The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) is a European non-profit association registered in Belgium. Its members are non-profit organisations active in public health. The EPHA has 89 member organisations based in 21 European countries. Dr. Milka Sokolovic General of EPHA.[1] Its headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
EPHA serves as a change agent by facilitating the participation of its diverse member organisations, that include civil society organisations, groups of health professionals and public health actors. EPHA collates these perspectives from the many sectors its members represent and contributes them to European policy dialogues. Since its foundation, EPHA has grown into the EU’s largest civil society platform of organisations working together to protect and improve public health in Europe.
Structure
EPHA is an international non-profit organisation (“AISBL” in French) under Belgian law. Its statutes are approved by its General Assembly, composed of representatives of its members.
A Board of Trustees sets out the organisation's annual work programme, priorities and targets, and reviews the financial management of the EPHA. The EPHA Board is composed of 7 representatives elected by members of the EPHA for a 2-year mandate. Alice CHapman-Hatchet is currently the president of the EPHA Board.
History
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) organisation was established in 1993 after the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 which for the first time gave the European Community responsibilities in health protection. The European Community Amsterdam Treaty Article 152 extended EU competence to promoting health of European citizens, in addition to protecting it as in Article 129 of the Maastricht Treaty.