Register here to participate by 28 of April
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

As Europe faces a growing burden of chronic diseases and an ageing population, strengthening prevention is a key priority. Today, advances in science and technology allow a shift towards personalised prevention, tailored to each individual’s characteristics, risk factors, and needs. The European Patients’ Rights Day 2026 will focus on recognising personalised prevention as a human right, linked to the Right to Preventive Measures stated in the European Charter of Patients’ Rights. The event will build on the results of the EU-funded PROPHET project and explore how to make personalised prevention a reality, addressing key issues such as health literacy, data protection, trust, equity of access, and citizen engagement. Read more

Cittadinanzattiva-ACN Joins GUIDE-AI: A new Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) EU project
Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network is proud to participate in GUIDE-AI, a prestigious multiannual project funded by the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI): public-private consortium developing therapy assistants for doctors in Europe. This initiative aims to define a European framework for the sustainable integration of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. ACN will represent the citizens' voice, ensuring AI tools are trustworthy and patient-centered. By joining this IHI consortium, we work to ensure that AI innovation translates into better health outcomes while strictly respecting patients' rights and data ethics. Read more (A – B)

co-OPERATOR at work in Belgium
Following the Policy Lab organised in April 2025, a second closed-door Policy Lab on the challenges of vaccine promotion was organised at the Maastricht University Brussels hub on 19 March 2026. Organized by Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network and Cyprus University of Technology supported by Maastricht University, all consortium partners, the event involved key stakeholders, including health professionals, civil society organisation leaders, and patient advocacy group representatives from nine EU Member States. Read more (A – B - C - D)

Time for an EU Respiratory Plan? 
The high-level meeting hosted by ACN at the European Parliament resonated deeply with the EU community, sparking significant discussion on the future of Respiratory Care (here some social reaction: A - B  - C - D - E - F - G - H -  I - L - etc.). The key message was clear: Europe needs a Respiratory Health Plan that prioritises prevention. The debate emphasized that bridging the gaps in adult immunization and clinical guidelines is essential to reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Commentators praised the initiative for fostering a multidisciplinary dialogue, urging MEPs and institutions to commit to concrete actions to ensure that every citizen across Europe receives the high-quality respiratory support they deserve. In particular, all stakeholders welcomed the European Commission’s decision to publish a new Recommendation on vaccination against respiratory and other infections relevant to CVDs under the EU Safe Hearts initiative. Read more

Advocating for RSV & maternal vaccination at the EU level
During the event organised in Brussels by Active Citizenship Network, independent experts from the European Confederation of Primary Care Paediatricians and the GFCNI - Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants provided updated information on maternal vaccination and the impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Key stakeholders involved in the initiative included health professionals, civil society organisation leaders and patient advocacy group representatives from nine EU Member States: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Read more (A – B - C)

To make the return of individual clinical trial data to participants a feasible and meaningful reality: endorse, adopt, and share!
Grateful to the 50+ patient and civic associations, networks and research organizations that have endorsed the FACILITATE Principles in support of returning Individual Participant Data (RoIPD) “by design”. Your commitment strengthens trust, improves health literacy, and helps make clinical research more ethical, transparent, and useful for people across Europe. Read the principles here and, if your organisation would like to endorse, please contact us.  Read more.

Promoting health rights in prison: The “I CARE” project
Cittadinanzattiva has launched "I CARE", an initiative dedicated to improving health conditions for women in the Rebibbia female prison in Rome, the largest in Europe. The project focuses on empowering vulnerable populations through health literacy and direct engagement, specifically addressing infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and HPV. By fostering collaboration between detainees, prison staff, and healthcare providers, “I CARE” aims to ensure that the right to health remains accessible even in the most challenging environments. Click here to know more and find documents in 6 languages: Italian, English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Romanian.

ACN commitment to the Adult Immunization Board renewed
We are proud to announce that the Director of ACN, has been invited to renew his role as an official advisor for the Adult Immunization Board (AIB) for another three-year term. Over the next few years, he will continue to provide expertise in defining strategic goals and promoting adult vaccination policies across Europe. This renewal strengthens ACN's commitment to bridging gaps in immunization coverage through high-level international cooperation. Read more about AIB advisors

Special session on the European Immunization Week 2026
The social media campaign “Advancing Respiratory Care Across Europe” in 9 languages

On the occasion of the annual European Immunization Week (19–25 April 2026), and as a follow up of the policy dialogue event led at the EU Parliament, Active Citizenship Network is launching its #CareforAll campaign traslated in 9 languages, to advance respiratory health equity across Europe. The key message is clear: we need an EU Respiratory Health Plan to address the urgent unmet needs on our continent Watch the video and read more (A – B - C – D - E - F).

Bianca Ferraiolo from Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network shares what the pandemic revealed and why we must learn from it. We’re calling for an EU Respiratory Health Plan that strengthens preparedness and prevention. Read more (A – B)

Georgios Marios Fournarakis from Institute of Research for Innovation and Development, Greece joins Active Citizenship Network in calling for coordinated action to strengthen prevention, surveillance and rapid response. Read more (A – B)

Cristina Vaz de Almeida from Sociedade Portuguesa de Literacia em Saúde, Portugal, explains why protecting lung health also means protecting our environment and why health and environmental policy must go hand-in-hand. Read more (A – B)

Patrycja Rzucidło-Zając from Instytut Praw Pacjenta i Edukacji Zdrowotnej, Poland, joins Active Citizenship Network in urging EU institutions to act now and strengthen protection for those most at risk. Read more (A – B)

Gabriela Kurshumova from Association of Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases, Bulgaria, is joining ACN to ensure the EU places these groups at the heart of future respiratory policy.  Read more (A – B)

