18th meeting of the HEPA Europe Steering Committee, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 26 July 2012

The 18th meeting of the Steering Committee of HEPA Europe was convened to review further progress with implementation of the 2011/2012 work programme and to update on relevant international developments. In addition, the applications for membership received since the last meeting were assessed and two pending applications were further discussed, in connection with WHO’s ongoing assessment of partnership initiatives such as HEPA Europe. An update on preparations of the 8th annual meeting and symposium in September 2012 in Cardiff was also given.

In addition, the sub-committees on membership development and on Steering Committee candidates reported, and the development of communication strategy for HEPA Europe was continued.

The meeting was attended by five members of the Steering Committee and two WHO staff from the Regional Office for Europe as well as one observer. The meeting was kindly hosted and supported by the Free University (VU), Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was chaired by Willem van Mechelen from the VU Medical Center, and assisted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Governance and Multisectoral Partnerships Department, and the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine of the University of Zurich, Switzerland.