EU HEALTH FORUM 2026

Join key European and Croatian healthcare stakeholders in a discussion shaping the future of health systems in an evolving global landscape.

April 24, 2026 | Zagreb

AGENDA
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Join top experts from policy, science, industry, and regulation to forge sustainable solutions.
Discover how new geopolitical and demographic shifts are reshaping EU healthcare - and what it means for Croatia.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

EU Health Forum brings together top level experts from healthcare, science, industry, and the regulatory sphere to open a dialogue on the challenges and solutions shaping a more sustainable, efficient, and accessible health system.

KEY TOPICS 2026

This year, we focus on the implementation of European regulations, the strategic resilience of systems and supply chains, data-driven health outcomes, and the role of innovation and prevention in redefining health policy in Croatia and the European Union.
How can we increase the efficiency of the healthcare system?
How can we ensure sustainable access to medicines and innovation?
How can we respond to the pressures of the next decade?

KEY CHALLENGES

1

Changes in the global order are reshaping the rules of the game in healthcare too.

Geopolitical circumstances, population aging, and the rise of chronic diseases are creating pressures that health systems can no longer ignore.
2

Short-term solutions are no longer an option. 

A focus on cost containment misses opportunities for better prevention, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
3

Healthcare is becoming a strategic issue.

Security of medicine supply, faster access to innovations, and sustainable financing are no longer just health topics—they're political ones.

GOALS OF THE EU HEALTH FORUM

From Vision to Implementation

Geopolitical realities and EU health regulations are changing the rules - but how can they be applied in practice?
The Forum provides a space for concrete interpretations, dialogue, and alignment of strategies between policymakers, healthcare systems, and industry.

Healthcare with a Clear Direction

Through the exchange of best practices, insights, and data, the goal is to chart a path toward healthcare that measures outcomes, invests in innovation, focuses on what delivers results, and meets the real needs of patients.

Collaboration that Delivers Results

Resilience and accessibility, innovation, and efficiency in healthcare depend on coordinated action among all stakeholders. We provide a space for partnerships, idea exchange, and long-term collaboration.

WHY PARTICIPATE

The healthcare system no longer operates by the old rules, and only those who deeply understand it can drive change.
By participating, you gain:
- access to key information on regulatory changes affecting all healthcare stakeholders
-exchange of perspectives with the participants shaping healthcare: from the system, industry, and European institutions
-insights into concrete models of collaboration, supply, investment, and performance measurement
Be part of the conversation that drives change: a place where ideas are encouraged, challenged, and transformed into a clear course of action.
BUY YOUR TICKET

AGENDA

9:30 - 10:30

Registration

09:00 

SESSION 1.  REDEFINING HEALTHCARE

09:00 – 09:10

Opening of the Forum

Opening remarks by the organizer

09:10 – 09:30 

Opening interview:

Sustainability of the Croatian healthcare system

09:30 – 10:00 

Panel discussion:

“The New Anatomy of Health: The Future of Healthcare”

  • Concrete levers of effectiveness: prevention, priorities, and investments in measurable outcomes
  • Shift towards early diagnosis and timely access to care
  • How to ensure a faster patient journey through the system?
  • What does the European plan for cardiovascular diseases bring, and what does it mean for Croatia?
  • Does the EU plan for cancer control meet its goals, and how to stop the obesity pandemic?

10:00 – 10:10

Keynote:

“Challenges of Healthcare System Efficiency: New Measurement Parameters”

10:10 – 10:40

Panel discussion:

The State of Health in the EU: Croatia’s Health Profile according to OECD report

  • High mortality from preventable causes: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and cancer
  • Can we improve healthcare and extend healthy life years within the next 5–10 years?
  • The role of system organization: access, early diagnosis, and continuity of care
  • Key risk factors: smoking, alcohol, obesity…
  • What are the priority measures with the greatest impact on population health?

10:40 – 11:00

COFFEE BREAK

11:00

SESSION 2. EU LEGISLATION AND THE EUROPEAN HEALTH UNION

11:00 – 11:10

Keynote:

“EU Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Regulation – Focus on Implementation”

11:10 – 11:40

Panel discussion:

“Innovation Without Delay and Security of Supply: Can the EU Deliver Both?”

  • EU regulation and investment: how to accelerate innovation and improve access to new therapies
  • Critical medicines and supply security: supply chain resilience and joint procurement
  • Bringing manufacturing back to Europe: how realistic is it, and what needs to change?
  • Critical Medicines Act (CMA): will it increase the availability of critical medicines?
  • “Made in Europe” generic medicines and unmet medical needs: where are the solutions?

