Tomorrow, WHO/Europe will be welcoming health ministers, Member State delegations, civil society and other stakeholders to Copenhagen for the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC76).
Over 3 days, Member States are expected to consider a new strategy on ageing and a roadmap on artificial intelligence in health, for the Region, and discuss the development of new strategies for tackling noncommunicable diseases and for health promotion.
A livestream will be available, so it is possible to follow the proceedings online. Watch in English or Russian from a few hours before Regional Committee opens.
Tuesday 27 October
Opening of the session and addresses
Day 1 will kick off with the election of the officers who will preside over the Regional Committee, as well as adoption of the agenda and programme.
Immediately following this, the Director-General will address delegates, highlighting key developments and challenges in global health over the past 12 months.
Next, the report of the WHO Regional Director for Europe will be presented by Officer-in-Charge, Corinne Capuano, together with the technical directors and the WHO Representative to the European Union. The address will outline the work of WHO/Europe since the previous session of the Regional Committee and will also highlight progress in the implementation of the second European Programme of Work 2026–2030.
Wednesday 28 October
Private meetings
Kicking off day 2 are 2 private meetings: one on the assessment of expressions of interest received for proposed geographically dispersed offices focused on quality of care and patient safety; and another focused on artificial intelligence.
Another private meeting will then consider the election of 1 member of the Joint Coordinating Board of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and 4 members of the Standing Committee of the Regional Committee (SCRC), as well as the nomination of 4 Member States for election to WHO’s Executive Board.
As these are closed sessions, the livestream will be suspended during this time.
Programme budget matters
During the afternoon of day 2, the livestream will resume with the presentation to delegates of the Programme Budget 2026–2027; the draft proposed Programme Budget 2028–2029; and the results report from the Programme Budget 2024–2025.
This offers delegates an opportunity to provide guidance on WHO/Europe’s financial situation as well as share their views on proposals for future budgets.
Governance and partnership matters
WHO/Europe’s accountability report will be presented during this session with a focus on transparency and participatory governance.
In addition, new applications by non-State actors will be reviewed, while the accreditation and status of non-State actors accredited at RC70 and RC73 will also be considered.
Matters arising from resolutions and decisions of the World Health Assembly and Executive Board
Following the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly and 159th session of the Executive Board (EB159), which took place earlier this year, delegates will consider resolutions and decisions taken at these 2 meetings to understand their impact on the European Region and to inform discussions at the global level, in particular the EB159 decision relating to the global health architecture.
To help structure the discussion on this topic, delegates will consider 2 questions:
- What is the biggest challenge facing the Region that should be addressed as part of the 3 objectives of the joint process, as agreed in decision WHA79(20) (Reform of the global health architecture and the UN80 Initiative)?
- Which functions should be carried out at regional level? Which functions should be carried out at a global level?
Report of the 33rd SCRC
The day will conclude with consideration of the report of the 33rd SCRC.
Thursday 29 October
The final day of the RC76 will turn to technical priorities.
Technical topics
Delegates will be invited to hear about and consider decisions on both a strategy for “Ageing is living” and a “Roadmap for action on artificial intelligence in health”.
During the afternoon, delegates will be consulted on a proposed strategy and action plan for tackling noncommunicable diseases and advancing well-being as well as a complementary regional strategy on mental health – that are set to run from 2028 to 2037.
Progress reports
Shortly before the closure of RC76, delegates will turn their attention to progress reports focused on “One billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage” – including on:
- “Leveraging digital transformation for better health in Europe: Regional Digital Health Action Plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030”;
- the “Regional action plans for ending AIDS and the epidemics of viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections 2022–2030”;
- the “Roadmap to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem in the WHO European Region 2022–2030”; and
- the “Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region, 2023–2030”.
In addition, progress reports under the target of “One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being” will cover:
- the “European regional action framework for behavioural and cultural insights for equitable health 2022–2027”; and
- the “WHO European framework for action to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities 2022–2030”.
Confirmation of dates and closure of the session
To conclude RC76, delegates will consider possible dates and venues for sessions of the Regional Committee for 2027–2029. Delegates will then have a final chance to raise other matters before the President of RC76 officially closes the session.