EU4Health Programme - Joint Actions

When EU member states need to coordinate pandemic response, harmonize cancer screening standards, or tackle antimicrobial resistance together, they do it through EU4Health Joint Actions. These are large-scale collaborative projects bringing together national health authorities and expert organizations to implement shared health priorities across Europe.

At a Glance

What is EU4Health?

EU4Health (2021-2027) is the EU’s most ambitious health programme ever, with a €5.3 billion budget. Created in response to COVID-19, it aims to strengthen European health systems, improve crisis preparedness, and tackle health challenges that cross national borders.

How EU4Health Works

EU4Health operates through different funding mechanisms:

Joint Actions are the flagship mechanism for large-scale coordination between member states on health priorities.

What Are Joint Actions?

Joint Actions are collaborative projects where:

• Member States work together on shared health challenges
• The EU co-finances activities (60-80% of costs)
• Results benefit all EU countries, not just participants
• Implementation is coordinated but adapted to national contexts

Typical Joint Action Themes

Based on recent EU4Health work programmes:

Health Crisis Preparedness

• Pandemic response coordination
• Cross-border health threat surveillance
• Medical countermeasure stockpiling
• Health system resilience

Cancer

• Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan implementation
• Screening programme quality
• Cancer data and registries
• Comprehensive cancer care networks

Digital Health

• European Health Data Space implementation
• Electronic health record interoperability
• Health technology assessment cooperation
• Digital health literacy

Health Promotion and Prevention

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
• Vaccination programs
• Mental health
• Non-communicable diseases

Health Systems

• Health workforce planning
• Pharmaceutical access
• Healthcare quality improvement
• Health technology assessment

Eligibility Requirements

Who Can Apply

Geographic Eligibility

Fully eligible:

• All 27 EU Member States
• EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
• Countries with EU4Health agreements

May participate:

• Other countries on case-by-case basis
• International organizations (WHO, OECD)

Consortium Requirements

Member State Representation

Joint Actions are designed for member state participation. Typically:

• National authorities designate participating organizations
• Countries choose their level of participation
• Some countries participate in all work packages; others in selected areas

How to Participate

Understanding the Process

Joint Actions differ from standard grants:

1. The EU identifies priority topics in the annual work programme
2. Member States coordinate to develop a Joint Action concept
3. A lead country/organization emerges as coordinator
4. Consortium forms with national representatives and expert partners
5. Proposal developed through collaborative process
6. Application submitted through EU Funding Portal

Finding Opportunities

Step 1: Monitor the EU4Health Work Programme

• Published annually by the European Commission
• Identifies Joint Action topics for the year
• Check the HADEA (Health and Digital Executive Agency) website

Step 2: Connect with Your National Authority

• National health ministries coordinate participation
• They identify organizations to represent the country
• Contact your ministry of health’s EU coordination unit

Step 3: Watch for Calls

• Published on EU Funding & Tenders Portal
• Specific deadlines for each Joint Action topic
• Detailed call documents define requirements

Joining an Existing Consortium

If a Joint Action is already forming:

• Contact the coordinating organization
• Express interest in specific work packages
• Demonstrate relevant expertise
• Commit resources (staff time, co-financing)

Leading a Joint Action

This requires:

• Strong coordination capacity
• EU project management experience
• Relationships across member states
• National authority support
• Significant resource commitment (coordinator role is substantial)

Application Process

Stage 1: Proposal Preparation

Working with your consortium:

Technical Description:

• Objectives and expected results
• Work packages and activities
• Methodology and approach
• Sustainability and legacy

Impact:

• How results benefit EU health systems
• Transfer mechanisms to non-participating countries
• Policy relevance and implementation

Implementation:

• Consortium composition and expertise
• Work plan and milestones
• Management and governance
• Risk assessment

Budget:

• Personnel costs (biggest category)
• Travel and meetings
• Subcontracting (limited)
• Equipment and other direct costs
• Indirect costs (flat rate or actual)

Stage 2: Submission

Through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal:

• Administrative forms
• Technical annexes
• Partner information
• Budget breakdown

Stage 3: Evaluation

Proposals assessed on:

Joint Actions often have limited competition (only 1-2 proposals per topic), but must meet quality thresholds.

Stage 4: Grant Agreement

If approved:

• Negotiation of final work plan and budget
• Grant agreement preparation (3-6 months)
• Project kickoff

Timeline

Budget Considerations

Funding Rates

Eligible Costs

Budget Reality

Typical Joint Action partner budgets:

• Large work package lead: €500,000 - €1,500,000
• Active participant: €200,000 - €500,000
• Limited participant: €50,000 - €200,000

Coordinator role adds significant administrative burden.

