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DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung)

DSW

DSW is an international development organization focused on youth health, contraception, and gender equality.

Lobbying Activity

DSW urges ring-fencing gender and health in next EU budget

26 Nov 2025
Topic — The EU is consulting on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework for external action funding.
Message — The organization recommends a 200 billion euro budget where 93% meets official development standards. They demand specific spending targets, including 50% for human development and 85% for projects supporting gender equality.123
Why — Fixed spending targets would ensure predictable funding for the organization's core development and health priorities.4
Impact — EU industrial interests lose if the budget prioritizes poverty eradication over corporate competitiveness and trade.5
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Meeting with Peter Liese (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Nov 2025 · Austausch

Response to Union prevention, preparedness, and response plan for health crises

29 Oct 2025

As a development NGO focused on neglected areas of global health and gender equality, DSW advocates for a plan that will strengthen both EU and global preparedness through innovation; rooted in collaboration, equity and solidarity. I- ADOPTING A GLOBAL DIMENSION AND REINFORCING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES (LMICS) A global lens is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic necessity for effective, sustainable protection against health threats. During the COVID-19 health crisis, many novel technologies developed came on the back of knowledge and infrastructure built through global networks, often focused on poverty-related and neglected diseases (PRNDs). For example, the mRNA technology used in some COVID-19 vaccines was being developed in the context of HIV vaccine research. DSW urges the Commission to adopt a solidarity-based, equity-driven, and forward-looking plan against health crises, that adopts a global lens and assumes responsibility beyond the EUs borders in line with the EU Global Health Strategy, and makes strategic investments in R&I that will improve health security but also the EUs competitiveness. This includes building on existing initiatives with proven impact such as the Team Europe Initiatives under the Global Gateway, including MAV+, the EDCTP3, and to strengthen bi-regional cooperation in epidemic preparedness and R&I, and ensure continued support, including through dedicated calls in the current and future R&I framework programmes, and associated instruments such as the Competitiveness Fund; as a dual investment in health equity and health preparedness. II- STRENGTHENING EU AND GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY BY FOCUSING ON CLIMATE-RELATED HEALTH THREATS Health systems in Europe are struggling with climate change, with extreme weather events and a surge in infections from vector-borne diseases (VBDs) like West Nile Virus and Chikungunya. These place a heavier burden on vulnerable groups, including pregnant individuals and older adults, exacerbating issues such as rapidly aging populations, rising healthcare costs, and the gender health gap. Climate change, combined with urbanisation, travels, and environmental disruption, is expanding the habitats of disease-carrying vectors, raising the risk of outbreaks in non-endemic regions. This is why we call for a stronger Health Preparedness and Emergencies Response Authority (HERA) with an enhanced focus on VBDs, reinforcing the importance of forward-looking investments in diseases traditionally considered neglected but now posing emerging threats to EU health security. Investments in novel and improved technologies should be developed in collaboration with regions where expertise exists, and where disease burden remains disproportionate to ensure that interventions contribute to health solidarity, and thus security. Moreover, the Plan should tackle these issues with a One Health approach, starting from reflecting the pledge made in the Medical Countermeasure Strategy, which recognises VBDs as a pandemic threat and commits to include them in future climate adaptation plans. III- ENSURE AVAILABILITY, AFFORDABILITY AND EQUITY OF MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES The Plan should ensure availability and affordability of medical countermeasures, by attaching access conditionalities to publicly funded MCMs and improving manufacturing capacity and technology transfer to LMICs in Europe and beyond. Health is not gender blind, and infectious diseases are no different; with significant variations and specific threats to women, particularly in pregnancy. Furthermore, interventions (such as lockdowns implemented under the COVID-10 pandemic) threatened womens access to lifesaving services, including relating to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The Plan must adopt a gender sensitive approach to improve preparedness and response, including the mandating of sex and gender considerations in the development of MCMs.
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Response to European Innovation Act

30 Sept 2025

DSW INPUT: EU INNOVATION ACT CALL FOR EVIDENCE Draghis report identified health innovation as a priority for EU competitiveness, while President von der Leyens State of the Union address reaffirmed readiness to lead in global health. As a convener of the global health community working with academia, researchers, and product developers, DSW draws attention to four points for the Innovation Act. 1 - REDUCE REGULATORY & FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO IMPACT Europe has a thriving knowledge base, but a slow translation to market. Research-intensive sectors such as healthcare require public and private investment at all levels. To unlock Europes innovation potential, the EU should deliver on its proposal for a European Competitiveness Fund and revamped and independent Framework Programme for R&I in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. At the same time, Member States need to achieve the target of 3% of GDP invested in R&I. And since one of the biggest issues for companies in Europe is the lack of venture capital funding, the Act should strengthen the financial framework to attract private investments. 2 - PRIORITISE & INCENTIVISE INNOVATION IN AREAS OF UNMET NEED The Act should prioritise EU R&I spending on areas of unmet needs, lack of private sector investment, but with high return, such as neglected infectious diseases, closing the womens health gap globally and promoting disruptive technologies to make the EU a leader, such as innovative novel male contraceptive technologies. The Act should mobilise incentives for innovation with clear societal benefit, such as priority review vouchers for neglected disease products or revenue guarantees. 3 - WOMENS HEALTH & NOVEL CONTRACEPTIVES FOR ALL: UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITIES FOR EU LEADERSHIP The EUs innovation ecosystem is well placed to advance womens health through new diagnostics, therapies, and digital tools. Yet, despite women making up over half the population and driving healthcare spending, womens health startups receive a small fraction of investment. This leaves clinical and commercial gaps in areas such as endometriosis, menopause, and novel contraceptives. By clarifying, simplifying and harmonising regulatory pathways, creating funding streams and incentives for innovative companies, de-risking investment and stimulating venture capital access with funding and infrastructure support, the EU can become a leader in womens health. Similarly, R&I of novel male contraceptives remains chronically underfunded. With a growing global need for novel contraceptive options for all genders, the EU and its Member States should step up collaboration with the private sector, not only to improve health outcomes but also to lead in a field ripe for scientific breakthroughs, social impact, and long-term return on investment. The EU should explore launching accelerator programmes, incentives to ensure attractive markets with rewards for innovation and should address regulatory barriers to reduce uncertainties and risks for researchers, developers and investors. 4 - ENSURE POLICY COHERENCE AND DELIVER ON EU VALUES The Act must ensure internal-external coherence to deliver on the EUs Global Health Strategy, Medical Countermeasures Strategy, Life Science Strategy and the upcoming Biotech Act. The Act must recognise the importance of international R&I cooperation to tackle shared global health challenges; saving lives and fostering EU competitiveness and preparedness, as highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes supporting access, capacity building and self-sufficiency in LMICs (especially in Africa) as a pillar of long-term preparedness. The Act must also continue strengthening equity and diversity in innovation policies, safeguarding systematic intersectional requirements for sex and gender considerations. This includes recognising and addressing the issue of AI models perpetuating biases if trained on non representative and non inclusive data.
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Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament) and European Institute of Womens Health,clg

