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Please note that registration is free but mandatory, and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations might be closed at any time if the maximum capacity is reached

Many of us already know that vaccines can prevent severe respiratory infections, but not everyone realizes that preventing these infections also protects people living with or at risk of chronic disease, and especially cardiovascular disease.

Under the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the European Commission will propose a Council recommendation on immunisation against respiratory infections as a preventive measure for cardiovascular disease.

However, the European Parliament Committee on Public Health's (SANT) first draft of its report on an EU cardiovascular diseases strategy makes no mention of vaccination.

Including vaccination in the text would provide a significant opportunity to advance our advocacy efforts and ensure that the prevention of respiratory infections becomes a political priority. To this end, the Steering Group on Prevention of Respiratory Infections (of which Active Citizenship Network is a member) has put forward amendments in line with its Manifesto.

Meanwhile, the EU Working Group on Respiratory Care, promoted by Active Citizenship Network and the RPP Group, has launched a Call to Action to ensure that the specific needs of respiratory health are fully addressed and embedded in an upgraded, unified European framework. The event, hosted by Cypriot MEP Michalis Hadjipantela (EPP Group), will bring together experts and representatives of EU institutions interested in the Council Recommendation on the value of immunisation against respiratory infections.

Rationale: A cross-cutting threat to health and wellbeing
Respiratory diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the European Union. In 2021 alone, 324,300 deaths were attributed to diseases of the respiratory system, accounting for 6.1% of all deaths in the EU. This figure excludes deaths from respiratory cancers and COVID-19, suggesting that the actual burden is significantly higher. Notably, men are more affected than women, with 6.7% of male deaths versus 5.6% of female deaths due to respiratory causes (Eurostat, 2023).

The impact on healthcare systems is equally alarming. Over 4.2 million patients were discharged from EU hospitals in 2021 with respiratory diagnoses, resulting in 34.5 million hospital days. These figures highlight the immense pressure respiratory conditions place on hospital capacity, particularly during seasonal peaks and public health emergencies (Eurostat, 2023). This burden extends to the healthcare workforce, where respiratory care professionals—especially nurses and pulmonologists—face increasing workloads, burnout, and staffing shortages. 

Vulnerable populations bear the brunt of this burden. Older adults, especially those aged 65 and above, and individuals with chronic conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, are at heightened risk of suffering loss of functional capacity resulting from respiratory conditions. Children under five are also disproportionately affected, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other infections being leading causes of hospitalization in this age group (ECDC, 2024). Moreover, patients with rare respiratory diseases—such as pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, and interstitial lung diseases—face unique challenges, including delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options, and fragmented care pathways. These conditions, while individually rare, collectively affect a significant number of Europeans and require specialised, multidisciplinary approaches.

In addition, underdiagnosis remains a critical issue in older adults. Many of these patients are diagnosed late or not at all, preventing optimal disease management and early intervention. Particular attention should also be paid to the links between respiratory health and other disease areas such as diabetes, oncology, and geriatrics, as well as the loss of functional capacity resulting from respiratory conditions. Neurocognitive disabilities, especially prevalent in geriatric populations, also deserve consideration to ensure that respiratory care strategies are comprehensive. Finally, the continued circulation of respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 underscores the need for sustained vigilance and preparedness. These pathogens continue to cause seasonal surges, straining healthcare systems and exposing gaps in infection prevention and control (ECDC, 2025).

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) adds an additional and often invisible layer of threat to this burden. Many respiratory infections—particularly pneumonia, tuberculosis, and hospital-acquired infections—are increasingly caused by bacteria resistant to first-line antibiotics. This not only leads to prolonged hospital stays, higher mortality rates, and increased healthcare costs, but also jeopardises the effectiveness of routine respiratory care and critical interventions such as mechanical ventilation. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both community and hospital settings, often linked to diagnostic uncertainty in respiratory infections, continue to accelerate resistance across Europe (ECDC, 2022; Oterino-Moreira et al., 2025). Addressing AMR within respiratory health strategies is therefore fundamental to preserving treatment efficacy and ensuring patient safety.

By acting now, we can not only reduce the current burden but also future proof our systems against emerging respiratory threats, including the growing crisis of antimicrobial resistance.

The time for coordinated evidence-based action is now.

