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\u201cHealth, I think, is still the biggest challenge in front of us for Europe, but also for the part of the world we are living in,\u201d European Commissioner Oliv\u00e9r V\u00e1rhelyi said at the Euronews Health Summit in Brussels on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
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A rising number of non-communicable diseases, shortages of healthcare workers, and a growing ageing population are shaping the European health landscape. <\/p>\n
The European healthcare model is distinct, V\u00e1rhelyi said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unique, and we should preserve it because it is not only a value, but it makes us different and makes us much, much more reliable for our societies than anywhere else in the world,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe must face the reality that the system is under pressure and we just cannot take it for granted that it will stay with us tomorrow as well,\u201d V\u00e1rhelyi said. <\/p>\n
In response, the European Union has recently presented multiple reforms aimed at strengthening the bloc and boosting resilience and crisis response. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe potential is huge for our economy and competitiveness, but most importantly, for our health care system as well,\u201d V\u00e1rhelyi noted. <\/p>\n
The Commissioner took office in 2024 and has since presented some of the biggest pieces of legislation currently governing European health. <\/p>\n
Driven by spread medicine shortages and dependencies in the drug supply chain, the European Union agreed in December 2025 on a revamp of the bloc\u2019s pharmaceutical rules. <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis sector is a major contributor to the EU\u2019s economy,\u201d V\u00e1rhelyi said. <\/p>\n He noted the pharmaceutical industry makes up five percent of value added to the economy from all manufacturing, and it represents almost 11 percent of EU exports.<\/p>\n \u201cOur reform provides a much-needed update, which should make it ready for the future. It is designed to transform our regulatory system so that it can fully support groundbreaking therapies, especially for patients who face unmet medical needs,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n