Session 14

Safeguarding civil society participation in health policymaking

Consultation, collaboration and civic space

Organised by the University of Edinburgh in the context of the Better Regulation for Better Health Project

Civic engagement is essential to ensure a thriving democracy that promotes and protects health. It requires institutional structures that facilitate participation, active outreach on the part of policymakers, and a vibrant, protected civic space. In the context of growing pressures, and with a new Parliament and Commission in place, this session launches a conversation about the role of civil society in EU health policymaking, and how the EU civic space can be safeguarded.

The panel will introduce the current pathways for consultation in health policymaking, the Commission’s approach to stakeholder collaboration, and the challenges facing civil society organisations. An interactive discussion with participants will gather experiences and best practice to explore how the link from citizen to policymakers and institutions, as a core factor of a healthy European democracy, can be strengthened.