European Union and Serbia signed an agreement on December 8 that will give Serbia’s health sector access to EU funding starting in 2026, aimed at strengthening treatment, digitalization, and the accessibility of healthcare services.
Agreement was signed in Brussels by Serbian Minister of Health Zlatibor Lončar and European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Oliver Várhelyi. With this, Serbia has joined the EU4Health program and, as an EU candidate country, officially become a full participant in the largest health initiative in the history of the European Union, worth more than €5 billion.
This landmark agreement will allow Serbia’s health authorities and the broader healthcare sector to access EU program funding under the same conditions as EU member states, as well as Norway, Iceland, Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From January 1, 2026, both public and private entities in Serbia’s healthcare sector will be eligible for financing through open calls, direct grants, and joint actions. These opportunities will support key areas such as improving diagnosis, treatment, and care for cardiovascular diseases and cancer, contributing to the European Health Data Space, developing strategies for critical medicines and stockpiles, strengthening mental health—especially among young people, and initiatives related to cross-border health threats.
Photo/ Tanjug
“I warmly welcome today’s agreement, which will further strengthen our close cooperation with Serbia in the field of health and enable its healthcare system to respond to immediate needs and long-term goals. This agreement is further proof of the EU’s commitment to improving healthcare within the Union and beyond, through close cooperation with our partners,” said Oliver Várhelyi, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare.
The EU4Health program was adopted as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to reinforce crisis preparedness throughout the EU. The pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of national healthcare systems, and EU4Health is designed to support their long-term strengthening by making them more robust, more resilient, and more accessible.
Health is an investment. With an initial budget of €5.3 billion for the 2021–2027 period — later adjusted to €4.4 billion following the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework — EU4Health represents an unparalleled EU financial commitment to the health sector. The program clearly demonstrates that public health is an EU priority and one of the key instruments on the path toward a European Health Union.
Read more: How the European Union has supported public health initiatives in Serbia.
Renovation of medical centers and wastewater systems with financing from the EIB
EU support for the improvement of health services in the Health Center of Raška
High school students from Čačak gain essential skills for emergency response
