Rare Disease Day is an annual, awareness-raising event co-ordinated by EURORDIS at the international level and National Alliances of Patient Organisations at the national level

On the occasion of its 10th anniversary the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) has initiated last year the European Health Forum Award, to promote health policy initiatives with an European scope, that have contributed in a significant way to meet European health challenges. The deadline for the submissions of projects and initiatives is 26th of May.

The Open Days 2008, the most important annual conference of European regional stakeholders, will take place 6-9 October 2008 in Brussels. DG Health and Consumers, together with business and regional representatives, is a partner of the "Health Village".

This congress will provide a forum for experts in Rett syndrome, affected patients and their carers to meet each other and learn from the latest research into the syndrome.

This conference's aim is to present the added value of EU-led action in the field of health, regarding safety, quality of care and the promotion of patients' rights.

The idea behind this day, conceived by the Council of Europe, is to help a different member state each year to encourage debate on these social questions and in this way help organ donation and transplantation to progress.

The Congress will be a meeting of people from all over the world, at which the organ donating activities of five continents will be represented.

This Congress will be an opportunity for healthcare stakeholders to discuss their visions on where we want to be in twenty years and how to get there.

European Antibiotic Awareness Day is a European health initiative in close collaboration with the World Health Organization, as well as many other relevant representative stakeholder groups such as health professionals and scientists.

EPF and VALUE+ organize in Vilnius a seminar for patients' leaders from the Baltic and neighbouring countries. The purpose is to build knowledge and know-how on working at EU level and explore initial findings from the VALUE + project.

The aim of the project is to develop a European network of all the players active in the area of dementia to jointly develop consensual indicators and to develop an ongoing dialogue between these actors to identify ways of developing synergies and a closer collaboration on a European level.

The workshop will look at the implications of the European Commission Proposal for a Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. Kent experience will also be shown.

This conference aims to contribute and increase the profile of health in the EU policies through discussion between EU policy makers and stakeholders on pressing public health issues and their impacts on the Community.

DG Health and Consumers is organising a conference in order to launch formally the publication of the Green Paper on the EU Workforce for Health and to promote the consultation exercise. This is an initiative of the Europe for Patients campaign.

This seminar will allow Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, patient organisations and clinicians involved in the drafting of the 10 key care principles to debate the importance of this manifesto for Europe.

The workshop is organised to coincide with the Report Tzampazi on mental health that has been discussed in the ENVI Committee and which points out the need of exceeding the stigma and the alienation, by identifying qualified strategies in order to facilitate a real integration of the mental disabled into the societies.

The conference will bring together the public health community, scientists, health care workers and other leaders in the field of emerging infectious diseases.

Discussion at global level on how to implement international cooperation in rare diseases.

International awareness-raising campaign for rare diseases

One of IPPC 2009's aims is to discuss the latest developments with regards to Rare Diseases policies and actions as well as to provide insights into current and future initiatives both in the EU and at Member State level.

To mark European Rare Diseases Day, EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou will host a launch event for "The Voice of 12,000 Patients - rare disease from the patients' perspective" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Brussels.

Ministerial conference hosted by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic. The scope and objectives of this conference are 1) Antibiotic Stewardship: standards and indicators for European hospitals and 2) How healthcare system characteristics influence antimicrobial resistance and healthcare- associated infections?

Patients’ rights are an increasing concern for EU institutions and stakeholders, as evidenced by the new directive on patient rights and cross-border care, and the Europe for Patients Campaign.

Czech EU Council Presidency 2009 pre-congress workshop: Rare diseases and neonatal screening: consensus building on neonatal screening based on the opinion of EU patient support groups (Eurordis, European Genetic Alliance), ISNS and of the Orphanet consortium

Commissioner for Health Ms Androulla Vassiliou will host this high-level event on the impact of the current crisis on mental health and well-being. The round table will also highlight views and responses from policy makers and other key actors.

The theme for World Alzheimer's Day™ 2009 is 'Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner'. Every year on 21 September, Alzheimer associations across the globe unite to recognise World Alzheimer's Day in many ways.

This launch event of the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer will be opened by the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and hosted by Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou.

The website for the World Day of Organ Donation/European Day of Organ Donation (October 4th 2009) is online. Check out the program, the bands and a lot more information about this event!

This milestone conference on patients’ involvement will be the final event of the EPF-led project VALUE+. It will present results from the project, concrete tools on patient involvement, and will be an important platform for fostering continued political commitment.