The White Paper was presented on 21 February 2025 at the Medical University of Warsaw during the conference “Health and Security for the Future”, the seventh event in the series “Road to the Presidency”, organised by the Institute for the Development of Social Affairs under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Social and Economic Committee.
The publication, edited by Professor Bolesław Samoliński, summarises over two years of discussions between experts, decision-makers and representatives of social organisations on the health priorities of the Polish presidency. The opinions of over a hundred experts have been gathered on almost 400 pages, creating a multidisciplinary publication supporting the shaping of effective and innovative health policy at the European level.
“Today, after more than four decades since the Solidarity uprising, we must ensure that citizens’ rights to freedom and peace are unwavering, and that the policies of the European Union take care of every aspect of the well-being of citizens and persons residing in the territory of the Community,” wrote Lech Wałęsa, former President of the Republic of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in the opening words to the White Paper.
“Poland faces a great challenge, but also a renewed opportunity to take responsibility for the fate of the European Community, to show that it is also our EU and to confirm the return to the main stream of decision-making on our continent. I believe that we will seize this opportunity,” noted Adam Jarubas, Chairman of the Public Health Committee of the European Parliament (SANT).
The authors of the study include: Magdalena Sobkowiak, Undersecretary of State for the European Union in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister; Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health; Prof. Maciej Banach, Vice-Rector for the Medical College of the Catholic University of Lublin, Dr. Aleksandra Lewandowska, National Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Prof. Bartosz Karaszewski, National Consultant for Neurology; Richard Price from the European Cancer Organisation, Prof. Janina Stępińska, Chairwoman of the National Council for Cardiology and representatives of employers’ organisations, scientific societies and NGO sector organisations.
The organiser of the “Road to the Presidency” conference series is the Institute for the Development of Social Affairs – a civic think tank dealing with healthcare issues.The publication “Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025.
Download the White Paper: Expert recommendations in the area of health care“
