On 16 December 2025 the European Commission unveiled the “Safe Hearts Plan”, highlighting cardiovascular health within its wider strategy on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It represents the EU’s strategic approach to addressing one of its priority health challenges. 

The plan is centered on three main areas: promoting prevention, supporting early detection and screening, and ensuring effective treatment and care, including rehabilitation. It is addressed to vulnerable groups, including children, young people, and women, and supports Member States in developing or enhancing national cardiovascular health strategies, addressing research gaps, leveraging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, and reducing health inequalities across Europe.

Following a call for feedback, the Europe Region of World Physiotherapy sent the EU Commission an evidence based document highlighting the importance of physiotherapy in cardiovascular health along with specific recommendations. As proposed in the document sent, the EU Safe Hearts Plan notably prioritises prevention, with a strong focus on promoting sport and regular physical activity, including the revision of the Council Recommendation on promoting health-enhancing physical activity and annual EU-wide initiatives such as #BeActive and the European Week of Sport.

You can access the feedback of the Europe Region of World Physiotherapy here.

This EU initiative highlights the core areas of physiotherapy: promoting physical activity, providing high-quality and accessible cardiac rehabilitation, and supporting long-term cardiovascular care. 

The Europe Region of World Physiotherapy welcomes the plan and will continue to ensure that national physiotherapy professional organisations are recognised as key stakeholders for the conception of such plans.