9 Sept 2025 · MEPs for Women's Health

Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Sept 2025 · MEPs for Women's Health

Response to Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030

24 Jul 2025

DSW supports the renewal of the Gender Equality Strategy (GES) and recommends that, in line with the existing strategy, reaffirms and strengthens the EUs commitment to supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) by increasing R&I for globally relevant SRH technologies, by keeping SRHR as a key political priority for external action and by better aligning research and external action initiatives to support equitable development and deployment of globally relevant SRH technologies. These actions should be central to improving efforts to close the gender health gap, and gender inequities more broadly. Since the previous GES was published, SRHR, gender equality and womens rights have been under attack in Europe and across the world, notably through growing restrictions on bodily autonomy. SRHR is a prerequisite to achieving gender equality: any limitation to SRHR has an adverse impact on a womans health and their empowerment; restricting their social, political and economic participation. With the current shifts in the multilateral order, the EU has the opportunity to affirm its leadership and champion gender equality, SRHR, womens rights (including the right to health) and fight against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) within its own borders and beyond; upholding its values and global commitments. The GES must reaffirm and encourage the full implementation of the commitments previously taken by the EU in the Womens Rights Roadmap, the Gender Action Plan III, the EU Global Health Strategy, the Youth Action Plan, and in accordance with the Beijing Platform for Action and the SDGs / REALISATION OF SRHR: A global barrier to the realisation of SRHR is a shortage of safe, effective and accessible sexual and reproductive health technologies, including for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gynaecological issues and maternal health challenges. There is a significant unmet need for contraceptive options for both women and men due to side effect profiles, medical contraindications, and applicability of many currently available products. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), UNFPA estimates that over 200 million women of reproductive age have an unmet need for modern contraception. Likewise, there is growing dissatisfaction with currently available methods across Europe. The EU hasnt invested in contraceptive R&I since 2021, with global funding having declined by 15% between 2018 and 2023, according to Impact Global Health / GENDER HEALTH EQUALITY: Gaps in R&I funding for womens health hinders progress in achieving gender equality. Despite living longer, women spend 25% more of their lives in poorer health than men, which significantly impacts their quality of life & economic gains. The World Economic Forum reports that only 7% of health research globally focuses on conditions that exclusively affect women. Improving R&I for womens health also means investing in better integrating systemic, intersectional analysis of sex and gender (see SAGER guidelines) into all health research, and investing in analysing existing data that may not have been reported in a sex and gender disaggregated way. It is important that both sex (as a biological variable) and gender (as a social construct) are considered across all areas of research, but in particular in life sciences where failure to account for such differences can be a matter of life or death / GLOBAL LEADERSHIP: The EU should play a leading role in championing gender equality, SRHR and SOGIESC rights at a global level and in international fora and should continue to include gender equality and SRHR as priorities in its foreign policy. In particular, it should make use of the regular political & human rights dialogues with partner countries to promote gender equality and ensure the respect of SRHR, especially for more vulnerable and marginalised communities, including LGBTIQ+ individuals
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Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Jul 2025 · Horizon Europe

Meeting with Billy Kelleher (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

14 Jul 2025 · Inequality in health

Meeting with Eva Schultz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

9 Jul 2025 · Meeting to discuss women’s health issues

DSW Urges EU Biotech Act Focus on Global Women’s Health

9 Jun 2025
Topic — Proposed EU legislation aiming to create an environment for accelerating biotech innovation and market transition.
Message — DSW requests prioritising public spending on neglected diseases and closing the global women's health gap. They advocate simplifying regulatory pathways and creating dedicated funding streams for women-centric biotechnology. The group also recommends using incentive mechanisms like priority review vouchers and revenue guarantees.123
Why — This would increase development of new medical tools specifically designed for female biology.4
Impact — National treasuries would face pressure to meet the three percent GDP research investment target.5
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DSW Urges Inclusive and Ethical AI for Global Health

4 Jun 2025
Topic — This initiative outlines a comprehensive policy approach for adopting AI within European science.
Message — DSW requests that the EU prioritize inclusive data collection and global partnerships. They advocate for meaningful involvement of civil society in AI governance.12
Why — Implementing these recommendations helps DSW fulfill its mission of improving global health equity.3
Impact — Marginalized populations suffer if unrepresentative data leads to life-threatening medical misdiagnoses.4
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Response to EU Strategy on medical countermeasures

8 May 2025

As a development NGO focused on neglected areas of global health and gender equality, DSW advocates for a strategy that will strengthen both EU and global preparedness through innovation, collaboration, and solidarity. A global lens is not just a moral imperative it is a strategic necessity for effective, sustainable protection against health threats. The development, production, and distribution of MCMs depend on interconnected global supply chains. Many COVID-19 MCMs were based on knowledge and infrastructure built through global networks, often focused on poverty-related and neglected diseases (PRNDs). E.g. The mRNA technology used in some COVID-19 vaccines was being developed in the context of HIV vaccine research. Ensuring global access to MCMsespecially in low- and middle-income countrieshelps suppress outbreaks, reducing the risk of variants and future waves. The Union Preparedness Strategys Action Plan (which tasked the development of this MCM Strategy) therefore rightly calls to embed preparedness in EU external investments - but an external dimension also needs to be integrated in all the other elements that will contribute to the Unions preparedness, incl. MCMs. Key Recommendations 1. Expand R&I Support for Neglected Diseases -Include calls for proposals in Horizon Europe work programmes (as per the Strategic Plan) targeting PRND R&I as a dual investment in health equity and health preparedness and maintain PRND R&I support in FP10. -Introduce novel incentive mechanisms for neglected disease R&D that suffer from market failure: Building on its experience developing pull incentives for new antibiotics to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and its procurement strategies for COVID-19 vaccines, HERA should extend the use of pull mechanisms (e.g., advance purchase commitments, milestone prizes) to stimulate innovation in neglected diseases R&I. Introduce a European Priority Review Voucher Programme (PRV) that does not impose costs on public budgets but offers an advantageous framework to stimulate private investments in key MCMs (see paper attached). -Increase HERAs focus on vector-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, which are expanding in Europe due to climate change reinforces the importance of forward-looking investments in diseases traditionally considered neglected but now posing emerging threats to EU health security. It also reinforces the need for a climate-sensitive and a One Health approach. -Strengthen Public-private partnerships, incl. Product Development Partnerships (PDPs)to deliver innovation where market failures persist. 2. Ensure Equitable Access and Affordability of MCMs -Attach access conditionalities (affordability, technology transfer, IP sharing) to all publicly funded MCMs support local production capacities in LMICs, particularly in Africa, through technology transfers and manufacturing partnerships. -Design procurement, stockpiling, and distribution strategies to promote global equity, not only internal resilience. 3. Foster International Cooperation and EU-Africa Partnerships -Deepen partnerships with African institutions (Africa CDC, AUDA-NEPAD) and support regional research and manufacturing platforms -Build on Global Gateway, EDCTP3, and MAV+ initiatives to strengthen cooperation in epidemic preparedness and R&I. 5. Enhance Transparency, Inclusive Governance, and Scientific Independence -Establish an independent scientific advisory body to guide MCM prioritisation -Create mechanisms for CSOs to participate in shaping MCM priorities -Enhance the role of the Civil Society Forum of HERA -Promote open science principles, ensuring rapid, equitable data sharing. 6. Implement Gender-Responsive Approaches -Ensure that the strategy contributes to closing the gender gap in R&D of MCMs. -Require sex- and gender-disaggregated data in clinical trials. -Prioritize innovation in areas like maternal health, contraceptive technologies, and gender-sensitive vaccine development
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Meeting with Katrin Langensiepen (Member of the European Parliament)

