MEPs on the European Parliament’s Public Health Committee have backed a report urging the EU to strengthen action to prevent cardiovascular disease, including tighter measures on tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy diets.
The committee adopted its response to the EU’s first cardiovascular health plan — the Commission’s “Safe Hearts Plan”, unveiled in December 2025 — calling for a coordinated approach to prevention and to related long-term illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, chronic kidney disease and obesity, the parliamentary press service reported on Wednesday.
Cardiovascular diseases, which include heart disease and stroke, are the leading cause of death in the EU, with about 1.7 million deaths each year.
Around 62 million people are living with cardiovascular disease in the EU and there are close to 13 million new cases annually.
The report calls for “strong regulatory measures” to reduce the affordability, access, consumption and appeal of tobacco and nicotine products, including newer products, and says these should be covered by the Tobacco Products Directive.
It also calls for social media advertising to be explicitly covered by EU rules on cross-border tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
MEPs also called on EU countries to run education and communication campaigns on health risks linked to harmful alcohol consumption, particularly when intake exceeds scientifically established health recommendations.
Nutrition labels, health checks and CPR training
The committee’s report calls for improved front-of-pack nutrition labelling in line with nutritional recommendations, alongside better assessment of the health impact of “ultra-processed foods” and energy drinks, the Parliament said.
MEPs backed the introduction of cardiovascular health checks, particularly for people with at least one risk factor or a family history of premature cardiovascular disease.
The report also calls for timely and affordable access to high-quality care for people living with cardiovascular disease, and for measures to reduce inequalities linked to socio-economic status, gender, age, access to healthcare and environmental exposure.
The report supports wider public awareness programmes for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) — an emergency technique used to help someone whose heart has stopped — and calls for mandatory CPR training in schools and workplaces.
Romana Jerković, the report’s rapporteur, said the committee wanted more emphasis on preventing disease and on action related to “the commercial drivers of poor health”, including marketing of new nicotine products to children and transparency around alcohol and unhealthy foods.
The own-initiative report was adopted by 38 votes in favour, two against and one abstention, and is expected to go to a vote in the full Parliament during the September 2026 plenary session.
