Thursday 27 September 2012; 13.30 – 17.45

Global Health Europe and the Global Health Working Group of the British International Studies Association (BISA) hosted a discussion meeting at the European Commission Representation (Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1P 3EU). The format consisted of two panel sessions with a refreshment break.

The Eurozone Crisis is seen not only as a threat but as an opportunity to enhance European policies for global health and to reinforce their alignment with internal and external realities. The aims of the meeting are to bring together stakeholders involved in the creation and application of UK and European policies for global health, to formulate proposals for policy and further research. Challenges arising from the Eurozone crisis include the need to:

• reconfirm the importance of global health within the EU and in the world affected by the EU, to the foreign policy, economic and human security interests of EU Member States at a time of financial stringency;
• match political agreements for economic, social and health cooperation within the EU and with global partners with systematic governance mechanisms to ensure consistent action at all levels;
• find innovative ways of funding research and development in the interests of global health and to support the EU’s knowledge based economy;
• ensure that the poorest people in the EU and in the world do not suffer disproportionately from cuts to health and aid budgets in the short or long term;
• show that EU actions for global health benefit from the potential advantages of its political and practical coordination.

Confirmed speakers included representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; global experts from the UK Department of Heath; Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria; European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations

Organised by: Global Health Europe and the Global Health Working Group of the British International Studies Association (BISA)

Beyond the Eurozone Crisis - Programme

Beyond the Eurozone Crisis - Report

A short piece on the event was written by the Lancet and can be found here:

Europe and Global Health, Looking for a leader - Lancet Article