1 May 2025 · Exchange

Response to EU Life sciences strategy

17 Apr 2025

DSW would urge that the new Strategy build on the strategic priorities of the 2002 Life Sciences and Biotechnology - a Strategy for Europe; balancing the drive for EU competitiveness while unlocking life sciences and biotechnologys potential to deliver solutions to global societal needs. This is particularly pertinent in the field of health, given the global nature of health threats and the interconnectedness of our health systems. Every 1 invested in global health research and innovation (R&I) generates a societal return of 405. EU investments in global health have already boosted economic activity by 12.8 billion. The updating of the strategy, which in 2002 outlined the EUs commitment to working with the international community to concretise the commitment to research to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB and other main poverty-related diseases should continue to support global health innovation, promote inclusive and sustainable biotechnological development, and address pressing health challenges in Europe and beyond, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and especially in Europes neighbour continent Africa - contributing to the the EUs preparedness and security. To address cross-border health challenges, the EU must strengthen bi-regional R&I cooperation, particularly with the African Union. Building on initiatives such as Global Health EDCTP3 and MAV+, the strategy should support joint research, regulatory harmonisation, and capacity building in LMICs; aligning with the Global Gateway and contributing to a thriving life sciences sector. Chapter 5 of the 2002 Strategy recognises the international impacts, in particular for developing countries and we urge that the strong commitment to integrating the international dimension, based on the EUs fundamental values is transposed into the next Strategy. The Strategy should also commit to inclusive governance, including meaningful engagement of civil society, global health actors, and affected communities in shaping and implementing life science policies. As the 2002 Strategy underscores, the life sciences are nurtured by public research, including the generation, diffusion and application of knowledge. The Strategy must include dedicated funding streams for global health, including poverty-related and neglected diseases and womens health under Horizon Europe and its successor programmes/next FP10. It should also ensure support for SMEs, academia, and public-private partnerships working on non-commercial health innovation, or those that aim to deliver for unmet public health needs. The use of blended finance tools (e.g. EFSD+, HDx) can play a catalytic role in de-risking investments. Furthermore, the 2024 Communication, Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU rightly points out the problem of insufficient translation of research results into products and services due to a lack of incentives and an innovation ecosystem that does not sufficiently encourage entrepreneurship and risk-taking. The EU should adopt a leadership role by supporting pull incentivessuch as priority review vouchers or milestone prizesto stimulate development and equitable access to essential health technologies. This builds on DSWs recent analysis of how EU-level incentives can address R&D gaps in global health. Furthermore, to promote life sciences for the public good, the regulatory framework must be simplified and made fit-for-purpose - especially for not-for-profit and smaller actors in global health. The 2022 Strategy set out the establishment of the ERA, which has as a key principle the promotion of gender equality and diversity in research. The Strategy should actively promote and integrate intersectional sex and gender considerations, deliver solutions to the many unmet health needs that women face globally, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health - with the potential to boost the global economy by 2040.
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Meeting with Robert Biedroń (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Mar 2025 · Sexual & Reproductive Health

DSW urges gender-sensitive policies for EU Critical Medicines Act

27 Feb 2025
Topic — The initiative addresses supply chain vulnerabilities to strengthen the supply of critical medicines.
Message — DSW recommends that contraceptives and maternal medications be included in critical lists. They advocate for leveraging EU-Africa partnerships to support local pharmaceutical manufacturing. The organization also suggests formal advisory mechanisms for civil society participation.12
Why — These measures would contribute to a healthier and more equitable world.3
Impact — Suppliers focusing on lowest costs may lose out to ethical procurement models.45
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Meeting with Sirpa Pietikäinen (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Feb 2025 · Women's health

Meeting with Alice Kuhnke (Member of the European Parliament) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network and

29 Jan 2025 · All of Us abortion network SRHR start-up event

Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Jan 2025 · Global health and women's health

Meeting with Catarina Martins (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Jan 2025 · women's health

Meeting with Stine Bosse (Member of the European Parliament) and EUROPEAN ORGANISATION FOR RARE DISEASES

5 Dec 2024 · European health policy

Meeting with Marit Maij (Member of the European Parliament) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network

23 Oct 2024 · Meeting with representatives from the IPPF and DSW

Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Oct 2024 · Women& health

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

3 Oct 2024 · exchange on upcoming MFF proposal and health policy

Meeting with Alice Kuhnke (Member of the European Parliament) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network and

26 Sept 2024 · SRHR

Meeting with Marit Maij (Member of the European Parliament) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network and European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights

26 Sept 2024 · Comprehensive training on SHRH in the EU internal and external policies

Meeting with Cecilia Strada (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Promotion of global health, access to sexual and reproductive in developing countries, gender equality

Meeting with Carolina Morace (Member of the European Parliament) and European Cancer Organisation and Animal Welfare Foundation e.V.

24 Sept 2024 · Introductory Meeting

Meeting with Maria Noichl (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Sept 2024 · Global Health and SRHR

Meeting with Hildegard Bentele (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Sept 2024 · Global health

Meeting with Erik Marquardt (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Sept 2024 · Introductory meeting

Meeting with Iliana Ivanova (Commissioner) and

22 Apr 2024 · Support of the European Framework Programme for health research and innovation

DSW Urges Global Health Focus in EU Pharma Overhaul

8 Nov 2023
Topic — The EU is updating its pharmaceutical laws to ensure affordable medicine and innovation.
Message — DSW calls for aligning pharmaceutical legislation with the EU Global Health Strategy. They recommend including neglected infectious diseases within the scope of the laws. The organization supports introducing priority review vouchers to incentivize international health research.12
Why — This would secure more regulatory support and funding for DSW's global development objectives.3
Impact — Vulnerable European populations risk exposure to drug-resistant diseases that lack adequate treatment options.4
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Meeting with Tomislav Sokol (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe BV

8 Nov 2023 · Pharmaceutical legislation

Meeting with Laura Ballarín Cereza (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

6 Nov 2023 · Pharmaceutical Package (Regulation)

Meeting with Ilan De Basso (Member of the European Parliament) and Save the Children Europe and European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights

11 Oct 2023 · Event om flickors och kvinnors rättigheter

Meeting with Erik Marquardt (Member of the European Parliament) and Plan International EU office

10 Oct 2023 · European Week of Action for Girls / Girl's rights, Gender Equality, Political Participation

Meeting with Tilly Metz (Member of the European Parliament) and European Patients' Forum (EPF) and

10 Oct 2023 · Pharma Package

Meeting with Tomislav Sokol (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

