The WHO Regional Committee for Europe is WHO’s decision-making body in the European Region. It comprises representatives of each Member State in the Region, and meets for four days in September each year.
At these annual sessions, Member States:
- formulate regional policies;
- supervise WHO/Europe’s activities;
- comment on the regional component of WHO’s proposed programme budget;
- every five years, nominate the Regional Director for Europe and transmit their decision to the WHO Executive Board for endorsement.
At the 61st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, which will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, the following issues will be discussed:
- development of the new European policy for health (Health 2020);
- governance of health in the 21st century;
- the health divide: European experiences in addressing the social determinants of health;
- strengthening of health systems in the WHO European Region, including a framework for strengthening public health capacities and services in Europe and the interim report on implementation of the Tallinn Charter and the way forward;
- action plans on noncommunicable diseases, alcohol, antibiotic resistance, multidrug- resistant/extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS;
- a strategy on the WHO Regional Office for Europe’s relations with countries; and
- a policy on WHO/Europe’s geographically dispersed offices and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies;
- WHO reform for a healthy future
The official documentation of the session is available in English, French, German and Russian on the WHO website. Here you will also find more information about the 61st Regional Committee.