Writing Strong Proposals

What Evaluators Look For

Relevance:

• Clear link to EU4Health objectives and work programme
• Understanding of the health challenge
• Appropriate scope and ambition

Implementation:

• Logical work plan with clear deliverables
• Appropriate consortium (right expertise, geographic coverage)
• Realistic timeline and milestones
• Sound management approach

Impact:

• Benefits beyond participating countries
• Policy relevance and uptake potential
• Sustainability beyond project funding

Quality:

• Cost-effectiveness
• Risk mitigation
• Quality assurance mechanisms

Keys to Success

Strong consortium:

• Geographic diversity (include Eastern and Southern EU)
• Mix of policy and technical expertise
• Clear roles and complementarity
• Committed national authority involvement

Clear policy relevance:

• Explicit link to EU health priorities
• Understanding of implementation context
• Realistic pathway to policy uptake

Feasibility:

• Activities match available time and resources
• Work packages are manageable
• Dependencies are identified

Insider Tips

Building Partnerships

• Start networking early: Joint Action consortia form 6-12 months before calls
• Attend EU health events: Commission info days, health forum, etc.
• Connect through existing networks: International public health networks, WHO collaborating centers
• Reach out to known coordinators: Organizations that have led previous Joint Actions

Strengthening Your Role

• Demonstrate unique expertise: What can you bring that others can’t?
• Offer to lead work packages: More responsibility = more resources
• Commit co-financing: Shows serious commitment
• Engage your national authority: Their support matters

During Implementation

• Invest in coordination: Underestimating management costs is common
• Build in flexibility: Health priorities can shift rapidly
• Document everything: Reporting requirements are substantial
• Engage stakeholders beyond partners: Maximizes impact

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Consortium Problems

• Missing key countries: Geographic gaps weaken proposals
• Unbalanced participation: Too much concentration in one region
• Weak coordinator: Leadership inexperience derails projects
• Unclear roles: Partners unclear about their responsibilities

Technical Weaknesses

• Vague objectives: “Improve health systems” isn’t specific enough
• Overambitious scope: Trying to solve everything
• Poor work package integration: Siloed activities
• Unrealistic timeline: Underestimating time for coordination

Administrative Issues

• Co-financing gaps: Partners unable to provide matching funds
• Late partner additions: Rushed additions weaken proposals
• Budget inconsistencies: Costs not matching activities
• Eligibility problems: Partners not meeting requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Can organizations outside the EU participate?

Limited participation is possible for non-EU organizations with relevant expertise. International organizations like WHO often participate. Check specific call conditions.

How competitive are Joint Actions?

Less competitive than standard grants—often only 1-3 proposals per topic. However, quality thresholds must be met, and building strong consortia is challenging.

Can private companies participate?

Generally not as core partners. Private companies may provide services through subcontracting, but Joint Actions are designed for public/nonprofit health sector collaboration.

What’s the difference between Joint Actions and other EU4Health grants?

Joint Actions specifically involve member state coordination and focus on implementing shared EU health priorities. Other grants may be open to any eligible organization on specific topics.

How much time should we allocate?

Significant. Coordinator organizations often dedicate 1-2 full-time equivalent staff. Partners typically need substantial staff time depending on work package involvement.

Can we propose our own Joint Action topic?

Not directly. Topics are defined in the EU4Health work programme. However, member states can advocate for priorities through EU health governance structures.

What happens to results after the project?

Sustainability is a key evaluation criterion. Results should be institutionalized through policy uptake, guidelines, networks, or other mechanisms that continue beyond funding.

Is EU4Health Right for You?

Strong fit if:

• You’re a public health authority or nonprofit with EU health mandate
• Your work aligns with EU4Health work programme priorities
• You can commit significant staff time and co-financing
• You want to work on EU-wide health coordination
• You have (or can build) relationships across member states

Not the right fit if:

• You’re a private company seeking health funding
• You want to implement local/national-only projects
• You can’t provide co-financing (20-40%)
• You need flexibility on topic (topics are pre-defined)
• You prefer smaller, faster funding mechanisms

EU4Health Joint Actions represent the EU’s primary mechanism for coordinating health action across member states—offering substantial funding for organizations positioned to contribute to European health priorities.