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This distinguished collection of insights is the result of two years of work by the Institute for Social Policy Development, which organised six conferences and hosted over twenty expert interviews (#Conversations about the Presidency, available on YouTube) on the health priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. With participation from leading experts in medicine and healthcare, as well as decision-makers and civil society representatives, White Paper: Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025. Healthcare Policy Recommendations serves as a vital resource on the EU Council Presidency, highlighting key healthcare challenges for the European Union in the first half of 2025 and beyond, and outlining Poland’s potential role in addressing these challenges.

The experts listed as authors of the White Paper actively participated in IRSS-led discussions on healthcare during Poland’s Presidency long before its official priorities were announced. Their diagnoses, backed by expertise and years of experience, have not only influenced the final priorities but also serve as a valuable resource for identifying key healthcare challenges Poland should address within the EU – beyond the broad policy keywords. Moreover, this document provides a roadmap for future presidencies, as while their priorities may differ, many of the solutions proposed and implemented by Poland will need to be continued.

In the opening section, Lech Wałęsa, former President of Poland and legendary Solidarity leader, underscores security as a cornerstone of Poland’s Presidency. Prof. Bolesław Samoliński, Head of the Department of Environmental Hazard Prevention, Allergology, and Immunology at the Medical University of Warsaw, and Chair of the Subcommittee on Health Priorities during Poland’s 2011 Presidency of the Council of the EU, reflects on how that experience prepared Poland for its return to the Presidency in 2025. He also co-edited the White Paper alongside IRSS President Małgorzata Bogusz and IRSS expert Dr. Łukasz Przybysz. The document further presents institutional perspectives on Poland’s health priorities from key officials: Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Undersecretary of State in the European Union Affairs Unit of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister; Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health; and Prof. Piotr Czauderna, Chair of the Healthcare Council within the National Development Council at the Chancellery of the President of Poland.

The final section of the White Paper summarises expert debates conducted under the auspices of the Institute for Social Policy Development since 2023. It highlights key challenges faced by various medical fields at both the Polish and European levels, as well as Poland’s “export products” – solutions, therapies, and technologies that set the country apart in the EU and could serve as models for other Member States. Before the official Presidency priorities were announced, leading experts shared their proposals within their respective fields at the IRSS conference in January 2024. For example, oncology priorities were outlined by Prof. Tadeusz Pieńkowski, President of the Polish Society for Breast Cancer Research and Head of the Department of Oncology and Breast Diseases, and Dr. Janusz Meder, President of the Polish Union of Oncology and Head of the Conservative Department at the Lymphatic System Cancer Clinic of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology – National Research Institute.

The largest of the three panels dedicated to the health priorities of Poland’s Presidency focused on prevention and public health, reflected in the extensive list of contributors to the White Paper. Prof. Rafał Krenke, Rector of the Medical University of Warsaw, discussed the role of preventive medicine, while Deputy Ministers of Health Wojciech Konieczny and Katarzyna Kacperczyk shared their perspectives. Prof. Bolesław Samoliński provided an in-depth analysis of how Poland’s 2011 Presidency shaped EU public health policies. Chief Sanitary Inspector Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski examined the role of public health services in times of pandemic and war. The White Paper also features leading experts outlining key achievements and challenges in prevention, including Prof. Małgorzata Myśliwiec, Prof. Maciej Banach, Prof. Janina Stępińska, Prof. Iwona Paradowska-Stankiewicz, and Prof. Jacek Jassem.

The White Paper also features contributions from employers’ organisations. Aleksandra Sienkiewicz, Head of the Health Forum at the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, discusses the importance of health prevention from a business perspective. Sibilia Quilici from EFPIA describes it as “a pillar of health security, economic stability, and resilience in the European Union”, while Kacper Olejniczak from the Lewiatan Confederation presents future recommendations in this area.

The publication of the White Paper serves as an invaluable compendium of contemporary challenges in medicine and healthcare across the European Union. It also marks the culmination of educational efforts on the health priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

White Paper: Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025. Healthcare Policy Recommendations is available for download at

https://irss.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/White_Paper_IRSS.pdf