EULAR 2024 - 2029 European Manifesto
Promoting a European response to the health and socio-economic challenges of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs)
Our 2024-2029 EULAR Manifesto calls for a coordinated European response to protect European citizens, health and social care systems, as well as the economy from the impact of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs). The Manifesto will be presented at the 2024 EULAR Congress in Vienna in June 2024, as well as future events at European institutions. The Manifesto is the combined effort of EULAR and its member organisations to highlight the prevalence and seriousness of RMDs, which are the second most common reason for consulting a doctor, and in most countries constitute 10-20% of primary care practice.
Our recommendations aim to holistically address the issue that will affect virtually every EU citizen directly or indirectly throughout the course of their life. RMDs affect people of all ages and can cause a large impact on physical or psychological health, as well as economic and social circumstances.
Read the Manifesto Explanatory Document
EULAR Manifesto - Finnish Translation
The
documents provided here, reviewed on a voluntary basis by EULAR members,
represent translations of an original document in English. These translations
are intended solely for informational purposes. While every effort has been
made to ensure accuracy, EULAR does not guarantee their completeness,
reliability, or exactness. The original English version of the EULAR Manifesto should
be considered the authoritative version.
EULAR Manifesto - Greek Translation
The documents provided here, reviewed on a voluntary basis by EULAR members, represent translations of an original document in English. These translations are intended solely for informational purposes. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, EULAR does not guarantee their completeness, reliability, or exactness. The original English version of the EULAR Manifesto should be considered the
authoritative version.
EULAR Manifesto - Slovak Translation
The documents provided here, reviewed on a voluntary basis by EULAR members, represent translations of an original document in English. These translations are intended solely for informational purposes. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, EULAR does not guarantee their completeness, reliability, or exactness. The original English version of the EULAR Manifesto should be considered the
authoritative version.
EULAR Manifesto - Polish Translation
The documents provided here, reviewed on a voluntary basis by EULAR members, represent translations of an original document in English. These translations are intended solely for informational purposes. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, EULAR does not guarantee their completeness, reliability, or exactness. The original English version of the EULAR Manifesto should be considered the
authoritative version.
Watch and Learn more about the EULAR Manifesto:
EULAR's Key Recommendations
Quality of care: improving RMD prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation interventions.
- Prioritise RMDs within the EU’s ‘Healthier Together – NCD Initiative’ and national plans.
- Address the lack of timely access to care and specialists.
- Improve early RMD diagnosis.
- Promote cost-effective, flexible, multi-disciplinary, patient-centric RMD treatment and chronic care models.
- Improve RMD prevention by tackling lifestyle determinants, promoting active ageing, and developing RMD education and communication programmes.
- Support the development and use of advanced medicines and digital technologies for remote care, including for childhood and rare diseases.
Social Policy: mitigating the burden of RMDs on health-related quality of life, education, and employment.
- Recognise RMDs as a leading cause of disability and highlight the need for proper provision of social care and mental health services.
- Introduce legislative and non-legislative measures, including targets and timelines, to create inclusive and flexible education and workplaces, ensuring people with chronic NCDs (Including RMDs) can access, maintain, and return to education and work.
- Increase funding and take measures to improve mobility, access to buildings, and package pharmaceutical and household goods.
Research and innovation: developing better RMD prevention and treatment strategies.
- Establish an ambitious and long-term research and innovation agenda that targets the cause of RMDs and their comorbidities, treatment and multidisciplinary care models, and the impact of health and social determinants on patient outcomes.
- Launch an "Inflammation, non-communicable diseases, and comorbidities" 'European Partnership' under Horizon Europe and increase support for RMD-related European Reference Networks (ERNs).
- Work with medical societies and patient associations to strengthen the evidence base for EU and member state policymaking through systematic independent research and monitoring.
- Encourage and support the involvement of patients in research and the evaluation of health technologies.
Read more about EULAR's specific research asks here
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Related Information
EULAR Advocacy Newsletter
EULAR is committed to bringing rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) onto the EU's agenda. Sign up to the EULAR Advocacy newsletter to keep up with the changes that our organisation is working towards in the area of policy and legislation to help achieve better social and economic outcomes for the many millions of people affected by these chronic and debilitating diseases across Europe.
EULAR Advocacy Activities and Materials
In order to persuade governmental and EU key decision-makers supporting the European rheumatology community, EULAR Advocacy develops evidence-based materials about RMDs and communicates its position on key policies and legislation being discussed.
EULAR Policy Statements
As part of its advocacy activities, EULAR produces and adopts a number of documents and declarations that are used to express EULAR’s position and/or demands on different policy issues.
EU Parliament Interest Group on RMDs
The European Parliament Interest Group on Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs) was created in 2009 on the occasion of World Arthritis Day (12 October) and was re-established during the current parliamentary term (2014-2019).
Links to other organisations
Partnerships that help to increase the knowledge of the organisations involved and the impact they can have on the political stage.
RMD Definition
EULAR description on Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs)