On 16 December 2025, the European Commission unveiled the Safe Hearts Plan, the first ever EU-wide cardiovascular health plan. The plan was launched as part of a wider European health package and marks an important step for the European Health Union.
Across social media, the cardiovascular community welcomed this long-awaited approach to addressing cardiovascular disease, which remains Europe’s number one cause of death. ECPO congratulates our colleagues at the Global Heart Hub and everyone involved in ensuring strong patient and public involvement throughout this process. This is an important and hopeful moment for our community.
The Safe Hearts Plan aims to address key challenges linked to cardiovascular disease across the EU. It places particular focus on the needs of vulnerable population groups, including children and young people and women. It also recognises that prevention is the most cost-effective way to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease, especially by addressing major risk factors such as diabetes and obesity.
Around 80 percent of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented through lifestyle-related measures. Despite this, prevention currently receives only 3 percent of total healthcare spending in the EU. This is a significant concern, especially at a time when healthcare budgets are under increasing pressure. The plan highlights the need to invest more wisely in prevention, early detection, screening, treatment, care and rehabilitation.
A key strength of the Safe Hearts Plan is its commitment to supporting Member States and stakeholders to improve health promotion and prevention, strengthen early diagnosis, and ensure better access to treatment and long-term care. There is much in this plan that gives reason for optimism.
As a patient-led community, one issue that strongly resonates with us is the lack of continuity of care. Many people experience fragmented care pathways and unequal access to treatment. Patients often struggle to move between primary care, hospitals and rehabilitation services, which can undermine recovery and long-term disease management. The absence of common standards for treatment and care across Member States also leads to inequalities, with innovative treatments and technologies not equally available across the EU.
We are particularly encouraged to see obesity and other non-communicable diseases clearly recognised within the plan. Obesity is widespread across Europe, with 15 percent of adults and 9 percent of children living with obesity. Around 75 percent of obesity-related excess deaths are linked to cardiovascular disease. More than half of adults in the EU are overweight, and rates among adolescents increased to 21 percent in 2022, up from 17 percent in 2014.
This link was highlighted last week at the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health Summit in Brussels, where Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi spoke about the close connection between cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. This recognition at EU level is long overdue.
Now, what matters most is action. The Safe Hearts Plan must be implemented at national level to make a real difference in people’s lives. Together, as a community, we are stronger. Together, we can help turn this plan into meaningful change for people living with cardiovascular disease, obesity and related conditions.
Further information on the Safe Hearts Plan can be found here:
Factsheet: