Conference announcement - Please save the date!

16 - 17 April 2012, Brussels
Organised by the European Commission

This conference will bring together the key stakeholders involved in the innovation process of the healthcare sector in view of Europe 2020 and the Innovation Union Plan.


The main objective of the conference is to act as an innovation in healthcare policy forum involving the key actors and policy-makers in order to:

• Identify major challenges and build consensus to address them,
• Develop initiatives and opportunities for Healthcare Innovation;
• Provide continuity with previous events.
  

2012 Conference sessions will develop two tracks:

"Removing borders in the health supply chain" assessing priorities achieved to date and areas where additional efforts are needed

"Inequality and solidarity" exploring new challenges within EU and beyond

Building on the successful events of May 2010 and March 2011, the 2012 conference is organized by the services of the European Commission (DG Research and Innovation, DG Enterprise and Industry, DG Health and Consumers, DG for Regional Policy), in consultation with other relevant DGs, major health associations and stakeholders.

Commissioner for Research and Innovation Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Commissioner for Health and Consumers, John Dalli and Regional Policy Commissioner, Johannes Hahn are invited to be among the speakers.

The programme of plenary and parallel sessions will allow a large space for debate and networking. It will be complemented by a small "fair" where associations and support structures will provide information to participants.

Information on the 2010 and 2011 conferences, including outcome reports, is available:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/health/innovation-in-healthcare-2011_en.html

Further information, including the draft programme and registration guidance, will be available by begin January 2012 at:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/health/policy-issues-eu-policy_en.html