Jo Maes from European Patients Empowerment for Customised Solutions, The Netherlands, discusses how men face higher mortality and why gender equity must shape the EU’s approach to respiratory health. Read more (A  - B)

Elena Corina Chiorean from Coaliția Organizațiilor Pacienților cu Afecțiuni Cronice, Romania, joins Active Citizenship Network in calling for stronger, coordinated EU action to save lives and advance respiratory health equity. Read more (A – B)

Penka Georgieva, from Bulgarian “Patient Organizations with You” & Alliance of Transplanted and Operated 'Future for All’, tells us why this inequity must end and why we’re calling for a coordinated EU plan that leaves no one behind. Read more (A – B)

Elena Moya from Foro Español de Pacientes, Spain, shares why early screening must be a fundamental part of Europe’s future respiratory health strategy. Read more (A – B)

Reneta Ilieva from Bulgarian Association For Patient's Defense (BAPD) Българска асоциация за закрила на пациентите(БАЗП) highlights why nurses, pulmonologists and care teams need stronger support, echoing Active Citizenship Network’s call for an EU Respiratory Health Plan that protects both patients and professionals. Read more (A – B)

Stephen McMahon from Irish Patients Association shares why we must plan ahead and why resilience must be built into Europe’s future health strategy.  Read more (A – B)

Overcoming barriers to adult immunization in Europe: A decalogue for policy action by the Adult Immunization Board
Adult vaccination remains a fragmented challenge in Europe. A new policy comment, drawing on Adult Immunization Board (AIB) insights, identifies key barriers: from financial constraints to low vaccine literacy. To address these, a decalogue of actionable recommendations has been proposed. The goal is to urge political commitment and multidisciplinary efforts to optimize immunization programs, leveraging lessons learned from the pandemic. Download the published article with the ACN’Director as a co-author.

23-24 April 2026 | London (UK): 5th International Conference on Pediatrics, Neonatology & Healthcare
The Director of Active Citizenship Network (ACN) has been invited to speak at the 5th International Conference on Pediatrics, Neonatology & Healthcare, which is taking place on 23 and 24 April 2026 in London, UK. The title of his presentation is “Grassroots Mobilisation across Europe: Leveraging Civil Society and Community Leadership to Bridge Gaps in Vaccine Coverage”. On this occasion, it will be presented the new ACN handbook “Leveraging Civil Society and Community Leadership to Support Public Vaccination Policies” as well as “Vaccines and Vaccinations for Adults: A European Textbook”. For detailed information, please click here. Read more

27-28 April 2026 | Berlin (Germany) | 4th European Congress on Human Genetics
The Director of Active Citizenship Network (ACN) has been invited to speak at the 4th European Congress on Human Genetics, which will take place on April 27–28, 2026, in Berlin. The title of his presentation is “A broader narrative on respiratory diseases. A citizens' and patients’ perspective towards the development of an EU Respiratory Health Plan”. With the occasion, it will be presented the main outout of the EU policy dialogue at the EU Parliament “Council recommendation on the value of immunisation against respiratory infections: a step towards an EU Respiratory Health Plan?”. For detailed information about the conference, please click here.

28-29 April 2026 | Berlin (Germany) | GUIDE-AI Kick-Off Meeting
Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network is heading to Berlin for the official launch of GUIDE-AI, a pioneering EU project funded by the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI). Hosted by the consortium coordinator Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the event will bring together partners to align on the strategic goal of using AI to help clinicians navigate the "jungle" of medical guidelines. Cittadinanzattiva-ACN will be particularly involved in Work Package dedicated to People-Centred Innovation, ensuring that AI integration in clinical workflows effectively meets the needs of patients and citizens. Read more

29-30 April 2026 | Rome (Italy) | EU Workshop: Responding to consumers' needs in organic farming
As part of the EU-funded project OH-FINE, Cittadinanzattiva-ACN is hosting an European workshop in Rome dedicated to aligning organic farming with consumer expectations. The event will gather NGOs and consumer organizations from across Europe to discuss sustainable alternatives for food production and the development of a Pan-European Organic Farming Learning Community. Participants will contribute to key advocacy messages and multimedia content to ensure that citizens’ voices remain a cornerstone of the European Green Deal. Read more

7-8 May 2026 | Antwerp (Belgium) | AIB technical meeting: Vaccine records and recall systems in Europe
The Director of Active Citizenship Network (ACN) will participate in the Adult Immunization Board (AIB) technical meeting in Antwerp to strengthen adult vaccination across Europe. The summit will focus on assessing vaccination records, data interoperability, and compliance with the European Health Data Space. Key discussions will also explore the feasibility of a European Vaccination Card and effective recall strategies. ACN’s involvement ensures that citizens' rights regarding data privacy and health access remain a priority. The meeting will be anticipated by a closed meeting of the AIB members on 6 of May. Watch the AIB video presentation.

7-10 May 2026 | Minorca Island (Spain) | World Pain Forum & Sine Dolore World Park
Organised by theSine Dolore European Pain Foundation, historical partner of Active Citizenship Network, this forum has been conceived since its inception as a space for debate, exchange and learning. Professionals from around the world analyse and share medical advances in pain treatment, an invisible disease that, according to WHO data, affects 20% of the population. Read more and watch the video presentation.

18-21 May 2026 | Frick (Switzerland) | OH-FINE general assembly 
As a consortium member of the EU-funded OH-FINE project, we are committed to developing evidence-based solutions that support farmers in adopting sustainable practices while enhancing biodiversity, soil health and farm resilience. Following the recent meeting in Spain, the next meeting hosted by FiBL-Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland will also provide an opportunity to discuss the OH-FINE representative's participation in BIOFACH 2026 in Nuremberg.
Read more.