06/10/2026
☀ Living longer is an achievement. Living longer in good health is even better.
Thanks to the European social model, we are living longer, but the question remains whether we are spending these additional years in good physical and mental health.
🇪🇺 European health policy is increasingly focused on the prevention of various diseases. However, prevention depends on individual decisions, and these are made under unequal conditions. Good health depends on whether healthy options are affordable, accessible, and attainable for everyone.
🧠 The main lesson from last year’s FEPS event, “Healthy Minds, Stronger Europe,” was that mental health cannot be viewed solely as an individual health issue. Our mental well-being is largely shaped by the environment in which we live: working conditions, social relationships, economic security, and the availability of public services.
Solidarity should not begin only when people fall ill. We should organize society so that everyone has a fairer chance to stay healthy for as long as possible. Prevention must therefore be designed in collaboration with people through meaningful participation and shared decision-making.🫂
Read the full article by our director Jana Michailidu ( ) on the FEPS website and learn more about how we can create the conditions for a healthier and better quality of life for everyone.