27 Jun 2023 · Pharmaceutical legislation

Meeting with Pernille Weiss-Ehler (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

2 Jun 2023 · Directive on Medicinal products for human use

Meeting with Ilan De Basso (Member of the European Parliament) and Save the Children Europe and

30 May 2023 · Möte

Meeting with Nicolás González Casares (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

17 May 2023 · Medicines

Meeting with Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner) and OXFAM INTERNATIONAL EU ADVOCACY OFFICE and

1 Dec 2022 · Speech at the 2nd GAP III Structured Dialogue with CSOs

Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and OXFAM INTERNATIONAL EU ADVOCACY OFFICE and

9 Nov 2022 · Global Health Strategy

Meeting with Karsten Lucke (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Sept 2022 · global health

Response to Ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020

29 Jul 2022

The EU’s research framework programme remains a key tool to advance Europe’s competitiveness and economic integration, and to tackle global societal challenges. Horizon 2020 (H2020) showed a qualitative and quantitative improvement compared to the previous framework programme (FP7), and Horizon Europe has followed through, consolidating the important role of R&I in the EU. EU-funded R&I has had a substantial impact on improving the health of disadvantaged citizens within Europe and in LMICs, “improving living standards and prosperity and strengthening global health security in an interconnected world”. R&I investments into poverty-related and neglected diseases like HIV & AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria had a significant impact on strengthening research capacity in LMICs, building an unprecedented global pipeline of candidate health technologies and helping develop knowledge generation for diagnosis, treatment and prevention. H2020-funded initiatives like EDCTP2 drove these successes, both in Europe and Africa, while others like CEPI have been instrumental in the rapid response against the COVID-19 pandemic. Improved coordination within the EU and between the EU and MS remains essential to raise Europe’s profile on R&I, and could serve to strengthen the ‘added value’ of partnering with the EU over other players. H2020 played a limited role in facilitating complementarities and synergies among EU, MS and international R&I initiatives. Official development assistance and private development investments have strong – yet still largely untapped – potential in enabling and maximising the impact of R&I. For example, by strengthening R&I capacities, manufacturing and regulation. Despite consistent increases, the budget of the EU’s research framework programme continues to be largely insufficient to meet the EU’s objectives and ambitions. Horizon Europe will likely continue to be unable to fund the majority of research proposals deemed worthy of receiving EU support. Moreover, despite an absolute increase in funding, the dedicated budget for priority areas such as health decreased in relative terms compared to H2020: from 9.7% of the total budget of H2020 to 8.5% of Horizon Europe’s budget. International cooperation under H2020 fell short by a long way, in particular with LMICs, where funding decreased compared to the FP7. Data provided by the Roadmap for EU-African Union S&T cooperation indicates that, four years into the implementation of H2020, the number of entities from African Union member countries involved in collaborative research projects – and their funding received – had decreased compared to FP7. The latest data (2018) showed that international participation had stagnated. Despite the strong rhetoric on the openness of the programme, Horizon seems primarily focused on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness rather than tackling global societal challenges through international cooperation. This emphasis on competition – as opposed to cooperation – may have undermined the programme’s capacity to leverage international collaborations and resources, including with the private sector. An important improvement from H2020 to Horizon Europe has been the strengthened approach to gender equality. H2020 was the first research work programme to set gender as a cross-cutting issue. Horizon Europe has strengthened the mechanisms to overcome gender gaps in R&I, including the introduction of e.g. Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) as an eligibility criteria for certain applicants. Monitoring of the implementation of the GEPs will be crucial to achieving meaningful progress. The strengthening of gender equality within EU funded R&I has mainly focused on equality between men and women. Efforts to consider gender beyond this binary focus, and its intersection with other systems of inequality, such as race, age and dis/ability are needed in order to ensure that R&I delivers knowledge and technologies that are relevant for, and benefit all.
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Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and World Vision Brussels & EU Representation ivzw/aisbl and

13 Jul 2022 · Upcoming EWAG 2022and International Day of the Girl

Meeting with Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner) and Climate Action Network Europe and

5 Jul 2022 · xxx

Meeting with Nicolás González Casares (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

8 Jun 2022 · Medicines

Response to A New European Innovation Agenda

10 May 2022

DSW welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Call for Evidence for A New European Innovation Agenda. Please find a summary below, and attached our full response. Publically funded innovation needs not only to deliver in navigating the EU’s twin green and digital transitions but also importantly needs to focus on achieving SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT more broadly. In contributing to the SDGs, the new Agenda should drive innovation to tackle some of our greatest common societal challenges, especially in areas that lack private sector interests. The EU’s Innovation Agenda needs to focus on generating global public goods and needs to incentivise commercial innovators to do the same and deliver R&I in areas of unmet public need, including in the area of health innovation. Investing in innovation for poverty-related and neglected diseases for instance, which face market failure and chronic underfunding, has the potential to deliver extensive health, social, and economic benefits. A gap between basic scientific research and clinical development has exacerbated the lack of treatments available for these diseases. An improved innovation ecosystem needs to build a bridge over this so-called “valley of death”. Outstanding research needs the best minds from all over the world to work together, thus a STRONG INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION must be embedded within the Agenda. Innovation should be open to the world, and the European Innovation Agenda needs to build on the EU’s new Global Approach to R&I, acknowledging the interconnectedness of European innovation with that of the rest of the world. Inclusivity should be a central pillar of the Agenda, with in-built mechanisms to facilitate collaboration amongst international organisations, for example, global innovation forums, and exchange platforms. The EU should in particular seek to identify synergies with Europe’s twin continent Africa, recognise the innovation potential of this rapidly developing continent, and align with the upcoming AU-EU Innovation Agenda. The European Innovation Agenda needs to be GENDER-EQUAL. A gender equality lens, therefore, needs to be applied to every step and objective of the Agenda, which should foster targeted action to plug the inclusivity gap that exists within the EU innovation ecosystem. GENDERACTIONEU provides detailed recommendations that ought to be implemented within the new innovation Agenda. A recent DSW study highlighted the implications of failing to consider sex and gender throughout the entire R&I chain. The new Agenda should take into consideration that gender-sensitive innovation is difficult to achieve when gender is not considered in earlier stages of research. The new innovation Agenda should require that Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plans concern all research that has a potential for application, ensuring that sex and gender-disaggregated data, similarly to the principles of open science are accessible and reciprocal, to allow for a more gender-sensitive innovation approach.
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Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Save the Children Europe and

29 Mar 2022 · Global Health

Meeting with Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner) and Climate Action Network Europe and

15 Feb 2022 · Opening speech at the session of the Africa-Europe Week CSOs-LAs Forum

Meeting with Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner) and Climate Action Network Europe and

1 Feb 2022 · Roundtable with CSO: Preparation of the AU-EU Summit and the Africa-Europe Week 2022

Meeting with Lora Borissova (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen), Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and

8 Oct 2021 · Africa-EU partnership

Response to Delegated act framing the programming of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)

