Safe Hearts Plan: PAN welcomes EU action on CVD prevention
We welcome the European Commission’s Safe Hearts Plan, the first-ever EU cardiovascular health strategy to tackle cardiovascular disease (CVD), Europe’s leading cause of death and disability.
The stakes are high. CVD claims 1.7 million lives every year and affects around 62 million people across the EU, with an estimated economic cost of over EUR 282 billion annually.
The Safe Hearts Plan sets out a clear shift from treatment to prevention, supported by ambitious EU-level flagship initiatives that can help Member States strengthen national action.
Photo by Jamie Street / Unsplash
Our EU Public Affairs Officer, Federica Amiconi, reviewed the Plan and highlighted the following key takeaways:
What we applaud:
Prevention as the priority: The Plan positions prevention as the most cost-effective way to reduce the burden of CVD and related risk factors such as diabetes and obesity.
A stronger link between food and heart health: The Commission recognises the role of diet in prevention, including the need to address unhealthy diets.
Action on ultra-processed foods high in sugar, fat and salt: The Commission plans a study on the impact of ultra-processed food consumption to provide evidence-based information for further EU-wide or national interventions.
Better consumer information on processing: A proposed food processing assessment system aims to provide transparent, accessible, science-based digital information to support healthier dietary shifts.
A focus on children and young people: The Plan highlights early-life prevention and continued efforts to promote fruit and vegetable consumption from childhood.
Where there is room for improvement:
Provide clearer criteria for how “healthiness” will be assessed in the forthcoming food processing assessment system: The Plan notes that the Commission will consider portion size, frequency of intake, and a food’s role in the overall diet when developing this flagship initiative. This should be complemented by nutritional profiling, so assessments reflect both processing and nutritional quality.
Move from intent to concrete incentives: The Plan notes that the Commission will examine tools, including possible financial actions, to support prevention and stimulate reformulation. We would welcome clearer, practical incentives such as VAT reductions on healthier reformulated products and on core healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes, alongside stronger reformulation measures.
As PAN International, with a medical network spanning ten countries including five EU Member States, we stand ready to support the Commission’s flagship prevention programme, EU cares for your heart, and the broader Safe Hearts agenda.
We will work with healthcare professionals and partners across Europe to help advance evidence-based prevention, support the development and implementation of national cardiovascular health plans by 2027, and contribute recommendations through the Commission’s annual Food Dialogue.
Healthy diets are fundamental to preventing non-communicable diseases. Together, we can make cardiovascular health a reality for everyone in Europe.
Click here to read the Communication on an EU cardiovascular health plan: the Safe Hearts Plan.