The European Commission has adopted proposals to enhance the EU's role in global health. The objective is to make Europe's contribution more effective so as to better accompany developing countries in getting back on track towards achieving health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Europe has already shown its commitment with global health in other times. The Commission highlights the main challenges that the EU needs to address:

1. Leadership
2. Universal coverage
3. Coherence of EU policies
4. Knowledge.

This new policy framework aims to be a turning point in promoting the right to health and better addressing global health challenges.

The proposals for an EU response to the four challenges are:

• Enhance global governance on health: EU should defend a single position within UN agencies and work to reduce multiplicity of health projects.
• Progress towards universal health coverage: EU should ensure that development aid supports developing countries build sustainable health systems and should promote division of labour among all actors, public and private, bringing knowledge and funding to the health sector. The Commission will propose a list of priority countries, mainly the ones most off-track from the health Millenium Development Goals, where EU should concentrate its aid.
• Ensure better coherence of EU internal and external policies in relation to global health: The EU will combine its leading role in trade and development to create a coherent approach to global health, including also issues such as migration, security, food security and climate change.
• Increase Global health knowledge: ensure that research and innovation produce accessible and affordable products and services, and that no diseases are neglected. The EU's Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7) includes international cooperation towards achieving health-related MDGs as well as extensive research on diseases which can devastate developing countries.

This Communication will be discussed in the Foreign Affairs Council on 11 May. A Global Health High Level Meeting gathering EU Ministers of Health and Development will explore further action in June.