31 May 2021

SUPPORT TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS (SRHR) We welcome that “ Promoting human development and gender equality” is identified as an area of cooperation in several regions in sub-Saharan Africa (West Africa, East and Central Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean), including supporting greater access to and improved quality of health services and nutrition. It is paramount that this support includes efforts to increase universal access to SRHR, including adequate, affordable, accessible and equitable youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services. There is a huge persisting unmet need for SRH services in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to high rates of unintended pregnancies, with 58 million women in Africa having an unmet need for modern contraception. This is why we strongly recommend including SRHR as a crucial part of the cooperation on health services in III(5)a), IV(4)a), and V(4)a). We welcome that “Protecting the environment and fighting climate change” is included as an area of cooperation in several regions in sub-Saharan Africa that are heavily affected by climate change. Climate change is hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributes to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources. It is important to include the most vulnerable, including women and youth in every programme. Promoting SRHR increases the ability of communities to adapt and become resilient to the climate crisis: access to SRHR reduces vulnerability to shocks caused by climate change by enhancing women’s autonomy. Programmes addressing the interlinkages between climate change, biodiversity and other human development related initiatives like ‘population, health, and environment’ – programmes (PHE) provide integrated approaches that are designed to address multidimensional challenges facing isolated rural communities living in areas of high biodiversity and/or natural resource dependence with limited access to health services. These programmes, which typically integrate voluntary family planning, sexual and reproductive health and other services with community based natural resource management efforts, should be implemented on a wider scale where possible. FIGHTING POVERTY-RELATED AND NEGLECTED DISEASES As suggested for VIII South Asia, “Addressing health threats; developing safe, efficient and affordable vaccines, medicines and treatments against poverty-related and neglected diseases; improving responses to health” should also be a priority for other geographies that are disproportionately affected by poverty-related diseases, such as West Africa, East and Central Africa, and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean. The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2), co-funded under the Horizon programme, has been a major contributor to building science, technology and innovation (STI) capacities in sub-Saharan Africa to deal with infectious diseases and improve health security. While the future Global Health EDCTP3 is expected to continue this mission and be the main actor supporting Africa’s downstream (e.g. product development) research, there is a huge (so far untapped) potential for synergies between the NDICI and the EDCTP. For example, supporting African countries in buildingupstream (basic) research capacities, strengthening and harmonising medicine regulatory systems to promote access to safe, effective and affordable medicines (including by supporting the set up of the African Medicines Agency) and improving surveillance and health crisis management in Africa. STI cooperation in health remains paramount to deal with COVID-19 and with future outbreaks, as well as to achieve many health-related SDG indicators. Achieving these objectives will require multisectoral (from lab to fab) cooperation following Africa’s public health and research priorities; e.g. endemic infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases.
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Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network and European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights

25 Feb 2021 · - Gender equality - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Response to European Health Emergency Response Authority

24 Feb 2021

We welcome the proposal of a full end-to-end Authority responsible for streamlining EU initiatives on medical countermeasures for serious cross-border threats to health (policy option 3). OBJECTIVES HERA’s objectives should be aligned with the achievement of the Agenda 2030, in particular, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) SDG3 and 17, and the principle of leaving no one behind. HERA should aim at strengthening both the EU’s and EU partner countries’ preparedness and response and to improve international collaboration in this field since the global health security system is as strong as its weakest link. SCOPE: HERA should have a stronger role in funding - and optimising investments - in the research, development and innovation of medical countermeasures. HERA should target "Disease X" but also existing diseases with epidemic potential that suffer from market failure. Poverty-related diseases (PRDs) such as HIV&AIDs, tuberculosis, malaria and tropical diseases remain one of the most neglected areas of global health, suffering from chronic market failure. Moreover, many PRDs have epidemic character. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a major global health challenge, in particular in the field of tuberculosis; while other PRDs are also showing resistance to available treatments due to the lack of R&I. HERA should explore supporting a diversified portfolio of medical countermeasures, such as vaccine platforms that could be swiftly adapted to respond to disease outbreaks. HERA should utilise a One Health Approach to tackle global health challenges. FUNDING: According to the scope, HERA should be primarily financed by combining funds from EU4Health, InvestEU, Horizon Europe and the European Defence Fund. To avoid depleting these programmes from funding that should be allocated through open and competitive procedures, HERA’s core functions should also be supported by Member State contributions (i.e. outside the EU budget). A budgetary mechanism to support HERA with supplemental funding during emergencies should also be established. GOVERNANCE AND IMPACT: A role in the governance structure for the European Parliament, WHO, other international organisations, civil society and other relevant stakeholders should be considered. HERA should consider establishing international advisory and expert committees. It should also have a permanent multistakeholder scientific advisory committee in charge of defining the R&D agenda and identifying priority interventions. HERA should commit to high standards of transparency at all levels, e.g. to publishing all corporate documentation in a timely manner, including annual work plans, budgets, R&D agendas, HERA’s research and product pipeline...; to organising open stakeholder consultations and regularly publishing activity reports; to ensuring transparency in joint procurement and direct contracts, both with public and private organisations. HERA’s expected impacts should specifically include contributing to (and hence tracking) global health outcomes beyond the EU borders, in particular, in neighbouring regions and Africa. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND SYNERGIES: HERA should have a clear mandate to cooperate with other countries and international organisations. HERA should, in particular, coordinate and collaborate with regions that have weaker health systems and preparedness capabilities, and contribute to developing their capacities; e.g. by supporting the Africa CDC and the Global Health EDCTP3. Synergies and complementarities should be explored with InvestEU (in particular, the successor to the InnovFin Infectious Diseases Initiative) and EU-funded initiatives such as the EDCTP, GLoPID-R, JPIAMR, CEPI, etc. ACCESS: The affordability of publicly-funded interventions should be taken into account by HERA. HERA should have enforceable rules on Open Access (i.e. data sharing) following Horizon Europe, with strict criteria for derogations. For additional details, please see the attachment.
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Meeting with Lora Borissova (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen), Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and CONCORD Europe

23 Feb 2021 · EU-Africa Summit and consulation

Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Save the Children Europe and

11 Sept 2020 · EU Global Health Strategy

Response to Communication on the future of research and innovation and the European Research Area

