EU4Health is one of the European Union’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a total funding of €5.3 billion over the next seven years, EU4Health represents an unprecedented level of financial commitment to improve and foster health in Europe. EU4Health will go beyond the COVID-19 crisis, supporting actions on disease prevention, reducing inequalities, the digital transformation of health systems, the reinforcement of the health system and the healthcare workforce. It will pave the way to a strong European Health Union that will improve and safeguard the health of all EU citizens. EU4Health has a strong focus on translating innovative health and social research into practice on the ground – providing a unique opportunity to make a real impact in how healthcare is delivered in Ireland and across Europe.
More details on open calls for proposals can be found on our EU4Health 2025 funding opportunities.
For more information watch back our 2023 EU4Health information session. Our HRB National Focal Point for EU4Health Dr Amanda Daly (eu4health@hrb.ie) is also available to answer any questions you may have.
EU4Health sets out four overarching goals, with 10 specific objectives:
1) To improve and foster health in the Union
– disease prevention & health promotion
– international health initiatives & cooperation
2) To tackle cross-border health threats
– prevention, preparedness & response to cross-border health threats
– complementing national stockpiling of essential crisis-relevant products
– establishing a reserve of medical, healthcare & support staff
3) To improve medicinal products, medical devices and crisis-relevant products
– making medicinal products, medical devices and crisis-relevant products available and affordable
4) To strengthen health systems, their resilience and resource efficiency
– strengthening health data, digital tools & services, digital transformation of healthcare
– improving access to healthcare
– developing and implementing EU health legislation and evidence-based decision making
– integrated work among national health systems
Five key strands of the programme:
In terms of key priorities for funding, work programmes are based around five key strands that focus on:
- Crisis preparedness and preventing shortages of medicines.
- Disease prevention, early detection and health promotion.
- Research that supports the fight against cancer and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
- Reforming and strengthening health systems and the healthcare workforce.
- Health digitalisation and preparing for a European Health Data Space.
Eligibility:
Individuals are not eligible to apply for grants under the EU4Health programme. Only legal entities such academia and education establishments, professional bodies and civil society organisations within Ireland are eligible to apply.
Each call outlines a list of targeted applicants, which vary from Member State’s authorities to research institutes and established networks in the field of public health.
Funding Model: Co-funding requirement
The EU4Health programme co-funds the eligible costs of the selected actions at the level of 60% (normal co-funding rate) or 80%, in case of exceptional utility. The criteria for exceptional utility are fulfilled if:
a) At least 30 % of the budget of the proposed action is allocated to Member States whose GNI per inhabitant is less than 90 % of the Union average; and
b) Bodies from at least 14 participating Member States participate in the action, of which at least four are Member States whose GNI per inhabitant is less than 90 % of the Union average.
In-Kind contributions:
Applicants are expected to provide their own funding, including through the contribution of staff employed by the beneficiaries included in the budget. E.g. staff already on the payroll of universities or hospitals can be assigned to the project and their work time spent on the project will be funded up to the 60% co-financing rate (80% in case of “exceptional utility” projects). The remainder (40% or 20%) must be covered by the beneficiaries.
Who can apply?
Academia and education establishments, research institutes, hospitals; Public health authorities; Member States’ authorities, established networks in the field of public health, enterprises in the field of public health, private entities (profit and non-profit), professional associations, international organisations and civil society organisations (associations, foundations, NGOs and similar entities.
For queries, please contact the National Focal Point at the HRB, Amanda Daly (eu4health@hrb.ie).