Cittadinanzattiva continues its role in the HERA Civil Society Forum
We are proud to announce that Cittadinanzattiva has been granted a second term in the HERA Civil Society Forum (CSF). Our EU branch, Active Citizenship Network, will ensure that citizens' voices are heard in shaping Europe's preparedness and response to health emergencies. The CSF is a key platform bringing together patients, consumers and healthcare professionals. Its mission is to provide structured input from civil society to complement the perspectives of the sector, helping Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA) to act in an inclusive, effective and socially impactful manner. Read more

3-4 December 2025 I Brussels (Belgium): two policy-related activities

Active Citizenship Network is organizing two high-level initiatives to be held in Brussels on 3 and 4 December 2025. For further information, please contact us. In detail:

As part of the VaccinAction2025 project, the closed-door EU workshop on 3 December, entitled “The future of vaccine development: research, data and participation”, will explore the next frontier in vaccine development. Together with experts and representatives of associations, we will discuss the main stages of vaccine research and development, priorities for innovation and investment, including new platforms (mRNA, DNA) and methods of administration, the return of data to participants and their involvement in research. Read more.

The institutional event to be held on 4 December at the European Parliament, entitled “Returning Individual Participant Data in Clinical Trials ‘by Design’: Setting a New Standard for Patients’ Rights in Europe”, will be hosted by MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis. It will be an opportunity to present the main results of the IMI FACILITATE project and to demonstrate how the return of individual participant data (RoIPD) can empower participants, improve health literacy and strengthen ethical and legal standards in EU research. Register here to attend in person. Read more.

Exploring the link between vaccination and chronic condition management
On 2 October in Brussels, Active Citizenship Network successfully hosted a workshop in Brussels as part of the EU project VaccinAction2025. The event explored the link between vaccination and chronic condition management, with a particular focus on cardiovascular diseases. Click on the following links for documents, pictures and articles (A – B).

Workshop on European Policies and Advocacy in Respiratory Care
On 3 October, Active Citizenship Network successfully hosted a workshop on European policies and advocacy in respiratory care in Brussels, as part of the EU project Advancing Respiratory Care at the EU Level. A key moment was the presentation of the Call-to-Action “Towards the Development of an EU Respiratory Health Plan”, which was coordinated by ACN together and the RPP Group. This emphasised the need for prevention, improved care for vulnerable patients and greater political commitment at EU and national levels. Click on the following links for documents, pictures, article.

CPE’s new position paper on “Defining Unmet Medical Needs” (UMN)
As trilogue negotiations on the EU pharmaceutical legislation have begun, the European Commission, Parliament and Council have each put forward their own UMN definitions. However, they all remain too restrictive, either being too narrow in scope or being too rigid in their requirement of cumulative conditions. Crucially, none of them reflect societal needs, such as the sustainability and equity of the healthcare system. Cancer Patients Europe’s proposed definition addresses these gaps: it is broad and flexible, patient-centred, and explicitly includes societal needs alongside medical and patient perspectives. Download the document, which has also been endorsed by ACN.

The White Paper "Real Voices, Better Choices" has been published
The White Paper urges policymakers to incorporate the patient perspective into the national implementation of the Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health. Developed with the input of more than 50 patient organisations across 16 countries, the report aims to ensure that people with lived experience (patients and carers) and their advocates are at the core of national policies. Read more

Official agreement with the European Pain Federation (EFIC)
In line with its long-standing commitment to this topic, Active Citizenship Network is pleased to join the SIP Stakeholder Forum, which is led and coordinated by the organisation representing healthcare professionals working in pain management and pain science. Read more.

Official agreement with the Polish Patient Advocacy Group “WE Patients Foundation”
Active Citizenship Network is delighted to announce the signing of an official Memorandum of Understanding with the Fundacja MY Pacjenci (WE Patients Foundation), which was established in 2012 to support patient participation in healthcare decision-making and provide expert backing for patient organizations. Read more about ACN's new partner.

Signed an official agreement with “Patients of Ukraine”
Active Citizenship Network is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ukrainian Charitable Foundation “Patients of Ukraine”, which was created by patients and activists in 2010 under the name of Ukrainian Community Advisory Board, to represent the interests of patients with serious and chronic diseases. Read more about ACN's new partner.

From New EU Institutions to the G7 Health, the Citizens' Perspective for Promoting Vaccination: 10 Policy Recommendations
The article emphases the civic recommendations – already endorsed by the Italian MEP Ignazio Marino - to the EU Institutions defined as part of the #VaccinAction2024 EU project by Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network, in collaboration with and endorsed by 35 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Patients’ Advocacy Groups (PAGs) from 16 Member States, united in their commitment to protecting the health rights of European citizens. To download the publication, click here.