3 Aug 2020

The 2012 EC communication on “A Reinforced European Research Area Partnership” that this roadmap and upcoming communication aim to update acknowledges that “The external dimension is a vital, cross-cutting and integral part of ERA. It will be addressed [...] as part of a separate Communication”. This separate communication “Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation” from 2012 was indeed vital, and it equally needs updating. The upcoming communication should therefore include a strong focus on international collaboration or be accompanied by a separate communication dedicated to this topic as it was the case previously. REFORMING THE ERA AND UPDATING THE EU’S AND MEMBER STATES’ STRATEGIC APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION BEYOND THE ERA NEED TO GO HAND IN HAND. The “often disruptive technological change”, the “ecological, social and economic transitions”, and the “imperative of sustainable development“ that the roadmap cites as reasons for revitalising the ERA, are not European but global phenomena. Europe cannot “shape and ride the new technological opportunities” and “lead the future” in isolation. “OPENNESS TO THE WORLD” AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION ARE IMPERATIVE TO SUCCESSFUL R&I POLICY. This includes collaboration with low- and middle income countries (LMICs) and notably, Africa, “our twin continent”. On July 16, 2020, European Union and African Union research and innovation ministers met for the first time, committing to increased collaboration on science, technology and innovation. Moreover, in its communication towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa, the EC envisages “EU-AFRICA ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION” AS AN AREA OF ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP. This ambition should be given a substantive backing in the upcoming communication or in a separate communication on international R&I. The EU’s 2012 strategy on international collaboration in R&I aims to “complement the Union’s external policies” in “developing countries” but does not identify Africa, and LMICs in general, as key R&I partners, nor acknowledges the potential contributions of their research and innovations to EU development and foreign policy objectives. The strategy mentions the objective “to contribute to the sustainable development of these regions and address challenges”, referring to the “Millennium Development Goals and their possible successors”. However, the accompanying staff working document (SWD) does not include any indicators to measure progress on these objectives. As a consequence, the biennial implementation reports on the strategy do not provide information on R&I collaboration with developing countries, nor on the progress on the above mentioned set objectives. THE UPCOMING COMMUNICATION AND SWD NEED TO DEFINE CLEAR AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS FOR R&I COLLABORATION WITH AFRICA. The roadmap mentions the communication “may need to address coordination of research related to public health, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic”.Health R&I needs to be a priority area for European and importantly also international collaboration in science, technology and innovation. Infectious diseases do not respect borders and rapid response requires joint efforts to pool expertise and resources and allow for timely information sharing. The orientations document to the first strategic plan for Horizon Europe acknowledges that the “EU benefits from high visibility, leadership and standing in international fora on global health and global health security, especially in partnership with Africa”. THE UPCOMING COMMUNICATION THEREFORE NEEDS TO PRIORITISE BETTER COORDINATION AND INCREASED COLLABORATION ON HEALTH R&I AT EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
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Meeting with Lora Borissova (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen), Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and

23 Jul 2020 · EU-Africa and CSO engagement

Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen)

22 Jul 2020 · GAP III and SRHR

Meeting with Renaud Savignat (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network and European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights

25 Feb 2020 · Discussion on SRHR in development cooperation.

Meeting with Eva Gerhards (Cabinet of Commissioner Helena Dalli)

18 Dec 2019 · Introductory meeting with DSW to present their activities linked with the portfolio

Response to Evaluation of the EU's external action support in the area of gender equality and women empowerment

20 Sept 2019

Achieving gender equality is a precondition for sustainable development. However, gender inequalities still persist worldwide and women are often among those left further behind, and disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and violation of their rights. In particular, women and girls face too many barriers that prevent the full realisation of their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), necessary for sustainable development and contribute to achieving human rights and gender equality. GAP II represents a step in the right direction to ensure effective and comprehensive EU’s action in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment. The three-pronged approach is contributing to having gender equality as a crosscutting priority within EU policies, while at the same time having targeted actions in favour of gender equality and strengthen the political dialogue. Still, the implementation of GAP II could be strengthened: • With stronger involvement of CSOs at all levels, in particular in partner countries, where EU delegations and Member States should have regular dialogue with CSO, including youth and women’s rights organisations. The engagement with CSO should be better structured and avoid being on ad-hoc basis • All EU delegations should clearly have a gender focal point, with the task of ensuring coherence between the programmes implemented in partner countries. The focal point should also be proactively reaching out to CSOs to involve them in the definition of the priorities related to gender equality DSW calls for a GAP III that builds on the good experiences of GAP II and its three-pronged approach. The GAP III should be adopted as a priority early 2020 to signal the commitment of the new European Commission to women empowerment and gender equality and to ensure it serves as a tool for the upcoming programming cycle. Few recommendations on GAP III are listed below. Further suggestions are included in the attached PDF • The GAP III should go further in strengthening its promotion of the right of every individual to have full control over, and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The GAP III should promote and protect the right of every individual to have universal access to quality and affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, education and healthcare services. To strengthen the implementation and the monitoring of this engagement, the GAP III should adopt the comprehensive Guttmacher-Lancet Commission definition of SRHR (https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights) • To have gender equality high on the EU’s political agenda, the next GAP should be an official Communication, rather than a Staff Working Document, and should be endorsed by Member States. This would send a strong message to all relevant stakeholders, particularly to EU delegations DSW welcomes GAP II target of 85% of all new programmes marked G1 or G2 by 2020. We recognise that steps have been undertaken in the right direction. In 2018, 68% of all new actions under international cooperation and development was marked G1 or G2. A similar trend can be found for the other EU instruments. However, progress towards the 85% has been slowing down over the years and if the EU is to live up to its commitment under the GAP II, more efforts are necessary. • DSW calls on the EU to include gender dimensions in all new development programmes and a timely monitoring of this action • This commitment to ensure that 85% of all new programmes will be marked G1 or G2 should equally be included in a GAP III. In addition, given that the quantity of funds that are made available to support gender equality and women’s empowerment is also highly relevant, DSW calls on the EU to include in the GAP III a commitment that 20% of the funds goes to programmes having gender equality as a principal objective (G2)
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Response to EU-Africa Global Health Partnership

26 Aug 2019

HIGHLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE We welcome the Commission proposal for an EU-Africa Global Health (GH) Partnership, as we think it is paramount to continue the fight against poverty-related and neglected diseases through research and innovation (R&I). As Europe is a world leader in science – including on infectious diseases, the biggest trading partner and development donor of Africa and “Africa's twin continent”, quoting outgoing President Junker, it has the potential and responsibility to lead the global effort against diseases of poverty. EU investments in GH R&I have delivered new treatments and accelerated vaccine research for several diseases; promoted the coordination and collaboration on GH R&I policies and programmes; and funded a new generation of global health researchers. The EU needs to build on the success of EDCTP and increase its support to the partnership to further reduce the burden of disease, contribute to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and create strategic value for the EU and its economy. According to a recent report, the EU needs to better explore science diplomacy with Africa, as “a more competitive international environment carries the risk that African countries will ultimately prioritise other relationships over their ties with Europe”. SCOPE The partnership should keep a clear focus on poverty-related and neglected diseases affecting vulnerable populations and with insufficient tools to prevent, diagnose or treat infection. European health security concerns should not cause funding to be diverted to other research areas that do not suffer from market failure, are already being addressed by other EU-funded initiatives (e.g. the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), or do not primarily affect vulnerable populations. POLICY OPTION Only an institutionalised partnership can offer the structure and level of commitment by Participating States that is needed to achieve the expected scientific, social, economic and other impacts; pool the necessary resources and facilitate the alignment and integration of collaborative research efforts. Regardless of the specific modality, public-public (Art 185) or public-private (Art. 187) partnership, the governance needs to guarantee an equal partnership with sub-Saharan African partner countries (cf. point below) and ensure that R&I priorities are identified according to scientific criteria and based on global health needs. EQUAL PARTNERSHIP Achieving long-term impact and structural changes in the R&I and health systems in sub-Saharan Africa is only possible in close collaboration with the affected countries. Safeguarding the equality of sub-Saharan partners also improves the partnership’s implementation and uptake, especially on network strengthening and capacity building. Sub-Saharan Participating States need to have an equal say in decision-making and scientific advisory bodies must include African experts. BUDGET Clinical trials, especially late stage phases, are costly and risky. In order to ensure that promising candidates can progress further through the R&I pipeline and eventually reach patients, the next partnership needs a more ambitious budget than its EDCTP predecessors. The European Commission budget contribution should be of at least 1 billion euro, matching the contributions of European and African Participating States, and third parties. PARTICIPATING STATES CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALIGNMENT European Participating States should primarily provide unrestricted cash contributions so that the future partnership can pool funding, achieve critical mass and maximise impact. Also African Participating States contributions’ need to be encouraged. The EDCTP2 interim evaluation indicated that the accounting for national in-kind contributions (i.e. Participating States' Initiated Activities) should be simplified and enhanced to facilitate a more strategic alignment of research agendas, programmes and projects.
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Meeting with Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

