Policy
Supported by thematic networks of expert volunteers from across the EAU membership and patient organisations, the EAU Policy Office actively keeps important urological topics high on the public agenda by engaging with European and national policy and decision makers.
The European Union, or the EU, is a political and economic union of 27 European countries committed to working together on shared goals. Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, the EU was founded to promote peace through economic cooperation and integration. Its policy topics range from trade, transport, environment, and consumer protection, among others.
The Policy Office works closely with the EAU Patient Office and the members of the European Patient Advocacy Group (EPAG). By uniting policy advocacy with direct patient engagement, this partnership ensures that healthcare decisions and policy developments reflect patients' real needs and lived experiences.
Key themes & projects
Efforts to improve and advance early detection, care, treatment, survivorship, and life beyond must be intentional and multi-pronged. This is where the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP) comes in; the EU’s flagship strategy to reduce the cancer burden across Europe through coordinated, evidence-based action. It addresses the entire disease pathway, from prevention and early detection to treatment and survivorship, whilst also tackling inequalities in access and outcomes.
Continence health problems are a major health issue that affects a large part of Europe’s population, on both the personal and societal levels. Currently, there is little policy attention given to improving the lives of people living with continence health problems. This not only has a significant impact on patients and their loved ones but also on national health systems, the economy, the environment and society.
The EAU engages with EU funding channels, ensuring optimal impact for research in the field of urology, with a focus on research that demonstrates better outcomes for patients. In the context of the EU multi-annual budget (known as the multi-annual financial framework), the EAU works with multi-disciplinary health stakeholders and patient organisations to ensure sufficient dedicated EU funds for health research across the entire research pipeline, including implementation science and evidence-based policy making.
The EAU Policy Office is a leading stakeholder voice contributing to the development of the European Health Data Space, in particular, what it means for the secondary use of data for research. The EHDS implementation will have an impact on how real-world evidence, along with clinical trial data, can be used to guide research and clinical decision-making for better patient outcomes.
The EU, as a single market, has a role in consumer protection and quality assurance of products and services that are available in the EU. This includes products and services used on a daily basis in health systems, such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices and data management tools such as electronic health records.
The European Association of Urology (EAU) strongly believes that inclusion and equality are crucial for scientific progress and for improving urological care. One of the EAU Policy Office's objectives is to strive for equal access of care for all urological patients in Europe. This aligns with the principles of the European Commission's Equality Strategy.