4 November 2025 | Brussels (Belgium): Celebrating 5 Years of VAC4EU
Active Citizenship Network is happy to be joining its scientific partner, VAC4EU, in celebrating its fifth anniversary with a live event in Brussels. The symposium, titled, “Celebrating 5 Years of VAC4EU: Advancing Real-World Evidence for Vaccine Monitoring Towards Future Pandemic Preparedness,” will feature oral presentations and interactive panel discussions with experts in vaccinology, vaccine development, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology, health policy, public health and regulatory practice. Read more

5 November 2025 | Brussels (Belgium): Strategic Workshop on the Future of Vaccines Today
Active Citizenship Network has been invited to attend a strategic workshop on the future of Vaccines Today. Representatives from EU institutions, civil society, patient organisations, healthcare professional associations, academia, NGOs and industry will join the discussion. The objective is to gather stakeholder insights to determine how Vaccines Today should evolve from 2026 onwards. Read more

5-7 November 2025 | Boston, MA (USA): 10th International Conference on Vaccines Research and Development (Vaccines R&D-2025)
The Director of Active Citizenship Network has been invited to speak at the Vaccines R&D 2025, which will bring together leading experts from industry, academia, government and regulatory bodies for three days. Attendees will share significant advancements, discuss current challenges, and offer valuable insights gained throughout the vaccine development lifecycle. The ACN Director will share his expertise with a global audience, presenting different types of concrete activities that civil society organisations (CSOs) and patient advocacy groups (PAGs) can carry out to support public vaccination policy. Read more

10-11 November 2025 | Barcelona (Spain): 17th Global Summit on Nursing Education & Healthcare
The Director of Active Citizenship Network has been invited to speak about community and citizens engagement in vaccination policy at the 17th Global Summit on Nursing Education & Healthcare. This prestigious event will provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussions and the exchange of ideas among experts, practitioners and leaders in nursing and healthcare. Read more

13-14 November 2025 | Madrid (Spain): 4th COLLABORATE Multi-Stakeholder Summit
Also this year, Active Citizenship Network, together with over 50 experts from more than 30 countries within the rare disease community and beyond, will be joining the COLLABORATE international summit. A powerful platform for advancing equitable care for adults living with rare diseases, the summit will see experts from a range of fields coming together to share knowledge and best practice. The summit will primarily focus on two critical areas this year: accelerating the diagnosis of rare diseases that present in adulthood, and improving the transition from pediatric to adult care for these conditions. Read more

25-26 November 2025 | Lisbon (Portugal): AIB country meeting: Adult immunization in Portugal: successes, lessons learned and the way forward
As a member of the Adult Immunisation Board, the Director of Active Citizenship Network will attend the country meeting to discuss Portuguese-specific issues on adult immunisation alongside local experts. Read more.

27-29 November 2025 | Paris (France): International Conference on Nursing and Healthcare
The Director of Active Citizenship Network has been invited to speak at the International Conference on Nursing and Healthcare, where he will discuss ways of supporting healthcare professionals and promoting a citizen-driven approach to public health challenges. The title of his presentation is: "From the first Civic Survey on health personnel in Italy to the 'EU Call to Action' to the European Commission to urgently address the health workforce crisis". Click here to find out more about the event programme.

4–6 December 2025 | Paris (France): 10th LifeCourse Prevention Summit
The Director of Active Citizenship Network has been invited to speak at the 10th LifeCourse Prevention Summit, which is taking place alongside the 17th Excellence in Pediatrics (EIP) Conference at the Melia Paris La Défense on 4–5 December 2025. The summit will focus on “The Building Blocks of Healthy Ageing: How Lifelong Determinants Shape Later-Life Outcomes”, and will feature four roundtables on healthy ageing, vaccination equity, respiratory infections, and life-course immunisation.
The 17th Excellence in Pediatrics Conference will bring together paediatricians, researchers, and healthcare professionals for an immersive cross-specialty learning experience.
Building on his participation in the 2024 edition, the ACN Director will contribute to policy discussions and actionable recommendations. Click here for the programme and the list of speakers.

5 – 6 December 2025 | 5th International Conference on Cardiology
In line with our long-term commitment to the topic at the national (Italy) and at the European levels, the Director of Active Citizenship Network has been invited to speak at the 5th International Conference on Cardiology. He will discuss how PAGs (Patients' Advocacy Groups) and CSOs (Civil society organizations) can support the public policy on the topic. Read more

6–9 September 2026| Cape Town (South Africa): 18th World Congress on Public Health
The congress, organised by ACN’s partner, the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), and the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), will bring together leaders, policymakers, practitioners, researchers and advocates from around the globe. Under the theme “Health Without Borders: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability”, the initiative will explore today's most pressing health challenges and create pathways for collaborative, lasting solutions. Abstract submissions for workshops, oral presentations and posters are open until 30 November 2025! Find out more and stay updated at www.wcph.org.