13 Mar 2019 · SRHR under the future MFF

Meeting with Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

5 Oct 2018 · Role of health in the new development instrument under the future MFF

Response to MFF: 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and Rules for Participation and Dissemination

6 Aug 2018

Horizon Europe (HE) as a public programme must generate tangible societal benefits and public returns. While we welcome that the proposal acknowledges Research and Innovation (R&I) as key instrument to tackle global societal challenges as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it is regrettable that it does not explain how the programme will deliver on the SDGs, with the exception of a budget target for climate-related R&I. We are also concerned about the merging of industrial competitiveness and societal challenges in Pillar 2 -questioned both by the ex-ante impact assessment and the opinion of the regulatory scrutiny board. Blurring profit-oriented with societal impact-oriented objectives risks limiting the already-scarce funding available for addressing societal challenges, endangers a needs-based R&I agenda, and threatens the traceability of public funding needed to monitor public return on public investments. HE should focus investments in global strategic areas where societal impact can be maximised such as health, climate change/environment or food security and nutrition. And in order to ensure that societal needs and the SDGs are sufficiently addressed, HE needs to include adequate safeguards that prioritise societal impact, mainstream sustainable development, and better define and monitor societal impact. Finally HE should apply strict ethical standards, guarantee open access to research results and promote open access to research data with strict criteria for derogations. The need to deliver accessible, suitable, safe, effective and affordable products and innovations should be at the core of Pillar 2 and a requirement for the entire framework programme. Although the EU is strongly committed to promoting R&I across its borders, international cooperation and in particular, third-country participation has dwindled in the last decade, currently representing only around 3% of Horizon 2020 projects. EU R&I framework programmes have fallen short of becoming effective science diplomacy tools or of complementing EU’s development and cooperation programmes, through R&I collaboration with Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Existing R&I cooperation platforms such as the Africa-EU high level policy dialogue on science, technology and innovation or the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) are key cooperation schemes that should be preserved and enhanced. For that, organisations based in LMICs should continue to be identified in the annexes of all the work programmes as eligible for funding. As recognized by the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation, civil society organisations (CSOs) are key stakeholders in R&I. CSOs can contribute to identifying, and co-creating solutions to addressing societal challenges, improving public accountability and ensuring that work programmes are needs-based and fit-for-purpose to address societal needs. We recommend that stakeholders focusing on societal impact, such as CSOs, are consulted throughout the programming cycle: from priority setting including on R&I missions and partnerships and the Strategic Planning Process implementation, to the monitoring and evaluation. Despite the fact that the EU is a major contributor to poverty-related and neglected diseases (PRNDs) R&I, both in terms of scientific expertise and funding, major product and research gaps persist due to limited market incentives. The EU has notably contributed to reducing the disease burden of HIV&AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and a range of neglected diseases, which affect over a billion people, costing lives and hampering human and economic development. HE should maximise the EU’s contribution to eradicating PRNDs through a R&I mission, with a portfolio of projects and follow-up funding mechanisms based on the attainment of scientific criteria, in order to deliver new and improved technologies needed to achieve the SDGs.
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Response to Multiannual Financial Framework: Proposal for the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument

6 Aug 2018

- We appreciate that gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE) and the mainstreaming of gender equality are considered general principles of the NDICI (art. 8). We do regret that: references are limited to mainstreaming which alone is not sufficient to ensure meaningful impact; the GAP target of 85% of programmes having gender as a principal or significant objective, and commitments targeted interventions are missing;. only parts of GEWE (women’s economic empowerment and rights and gender-based violence) are addressed in the Annexes. We consider this a missed opportunity to live up to commitments in European Consensus (ECD) and GAP. - We appreciate that the NDICI reiterates the commitment from the ECD to allocate at least 20% of ODA to human development and social inclusion (HD), but are concerned that GEWE were included in this. Mixing the two clearly reduces funding for both, and GEWE is a cross cutting issue broader than HD. Recommendations: o Include an explicit target within the articles of the Regulation, to maintain ring-fenced levels of spending for health, education and social protection as per the EU commitment o Include a separate benchmark of 20% of EU ODA for gender targeted actions o Implement these targets across all programmes, geographic and thematic, and monitor them annually and over the whole MFF - The thematic programmes are reduced to a minimum: less than 8% of the total funding compared to over 21% (2014-2020 intra ACP, DCI, EIDHR). While this is in line with the development effectiveness principles, thematic lines have an added value. They complement funding for issues with limited resources under geographic programmes or which are sensitive for partner countries. Approximately 26% of the EU HD commitment came from the thematic programmes in 2014-2015. For NDICI, this means that over 4 billion EUR would have to be covered by the thematic programmes, which is impossible if the global challenges programme (expected to cover the costs) is only allocated 3 billion. Further, funding for global initiatives such as Gavi, the Global Fund and the GPE currently amounts to at least €1.5 billion (2014-2020). Deducting this from the 3 billion for global challenges would leave only very little funding for the extensive list of thematic priorities in the annex. Recommendations: o Increase funding under the thematic programmes to ensure a better balance and sufficient funding to cover all relevant issues. o Include a number of safeguards to ensure that issues, traditionally covered by thematic programmes, such as HD, will be sufficiently funded under the geographic ones. - One crucial issue traditionally addressed by thematic programmes is Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). And although investing in SRHR is the right, smart, and cost-effective thing to do, it is almost never specifically addressed under geographic programmes. Our recommendations: o Include earmarked funding for SRHR, including FP via  an explicit SRHR Budget line; and  SRHR as an objective under various other budget lines (Health, education, youth empowerment). o Sufficiently fund SRHR and FP in both geographic and thematic programmes (as an explicit budget line or via a proxy). o Develop a number of safeguards for the geographic programmes to ensure attention for SRHR through appropriate country analysis and stakeholders’ consultation throughout the programming cycle. - We welcome the mention of the cooperation in “science, technology and research, and open data and innovation” and recommend to focus on neglected areas with limited private sector interest, such as poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases. Support to regulatory environments needs to address the area of health, fostering synergies e.g. with EDCTP activities.
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Response to Multiannual Financial Framework: Specific Programme implementing the 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation

3 Aug 2018

Horizon Europe (HE) as a public programme must generate tangible societal benefits and public returns. While we welcome that the proposal acknowledges Research and Innovation (R&I) as key instrument to tackle global societal challenges as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it is regrettable that it does not explain how the programme will deliver on the SDGs, with the exception of a budget target for climate-related R&I. We are also concerned about the merging of industrial competitiveness and societal challenges in Pillar 2 questioned both by the ex-ante impact assessment and the opinion of the regulatory scrutiny board. Blurring profit-oriented with societal impact-oriented objectives risks limiting the already-scarce funding available for addressing societal challenges, endangers a needs-based R&I agenda, and threatens the traceability of public funding needed to monitor public return on public investments. HE should focus investments in global strategic areas where societal impact can be maximised such as health, climate change/environment or food security and nutrition. And in order to ensure that societal needs and the SDGs are sufficiently addressed, HE needs to include adequate safeguards that prioritise societal impact, mainstream sustainable development, and better define and monitor societal impact. Finally HE should apply strict ethical standards, guarantee open access to research results and promote open access to research data with strict criteria for derogations. The need to deliver accessible, suitable, safe, effective and affordable products and innovations should be at the core of Pillar 2 and a requirement for the entire framework programme. Although the EU is strongly committed to promoting R&I across its borders, international cooperation and in particular, third country participation has dwindled in the last decade, currently representing only around 3% of Horizon 2020 projects. EU R&I framework programmes have fallen short of becoming effective science diplomacy tools or of complementing EU’s development and cooperation programmes, through R&I collaboration with Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The Africa-EU high level policy dialogue on science, technology and innovation or the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) are key R&I cooperation schemes that should be preserved and enhanced. For that, LMICs need to continue to be automatically eligible for funding, not depending on the call text or whether the Commission considers their participation necessary. As recognized by the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation, civil society organisations (CSOs) are key stakeholders in R&I. CSOs can contribute to identifying, and co-creating solutions to addressing societal challenges, improving public accountability and ensuring that work programmes are needs-based and fit-for-purpose to address societal needs. We recommend that stakeholders focusing on societal impact, such as CSOs, are consulted throughout the programming cycle: from priority setting including on R&I missions and partnerships and the Strategic Planning Process implementation, to the monitoring and evaluation. Despite the fact that the EU is a major contributor to poverty-related and neglected diseases (PRNDs) R&I, both in terms of scientific expertise and funding, major product and research gaps persist due to limited market incentives. The EU has notably contributed to reducing the disease burden of HIV&AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and a range of neglected diseases, which affect over a billion people, costing lives and hampering human and economic development. HE should maximise the EU’s contribution to eradicating PRNDs through a R&I mission, with a portfolio of projects that could be granted using follow-up funding based on the attainment of scientific criteria, in order to deliver new and improved technologies needed to achieve the SDGs.
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Meeting with Annika Nowak (Cabinet of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis) and European Public Health Alliance and GLOBAL HEALTH ADVOCATES

18 Jul 2018 · Horizon Europe

Meeting with Irena Andrassy (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica), Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

19 Apr 2018 · SRHR, new MFF

Response to Protecting citizens against health threats

30 Mar 2018

Increase global health R&I investments We welcome that the roadmap acknowledges that “new and innovative therapeutic and prophylactic countermeasures are indispensable” and that the 2nd pillar of the strategy will “accelerate the development” of such measures. Affordable access to essential health solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases plays a crucial role in preventing or mitigating outbreaks. Although Ebola vaccine candidates were in the pipeline prior to the 2014 outbreak, they did not receive sufficient funding to be advanced through the 1st phase of clinical trials, which could have saved time and lives, when the outbreak happened. The EU needs to scale up its global health R&I efforts under the next framework programme (FP9) and increase investments in infectious disease R&I, if this strategy wants to succeed in accelerating countermeasures. Provide capacity building and knowledge transfer to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): We welcome that the 3rd pillar of the future strategy aims to “enhance the EU´s role as a partner in global health security, […], including through support for [LMICs]”. We call on the EU to focus these efforts on LMICs, which have a high burden of infectious diseases and limited capacities to deal with it. Furthermore, the EU with the support of the ECDC should not only “mobilise EU expertise […] for better and swifter outbreak response”, but should moreover increase its efforts to transfer this expertise to public health authorities (including regulatory authorities) and research entities in LMICs. Initiatives must happen in close collaboration between different DGs concerned, incl. RTD, SANTE, and DEVCO, and in synergy or complementary to existing initiatives. Focus on disease areas that do not offer a market Low-probability, high-consequence events are difficult to predict. Developing countermeasures does thus not provide a predictable market. Hence, a public sector intervention is necessary and legitimate. This lack of lucrative market holds also true for so-called poverty-related and neglected diseases (PRNDs), such as HIV& AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB). Major product- and research-gaps persist although PRNDs affect more than one billion people worldwide and impose an unacceptable moral and health burden on individuals and societies, costing lives and hampering economic development. Many PRNDs affect and increasingly threaten the health of EU citizens. A JRC report from March 2018 warns about the fact that Aedes mosquitoes have become established in some European countries. Other PRNDs such as TB already pose an important health burden on European citizens. In 2015 alone, there were 32 000 estimated deaths from TB in the WHO European region, which also has the highest burden of multi-drug-resistant TB in the world. WHO’s 18 high-priority countries for TB in the European region include several EU member states as well as several neighbouring countries. Global R&I into new and improved tools to address PRNDs is chronically underfunded, and although the EU is among the top three funders of PRND R&I worldwide, a lot more needs to be done. The EU needs to increase its investment in PRND R&I to help fight the ongoing epidemics, save millions of lives, and prevent the spread of PRNDs into other parts of the world, including the EU. Conduct a meaningful consultation Meaningfully involving civil society without commercial interests in medical R&I and preparedness and response measures, including NGOs in the area of health and, importantly, patient groups, is paramount to the acceptance, implementation and success of such EU initiatives. The roadmap states that “the views of many stakeholders […] were already gathered”. Given the influence this Communication is likely to have on FP9 priorities in the area of health research, we call on the Commission to launch a thorough and targeted consultation process before the publication of the Communication
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Meeting with Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

11 Oct 2017 · Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Meeting with Giulia Del Brenna (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas), Keith Sequeira (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas), Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

20 Sept 2017 · Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the role of FP9

Meeting with Irena Andrassy (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

21 Apr 2016 · EU gender policies and funding instruments

Meeting with Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica) and OXFAM INTERNATIONAL EU ADVOCACY OFFICE and

18 Feb 2016 · Health in development cooperation

Meeting with Paolo Berizzi (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

3 Feb 2016 · Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Development Cooperation

Meeting with Eveline Lecoq (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas), Giulia Del Brenna (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas) and

28 Apr 2015 · Presentation of the Global Health 2035 Report

Meeting with Eveline Lecoq (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

16 Mar 2015 · R&I on poverty-related diseases

Meeting with Nils Behrndt (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

29 Jan 2015 · EU support to sexual and reproductive health and rights

Meeting with Maria Da Graca Carvalho (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

8 Jan 2015 · Research in global healt, R&D