11:40 – 11:50

Keynote:

“The Pharmaceutical Industry and Its Environmental Footprint”

11:50 – 12:20

Panel discussion:

EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive on Hold

  • The European strategy on pharmaceuticals in the environment: why it is crucial for public health and the environment
  • Urban wastewater directive: what stage is it at, and why is the proposal on hold?
  • New EU rules: measuring pharmaceutical traces and introducing stricter treatment requirements
  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): cost coverage fees and implications for industry
  • Reducucing pollution across the entire medicine life cycle: from manufacturing to safe disposal

12:20 – 12:30

Keynote:

“The New EU Biotechnology Act – What Can Be Expected?”

12:30 – 13:00

Panel discussion:

The EU in the Global Race for Biotechnology and Clinical Trials

  • The EU is losing its share of clinical trials: what is behind the decline and what are the consequences?
  • Regulatory simplification: do we need faster, clearer, and more predictable approvals for studies?
  • How can the EU become attractive again for research and investment that lead to better patient outcomes?
  • What are the key barriers to conducting clinical trials (costs, timelines, administration, capacity)?
  • What priorities and actions are needed for the EU to become a preferred biotech destination?

13:00 – 13:50

Lunch and networking

13:50

SESSION 3: Financing and the Future of a Solidarity-Based Healthcare System

13:50 – 14:00

Keynote:

“Challenges of the Financial Sustainability of the Public Healthcare System”

14:00 – 14:30

Panel discussion:

“Finances and Health: Fiscal Policy and Healthy Habits”

  • Healthcare’s role in the EU MFF 2028–2034
  • Funded health priorities and the budget process to 2026
  • Council talks: how much funding depends on Member State action
  • Croatia’s efforts to secure more EU health investment
  • Fiscal tools: can taxes boost healthy life years?

14:30 – 14:40

Keynote:

Global Healthcare Reset — Can the EU Lead the Way in Innovation and Investment for a Healthier Future?

14:40 – 15:10

Panel discussion:

“The Role of European Legislation in Driving Investment in Innovation”

  • EU regulations and policies: do they encourage or slow down investment in new technologies and solutions?
  • European and national health data spaces: how can AI and Biotech Act deliver greater value and better outcomes?
  • Can the legislative framework become a tool for global competitiveness and Europe’s sustainable growth?
  • Innovation as a cost or an investment: can Europe attract pharmaceutical investment and remain competitive?

15:10 – 15:30

Coffee break

15:30

SESSION 4: Digital Challenges and Monitoring Treatment Outcomes

15:30 – 15:40

Keynote:

“Why Measuring Treatment Outcomes Matters”

15:40 – 16:10

Panel discussion:

Outcomes- and Data-Driven Healthcare

  • Croatia ranks among the highest in the EU for mortality from preventable chronic diseases
  • Why are cancer treatment outcomes in Croatia not improving despite decades of new therapies and investment?
  • How can outcome measurement and patient follow-up become a standard for quality-of-care management?
  • AI and digitalization: can they accelerate healthcare transformation?
  • Digital health strategy: system integration

16:10 – 16:20

Conclusions and closing remarks

16:20 – 17:00

Afterwork networking

REGISTRATION & FEES

Single - Early Bird
€290.00
+ VAT
Regular
€350.00
+ VAT
Special Offer – 1+1 
€450.00
+ VAT
The registration fee includes: admission to the full-day conference, beverages during breaks, and lunch.
For invoices, please contact us via email.





PAST EVENTS

Irena Hrstić
Minister of Health of the Republic of Croatia
It is crucial to regulate processes so that medicines, once available on the EU market, become available to Croatian patients as quickly as possible and at an affordable price, with the Pharma Package enabling fairer access even in smaller countries like Croatia. At the same time, we must clearly define which medicines are considered critical and determine the level of EU reserves needed to prevent shortages, especially in times of crisis.
Tomislav Sokol
Member of the European Parliament
A balanced regulatory framework is needed—one that supports both innovative and generic manufacturers equally; streamlining procedures must not compromise the quality and safety of therapies.
Ana Gongola
HUP UPL / Sandoz / Lek
Market withdrawals are often driven by unsustainably low prices and administrative burdens; a more stable pricing policy is needed.
Shaping the Future of Health Together!

Progress in the healthcare sector doesn't happen by chance! It comes from collaboration among all system stakeholders and those who seek to change it. That's why we bring together diverse viewpoints—to drive real, positive change.
ORGANIZER
Contact: 01/4400 492
info@paradigma.biz