Proposal and Collaboration with the European Commission
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Commissioner Várhelyi's visit to UZ Leuven
On June 25, 2026, in the context of the EU Safe Hearts Plan, EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi and his team visited UZ Leuven to open the new Cardiovascular-Diabetes-Obesity Research Unit.
The visit showcased integrated, patient-centred cardiometabolic care in practice, including diagnostics and treatment pathways.
Discussions focused on health checks, early detection and the opportunity to identify type 1 diabetes at an early stage through autoantibody screening, including through the EDENT1FI project.
We would like to thank Commissioner Várhelyi and his team for joining EUDF and UZ Leuven for this important visit.
II Webinar on the EU Safe Hearts Plan
On May 6, 2026, we organised a second webinar on the EU Safe Hearts Plan, this time focusing on the upcoming Council Recommendation on health checks, and what the diabetes community considers should form part of such checks.
Video and infographic on the EU Safe Hearts Plan
We developed an infographic and a short video explaining the EU Safe Hearts Plan and what the Plan means for people living with diabetes.
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The European Diabetes Forum (EUDF) developed an infographic and a short video explaining the EU Safe Hearts Plan and what the Plan means for people living with diabetes.
Webinar on the EU Safe Hearts Plan
On February 25, 2026, we organised a webinar to discuss the EU Safe Hearts Plan, the opportunities it presents, and its potential impact on people living with - or at risk of - cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
EU Safe Hearts Plan
The European Cardiovascular Health Plan - the EU Safe Hearts Plan - was published by the European Commission in December 2025.
The Plan addresses the key challenges across the EU related to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, focusing on the special needs of vulnerable population groups such as children and young people and women.
See the EUDF statement below on the Plan. We will continue our advocacy efforts to ensure the Plan is successfully implemented at the country level.
EUDF Shadow CV Plan
We published this policy paper as a diabetes community to jointly advocate for the inclusion of diabetes and obesity in the upcoming European Cardiovascular Health Plan. Only through an integrated approach - encompassing prevention, early diagnosis, and effective management of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity - can we meaningfully improve outcomes for individuals living with, or at risk of, these diseases.
On September 4, 2025, we shared our Plan with Commissioner Várhelyi, who reassured us that the interconnection between diabetes, obesity and CVD will be at the core of the Commission's strategy.
Thank you, Commissioner!
On May 7, 2025, we met with Ms Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, to continue our discussions on the health plan and make sure it covers all important aspects of diabetes diagnosis, management and care.
On January 15, 2025, Mr. Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare participated in the EUDF strategy workshop. The Commissioner announced that the Commission will prepare a plan covering the cardiovascular-diabetes-obesity triangle, which would focus on prevention, early detection and equitable access to care. He highlighted the vital role of health data as the next raw material and how data must be optimally used as a competitive advantage to bring innovative treatments faster to the people. He emphasized the importance of early detection and screening as the first line of action to prevent and/or to optimally manage diabetes.
EUDF stands ready to support the Commission’s efforts by:
Providing Expert Information
The Commission can rely on EUDF and its partners to provide all the necessary data, insights, good practices and evidence-based recommendations to take informed decisions.
Translating Research into Policy
The diabetes community can help bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and actionable policy, ensuring that discoveries lead to meaningful improvements in diabetes care.
Prioritizing Actions
In the face of limited resources, EUDF can offer targeted advice to help the Commission to identify and prioritize the most impactful actions.
Read the full statement here:
Collaboration with the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare