European Commission launches first EU Screening Week to boost heart health
Ahead of World Heart Day and to mark the launch of the first-ever EU Screening Week, the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on cardiovascular health checks.
It aims to safeguard the health of European citizens by improving early detection and screening and, ultimately, reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases, CE Report informs via the European Commission's official website.
Cardiovascular diseases are the EU's number one killer, claiming 1.7 million lives every year. They have a significant impact on health systems and cost the EU economy more than €282 billion annually. However, 80% of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by tackling risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, high blood sugar and obesity. The Safe Hearts Plan, presented in December 2025, aims to reduce premature cardiovascular deaths by 25% by 2035, including by tackling these risk factors. Today's proposal is a significant step towards achieving that goal.
Health checks can save and transform lives by identifying cardiovascular risks and diseases early, enabling people to receive the right advice and treatment at the right time. Today's recommendation will support Member States in designing and implementing cardiovascular health checks at national level. It will also help tackle health inequalities across the EU by proposing these checks be accessible for all and addressing the needs of high-risk and vulnerable groups, in particular.
The Commission also calls on Member States to consider how to best support citizens who are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, including through personalised prevention and appropriate vaccination advice. The recommendation highlights how the latest health innovations, including data-driven and AI-based tools, can offer further opportunities to reinforce risk assessments and checks, so long as they are used responsibly and with proper human oversight.
In addition, the Commission has highlighted the role of health literacy in empowering citizens to take control of their health and understand the value of regular cardiovascular health checks. Member States are encouraged to raise awareness and promote their widespread uptake. The importance of ensuring equitable access through targeted campaigns and screening programmes in community settings, and by means of mobile screening units, is also recognised.
EU Screening Week
In line with these recommendations, and to support the efforts of the Safe Hearts Plan, the Commission today launched the first annual EU Screening Week (28 September – 4 October), bringing together partners across Europe to encourage people to get tested and raise awareness around prevention through events at national, regional and local level.
The European Commission is stepping up its work on prevention, in particular for cardiovascular diseases, as announced in President von der Leyen's political guidelines.
EU Screening Week is part of the EU-wide Know Your Numbers campaign aiming to raise awareness of the risk factors for cardiovascular health and the importance of having the relevant health checks. It encourages people to speak to a health professional about cardiovascular health checks, such as screening of their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This will enable them to better understand the numbers that matter for their health and to take control of their heart health, with the appropriate medical support. The campaign will be launched on World Heart Day (29 September 2026) and will run throughout 2027.
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