OECD updates data on Health Inequalities - Despite remarkable progress in health status and life expectancy in OECD countries over the past decades, there remain large inequalities across countries and across population groups within countries. Most OECD countries have endorsed, as major policy objectives, the reduction of inequalities in health status. Click here for an updated review of policies, data and materials.

OECD Obesity Update - The OECD also released a new report on obesity, stressing that more efforts need to be made to address the epidemic. Click here to access the document.

Health and Consumers in EU enlargement countries: Factsheets -  How well do candidate countries perform on consumer protection and health issues? What does the EU do to help these countries implement sustainable EU health system standards? Find out about these issues in the DG Enlargement factsheet on Consumer Protection and Public Health.

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health blames ‘junk food’ for the global obesity epidemic - On 11 June, UN Special Rapporteur, Anand Grover, urged the international community to deal with the alarming increase in deaths from diet-related diseases. Click here to read the report on unhealthy foods and non-communicable diseases.

2014 Third Health Programme Call for applications - Click here to access the Call.

Council of the European Union releases next 18 month programme (1 July 2014 - 31 December 2015) - Click here to access programme prepared by the future Italian, Latvian and Luxembourg Presidencies and the High Representative chairing the Foreign Affairs Council.

Cross-border initiative on diabetes: DIAIMMUNE - The research project looks at whether cleanliness could be one of the causes of type 1 diabetes. Click here for further information about the project.

European Commission releases Patient Safety Package - On 19 June, the European Commission published a patient safety package highlighting how EU countries are addressing the challenge of patient safety, progress made since 2009 and barriers to overcome. Click here to access the patient safety package.

SOLVIT: the EU launches a service aiming to solve problems with citizens' rights when being in another EU country - The service will be provided by the national administration in each EU country. SOLVIT reminds the authorities in question what EU rights are and works with them to solve citizens' problem. Why is it interesting for the patients' community? Health insurance figures among the issues SOLVIT looks at. This tool does not replace the mechanisms put in place under the cross-border healthcare directive, but it may help in case of dispute when receiving treatment abroad. For more information, click here.

Economics of Chronic Diseases project (EConDA) now online - The project aims to create a model to calculate the cost-effectiveness of a series of interventions for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Click here to access the website

  Upcoming Events

• IDF Europe 2014 Youth Leadership Camp, Terme Jezerčica, Croatia, 7-13 July: IDF Europe values the essential role youth plays in raising awareness on diabetes. For the fourth time this year, 24 youth advocates from 22 different European countries will meet in Croatia for one week of workshops, physical activitiy sessions and sharing of ideas and experiences. Click here for more information on the Youth Leadership Camp.

• European Patients’ Forum 3rd Cross-Border Healthcare Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 7-9 July: Find out more. 

Save the Date! The IDF Europe General Assembly and Together We Are Stronger Meetings, Istanbul, Turkey, on 28–30 November 2014 - The official agenda and supporting documents of the GA and TWAS will be circulated in due time.For more information, contact lala@idf-europe.org

Call for applications: European Reference Networks to strengthen healthcare across the EU - The Cross-border Healthcare Directive (2011/24/EU) gives the Commission the mandate to support Member States in developing European Reference Networks (ERNs) between healthcare providers and centres of expertise in EU countries. By connecting highly qualified health professionals from across the EU, the aim of setting up ERNs is to advance highly specialised healthcare and provide a concentration of knowledge and resources for the benefit of patients, especially in areas where resources are scarce. For more information, click here.