Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides says there is no retreat from the approach to health policy-making developed by the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why it remains high on the agenda. he told Euronews in an interview at the Euronews Health Summit.
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In an exclusive interview in conjunction with tomorrow’s Euronews Health Summit, outgoing Cypriot Commissioner Kyriakides highlighted how the pandemic has become a turning point in EU health policy.
“Due to COVID-19, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in health, and we have learned that working together and coordinating as member states makes us stronger,” she said.
Kyriakides, who took over in 2019, initially focused on revamping the EU’s pharmaceutical industry, tackling antimicrobial resistance and driving key initiatives such as the European Medical Data Space and the EU’s plan to fight cancer.
Data space and the EU’s critical medicines strategy will be among the topics discussed at the summit.
A video of Kyriakides’ interview will be shown at the health summit, which will also include a panel discussion on the EU’s critical medicines strategy and health policy.
However, the arrival of COVID-19 reshaped her mission, leading to the creation of the European Health Union to strengthen the preparedness and resilience of health systems.
Reflecting on his time in office, Kyriakides emphasized a shift to a more holistic approach that considers all health-related factors, including climate change.
“Looking back, there’s always something we could have done differently, but what we’ve achieved is a fundamental shift in our perception of health,” she said.
Ongoing priorities
One of the Secretary’s proudest achievements has been the successful delivery of vaccines to all EU member states simultaneously during the pandemic. “That moment was very special in my mission,” Kyriakides recalls.
Looking ahead, he stressed that the next European Commission’s priorities must be to put health at the top of the political agenda. The focus will now turn to the implementation of a number of decisions taken under the European Health Union.
Key initiatives such as addressing mental health and advancing the Beat Cancer Plan will continue to require the attention of the incoming leadership team.
Mr. Kyriakides emphasized the importance of putting mental health on equal footing with physical health and integrating it into all policies. Additionally, she pointed out that certain elements of the Beat Cancer Plan remain incomplete, particularly those targeting alcohol and tobacco consumption.
Next committee and future challenges
Health responsibilities at the next committee meeting will be divided among several members, including Health Commissioner-designate Oliver Varhelyi, Preparatory Commissioner Haja Rabib, and Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourne.
Kyriakides expressed confidence that this division will not hinder progress. “In any case, we need a horizontal approach so it will work effectively,” she said, noting that up to 13 commissioners had contributed to the Beat Cancer Plan in their roles. “We need to look at health across all policies to develop a comprehensive strategy,” she added.
However, the appointment of Hungarian Oliver Varhelyi as health commissioner has sparked controversy. Varhelyi, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has limited experience in the medical field, raising questions about whether the European Parliament will approve his appointment.
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Despite this, Kyriakides remained optimistic, claiming that von der Leyen’s team was “well prepared and will be able to fight.”
He underlined the importance of cooperation between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union in the implementation of health policy over the next five years.
“The European Parliament has been an important partner over the past five years and building that relationship will be the first step,” he concluded.
