The Development Policy Forum (DPF) of the Brussels based Friends of Europe think tank together with the EU-wide policy journal Europe’s World has launched a special publication devoted to the subject of the global health policy in the EU. Professor Ilona Kickbusch, Chair of the Global Health Europe Task Force, was asked to contribute to this report with a short perspective piece on how the EU can create a global health policy worthy of the name. Professor Kickbusch argues that European countries, together with the European Commission, have an opportunity through the recently adopted Communication and Conclusions on the EU Role in Global Health to take the lead in shifting understanding of global health to include the provision of global public goods for health. This means developing strong and inclusive institutions for global health governance through strengthening and reforming the World Health Organisation.
Other senior stakeholders that contributed to this publication include WHO Director General Margaret Chan, EU Commissioner for Development Cooperation Andris Piebalgs. There is also commentaries from Global Health Europe Senior Advisor Professor Göran Bondjers, Save the Children’s Simon Wright who has been a member of the Global Health Europe task force, and the World Bank’s Armin Fidler, who has participated on a Global Health Europe organized panel at the 2010 European Health Forum Gastein.