Today the European Commission launched the EU’s first-ever Screening Week, an initiative aimed at increasing testing and early detection of cardiovascular diseases across the bloc. The campaign coincides with World Heart Day and is linked to a newly proposed Commission Recommendation on cardiovascular health checks intended to support national efforts to reduce premature deaths from heart disease.
What the Commission announced
The Commission described cardiovascular diseases as the EU’s “number one killer,” responsible for some 1.7 million deaths annually. It says around 80% of these diseases can be prevented by tackling established risk factors. As part of its Safe Hearts Plan, the Commission has set a target to reduce premature cardiovascular deaths by 25% by 2035.
To bolster prevention and early detection, the Commission opened EU Screening Week and launched an EU-wide awareness campaign encouraging people to speak with health professionals about cardiovascular health checks. Alongside the public campaign, the Commission put forward a Recommendation on cardiovascular health checks that aims to guide member states in designing and implementing national screening and early-detection programmes.
The proposed Recommendation sets out several core principles for such checks: that they should be accessible to everyone, that they address the needs of high‑risk and vulnerable groups, and that they support the offer of personalised prevention measures and appropriate vaccination advice for citizens at increased cardiovascular risk. The Recommendation also highlights health literacy and awareness-raising as tools to improve uptake and help people understand the value of regular checks.
Why it matters
Cardiovascular disease has a major public-health impact across the EU; reducing premature deaths could affect healthcare demand, long-term care needs and broader public-health planning. The Commission frames the Recommendation as support to member states rather than a binding instrument: it is intended to help national authorities design and implement health checks adapted to local systems and population needs.
For citizens, the initiative stresses the importance of knowing personal “vital numbers” — the risk indicators that can be assessed through relatively simple checks and lifestyle interventions. For health systems and policymakers, the Recommendation emphasizes targeted approaches for higher-risk and vulnerable populations and the role of health literacy in increasing participation in screening.
What happens next
The Recommendation is a Commission proposal addressed to EU countries. Member states will consider it in the context of their national health policies and systems; the text is positioned as guidance to help member states implement cardiovascular health checks at national level. The Screening Week and accompanying awareness campaign are already underway to promote immediate public engagement, while the Recommendation aims to shape medium-term policy and practice.
The Commission links both the awareness campaign and the Recommendation to its broader Safe Hearts Plan, which sets the 2035 target to reduce premature cardiovascular mortality by 25%.
Source: European Commission press release
