Following the 2024 European elections, a new European Parliament brought fresh voices and renewed energy to EU politics. With most seats now held by new Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), 2025 marked a crucial year to establish relationships and raise dermato-venereology in the EU political agenda.
This is why, since January, EADV has been meeting several key MEPs to raise awareness on the burden of skin and venereological diseases, still a largely neglected area. It is crucial to set up these relationships at the very beginning of a political term, paving the way for solid collaboration for the next four years (and beyond), so that dermato-venereology gets the political recognition it deserves.
MEPs showed since the very first moment a shared interest in our advocacy priorities. Specifically in November an EADV delegation led by President Branka Marinovic held several meetings with MEPs, including Ewa Kopacz, Vice President of the European Parliament and former Poland’s Prime Minister, with whom we are planning an event in 2026 on the impact of skin diseases on mental and women’s health; and Marta Temido, former Minister of Health in Portugal, who was particularly interested in the shortage of dermatology workforce and the risk of burnout.
We are also in close contact with MEPs who will draft parliamentary reports on cardiovascular diseases, the implementation of Europe Beating Cancer Plan, rare diseases and gender inequalities in health. These four reports will be the focus of our advocacy activities next year.
We will leverage the connections established in the European Parliament this year to make sure it amplifies our recommendations to ban sunbeds for minors across the EU and inspire comprehensive legislation on tanning beds information and advertisement; ensure access to timely and effective treatment to prevent severe cardiovascular and mental health complications; as well as address the disproportionate impact that skin and venereological diseases have on women.
We thank all the MEPs and their staff for making time to meet with EADV. Together, we can ensure better skin and venereological health for everyone.