EU Advocacy
2025 - Europe’s new Cardiovascular Health Plan: Stroke must not be left behind
The Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and the European Stroke Organisation welcome the publication of the European Commission’s EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. For the first time, the EU has recognised the urgent need for coordinated action on cardiovascular health, the leading cause of mortality and disability in Europe.
The Plan includes many positive commitments for stroke, including a strong focus on prevention, national cardiovascular health plans by 2027, rehabilitation, innovation and tackling inequalities. These measures have real potential to improve outcomes for millions of people.
In addition, the OECD published its report ‘The State of Cardiovascular Health in the European Union’. It confirmed that stroke remains Europe’s second leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease and a major contributor to acquired long-term disability.
Our joint response makes clear that for the Plan, framed as the ‘Safe Hearts’ plan, to deliver meaningful impact, stroke must be explicitly integrated across all pillars of action. We highlight key areas where further ambition is needed, including access to specialised stroke units, emergency pathways, structured secondary prevention, rehabilitation, life after stroke and research.
Read our full response here.
2025 - EU Parliament Event: Report and highlights from "Closing the gaps in stroke care"
Following our successful European Parliament event, organised in October 2025, on ‘Closing the gaps in stroke care: A call to action for Europe’, we are pleased to share a summary report and video highlights capturing the key discussions and messages from the day.
The event brought together MEPs, policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, people with lived experience and advocates to call for stronger EU and national action on stroke prevention, treatment and long-term support.
Watch messages from Members of the European Parliament:
MEP Romana Jerković (S&D, Croatia)
MEP Adam Jarubas (EPP, Poland)
More information about the event:
Read the event summary report
View event video
Together, these materials capture a growing consensus across Europe, that stroke must be recognised as a central priority in the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan and across all national health strategies.
2024 - Prevent, treat and support: An EU election manifesto for stroke survivors
The Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) launched their joint EU MEP Election Manifesto 2024. We asked MEP candidates to support improving health across the EU with a focus on improving prevention, care and support of those affected by stroke across Europe.
Every year, nearly 1.5 million people suffer a stroke in 32 European countries1. Stroke can be devastating – leading to death or life-long disability2, shattering the lives of victims and their loved ones. Those who survive will join the more than 9 million European stroke survivors who live with long term health, social, and financial impacts3.
The EU Non-Communicable Disease Initiative, Healthier Together, launched by the European Commission in 2022, provides opportunities for policy action that both EU-level and national policymakers should build on. We call upon all EU level policymakers, to prioritise stroke in health policies, to support member states to develop national stroke plans and lead research into the under-examined areas of stroke.
2023 - EACH: European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health
The Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) are proud to be partners of the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health, or EACH, which brings together leading European and international organisations around joint activities to promote cardiovascular health as a policy priority at EU level.
The Alliance was officially launched on 27 September 2021 during a high-level policy debate attended by representatives of the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament. The policy debate discussed policy actions to improve cardiovascular health for citizens across the EU.
In December 2023, as part of this project, SAFE and ESO representatives travelled to Strasbourg to attend a two-day event at the European Parliament to raise the profile of stroke and cardiovascular disease in Europe.
Read more the December event report here.