About the EU Working Group on Respiratory Care
The EU Working Group on Respiratory Care is a collaborative initiative launched to address the growing burden of respiratory diseases across Europe. Co-organised by Active Citizenship Network (ACN) and the RPP Group, the Working Group brings together EU-level scientific societies, healthcare professionals and national patient advocacy organisations to foster dialogue, share best practices, and shape policy recommendations. Its mission is to serve as a practical and inclusive platform that supports the development of evidence-based strategies. By aligning efforts across Member States and sectors, the Working Group aims to ensure that respiratory health becomes a central component of EU public health planning, with a particular focus on prevention, equity, and resilience.

Recent related initiatives (promoted by Active Citizenship Network or with its direct involvement)

Articles & peer-reviewed publications:

• JOURNAL OF ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS AND ONE HEALTH POLICY (Published: 31 January 2026): Priorities to Strengthen Respiratory Health Strategy in the European Union
• TREND SANITÀ(3 Nov 2025): Respiratory Health in Europe: Integrating Environment, Prevention and Access to Care
• TREND SANITÀ(3 Nov 2025): Salute respiratoria in Europa: integrazione tra ambiente, prevenzione e accesso alle cure(IT)
• HEALTH EUROPA(2nd October 2025): Towards the development of an “EU respiratory health plan”
• JOURNAL OF MEDICAL & CLINICAL CASE REPORTS(Published date: 12 September 2025): Incorporating COVID-19 Into the Broader Narrative on Respiratory Diseases. A Citizens' and Patients’ Perspective Towards the Development of An EU Respiratory Health Plan
• ANNALS OF PUBLIC HEALTH & EPIDEMIOLOGY(Published Date: June 25, 2025): The Successful Story of the MEPs Interest Group “European Patients’ Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare”
• JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND CLINICAL CASE REPORTS(Published date: 10 December 2024): Call to Action to the European Commission to Urgently Address the Health Workforce Crisis and the Upskilling of Healthcare Professionals
• INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL CASE REPORTS AND MEDICAL RESEARCH(published: May 14, 2024): New EU Institutions are called to tackle the health workforce crisis, the main precondition for a greater protection of patients' rights across Europe
• INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING & CARE(Published Date: March 04, 2024): Strengthening Vaccination Policies Towards the European Elections: from Recommendations to Concrete Experiences
• ANNALS OF IMMUNOLOGY & IMMUNOTHERAPY(Published Date: January 31, 2024): Prioritizing Care for High-Risk COVID-19 Patients in the EU: 10 Civic Recommendations to the Institutions

Events:

• 3 October 2025 I Brussels (Belgium): Workshop on European Policies and Advocacy in Respiratory care
• 22 September 2025 I online: EU Working Group on Respiratory Care (II° meeting)
• 28 May 2025 I online: EU Working Group on Respiratory Care (kick-off meeting)
• 14 October 2024 I Brussels (Belgium): EU workshop “Empowering & mobilizing PAGs on COVID-19 (and long COVID), Prevention, immunization & treatments”
• 14 November 2023 | European Parliament, Brussels: Prioritizing care for high-risk COVID-19 patients in the EU: policy recommendations
• 8 June 2023 I EU online training session: Frail patients, long-covids and prevention strategies in the Italian landscape
• 24 May 2023 I Brussels (Belgium): What are the challenges faced by Covid-19 high-risk patients and how can we improve their care?
• 14 March 2023 I EU online training session: Health Literacy: "Knowing and Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19”

Documents & communication campaigns:

• EU Working Group on Respiratory Care “Call to Action” (2025)
• Steering Group on Prevention of Respiratory Infections “Toward a Council Recommendation on the value of immunisation against respiratory infections” (2025)
• COVID-19 patient pathways: Policy Recommendations “Addressing high-risk patients‘ unmet needs and challenges” -  shortand fullversion (2023)
• #CareForAll Campaign (2025)
• #CareForAll Campaign (2024)
• #CareForAll Campaign (2023)

EU projects:

• EU project “Advancing Respiratory Care at the EU Level” (2025)
• EU project “Empowering & mobilizing PAGs on COVID-19 prevention & treatments for vulnerable target groups” (2024)
• EU project “Protecting the value of access to care during - and after - the COVID-19 pandemic across Europe: focus on antivirals” (2023)
• EU project “Improving health literacy for better public and patient involvement in COVID-19 pandemic mitigation” (2023)

The event is endorsed by the MEPs Interest Group “European Patients' Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare”

The event is part of the EU-project “Advancing Respiratory Care at the EU Level”, realized thanks to the unconditional support of:

For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.