European Enterprise Alliance
EEA
The European Enterprise Alliance (EEA) is a coalition of business and employers' organizations from Central and Eastern European countries, representing enterprises and sectoral groups' interests.
ID: 329556137684-27
Lobbying Activity
Response to EU cardiovascular health plan
11 Sept 2025
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is Europes leading cause of death: one in three deaths, 20% of premature deaths, 13 million new cases yearly, and 282 billion in costs. Tackling CVD requires an EU-level response that goes beyond national action, combining prevention, innovation, and equity. Vision for the Plan The forthcoming EU CVH Plan should set ambitious, measurable targets (e.g. cut premature deaths by one-third by 2030, in line with UN SDG 3.4). It must complement national policies, reduce inequalities, and ensure funding (EU4Health, Horizon Europe, future MFF). Lessons from Europes Beating Cancer Plan should guide its design. Four priority pillars Prevention & Early Detection Introduce EU-wide Cardiovascular Health Checks (target population coverage by 2030/35). Apply ESC/EAS guidelines for risk factor management (LDL-C, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, obesity, diabetes, CKD, thyroid disorders). Promote life-course immunisation (flu, pneumococcal, RSV, COVID-19) to reduce CVD complications. Encourage healthy behaviours and early interventions before symptoms emerge. Improved Care & Management Build a European network of cardiometabolic centres of excellence to harmonise standards, provide specialised care, and support HCP training. Develop treatment adherence programmes (60% of patients struggle with adherence; 200,000 deaths/year linked to non-adherence). Digital health tools, patient education, and self-management support are essential. Create a CVD Inequalities Registry via the Joint Research Centre to monitor underserved groups and guide equitable policies. Innovation & Research Establish a dedicated CVH Research Mission, ensuring long-term investment in basic and translational science. Support publicprivate partnerships for novel trial designs, use of biomarkers, multi-omics, and surrogate endpoints. Revitalise Europes CVD innovation ecosystem to counter declining R&D investment and high trial costs. Data & Digital Health Scale up proven pilots (e.g. Health Outcomes Observatory, BigData@Heart, EuroHeartPath) to monitor risk factors, disease progression, and adherence. Promote digital health tools for prevention, monitoring, rehabilitation, and bridging workforce shortages. Develop a cardiometabolic pilot within the European Health Data Space to unlock big data, link registries, and enable research and clinical improvements. Cross-cutting enablers Tackle workforce shortages and expand training, particularly in primary care. Ensure equitable access across gender, socioeconomic status, and geography. Align actions with scientific evidence and clinical guidelines. Secure sustainable EU-level funding and political momentum. Conclusion The EU Cardiovascular Health Plan represents a unique opportunity to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and strengthen Europes resilience against CVD. By prioritising prevention, care, innovation, and digital health, and by leveraging collaboration with patients, healthcare professionals, and industry, the EU can achieve meaningful reductions in premature mortality and deliver long-term value to citizens and healthcare systems.
Read full responseResponse to Protection of Minors Guidelines
30 Sept 2024
Statement of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers on the Commissions Consultation: Protection of Minors Guidelines The Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP) welcomes the European Commissions consultation on guidelines for the protection of minors in digital environments. As the digital economy plays an increasingly central role in the lives of young people, businesses have an important responsibility to ensure that minors are protected from harm while navigating online services. However, this must be balanced with the need to promote innovation, respect for privacy, and the ability of businesses, particularly SMEs, to operate effectively in this space. ZPP supports the Commissions goal of establishing harmonized EU-wide guidelines that protect minors while fostering an innovative and competitive digital marketplace. We believe that the guidelines must reflect the complexity of online environments, acknowledging both the opportunities and risks for young users while avoiding excessive burdens on businesses. Our position highlights the need for a proportionate, risk-based approach, the importance of privacy, and the role of parental involvement in safeguarding children online. We strongly support the Commissions intention to ensure the safety of minors online, but emphasize the need for the guidelines to: Adopt a Proportionate, Risk-Based Approach: Different online platforms present varying levels of risk to minors, and the guidelines should reflect this by applying differentiated requirements based on the platforms risk profile. Protect Privacy and Ensure Data Minimization: Age assurance and content personalization mechanisms should prioritize the principles of privacy and data minimization. Guidelines should encourage the use of innovative methods that achieve safety objectives without requiring excessive personal data collection. Foster Innovation and Flexibility: The guidelines must encourage businesses to adopt privacy-friendly, innovative solutions while ensuring flexibility to accommodate new technologies and services.
Read full responseMeeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and
13 Feb 2024 · High-level closed-door roundtable addressing European food security, with a particular emphasis on its implications for Ukraine.