together for health in line with the priorities of...
On 22 January 2011, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) entered into force for the European Union. All EU Member States have signed and...
On 19 January 2011, the European Parliament passed a resolution (2010/2084(INI)) through the own-initiative procedure, calling for strong action through the Commission's proposed European Alzheimer's Initiative. The rapporteur for the...
On 25 & 26 November 2010, the Belgian Presidency organised a conference entitled “Improving the quality of life of people with dementia: A challenge for European society” in Brussels, Belgium...
On 28 & 29 June 2010, the Spanish Presidency held a Conference entitled "Mental Health and Well-Being in Older People – Making it Happen" in Madrid, Spain. During the conference...
In July 2009, the European Commission presented a Communication on a European initiative on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (COM(2009) 380 final). The objective of this European initiative is to...
On 6 February 2009, the European Parliament adopted Written Declaration 80/2008 on the priorities in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, in which MEPs called on the European Commission and the...
On 30 November and 1 November Following on from the conclusions made in September at the Swedish Presidency Conference on Healthy and Dignified Ageing, the Council of Ministers took the...
On 17 December 2008, at the end of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting adopted “Conclusions on...
On 17 December 2008, at the end of the French Presidency of the European Union, the Council of European Health Ministers gave a clear signal that policy-makers at the highest...
The first EU Health Programme ran between 2003 and 2007, and was the key instrument underpinning Community's (Commission's) overarching health strategy. The general objectives of the First Health Programme were...
The 6th EU Research Framework Programme was the EU's main instrument for research funding in Europe and ran between 2002 and 2006. The was intended to help create a a...