Health forward – a future we build together: background paper for the Second European Programme of Work

Overview

Health forward – a future we build together: background paper for the Second European Programme of Work (the Futures Paper) serves as a foundation for the Second European Programme of Work, 2026–2030 (EPW2), which provides strategic foresight to shape the Region’s health agenda for the years ahead. Grounded in rigorous science, data and evidence, the Paper assesses our collective progress on key health and well-being goals while anticipating large-scale trends and shaping the responses needed to address them. The Paper is the product of an unprecedented co-creation process that brought together over 5000 voices through five public hearings and extensive network consultations organized by the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) in early 2025. The result is a forward-looking, participatory vision that identifies the main forces affecting health and well-being in the Region over the next five years and beyond and sets out an aspirational agenda for action.