EU4Health Civil Society Alliance: Letter to Ursula von der Leyen on the appointment of a health commissioner

We, representatives of the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance, gathering more than 30 health civil society organisations representing health professionals, citizens, patients and public health organisations, wish to request a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen to discuss our concerns regarding the nomination of the next Commissioner for Health.

Our elections manifesto outlined the need to prioritise health for the next European Commission and European Parliament’s mandates. For health to be given the importance it deserves, beyond the ambitions expressed in the mission letter, it requires a nominee with a relevant and appropriate background to meet the demands of this critical topic.

In this letter, we state our intentions to meet with Ursula von der Leyen to discuss our concerns. We request assurance that the Commissioner nominee for the health portfolio is not only fully committed to driving an ambitious health agenda at EU level, building on the legacy of the previous mandate, but also to working hand in hand with civil society organisations to achieve it.