The aim of the visit was to provide the participants with a better understanding of EU institutions and structures, to increase their knowledge of health-related policies at EU level and to develop their capacity to participate in European health networks and projects.
The study visit was organised in the framework of the EC supported project Building Public Health Community across Europe,, and was a follow-up of various capacity-building activities organised in new EU Member States during the last year.
The group included representatives of eight organisations working on health, social, environment and civil society participation issues: Association of Societies - Slovenian Health Association (Slovenia), Malta Resource Center(Malta), Foundation for Children of Copper Basin (Poland), Network for Estonian Nonprofit Organisations, Stop Smoking (Slovakia), SKOK (Association of non-governmental, not-for-profit organisations active in the areas of social assistance and social health care)(Czech Republic), Society Development Center (Latvia) and the National Institute for Health Development (Hungary).
For a detailed programme and the presentations, please see the attached document below.
The meeting was an excellent opportunity to promote the benefits of working in a public health platform, to share information about challenges faced by health NGOs in new EU Member States in increasing their voice in the policy-making process, and to exploring potential avenues of funding and ways of working together.
