The four partner organisations, represented respectively by Professor Lars Rydén, Peter Hollins, Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and Dr Nata Menabde, participated in a balloon release outside the European Parliament, before addressing the audience of Member States representatives, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the National Cardiac Societies, other ESC constituent bodies and Heart Foundations.
The Charter aims to fight the burden of cardiovascular disease in the EU and the WHO European Region, and to reduce the inequities and inequalities in disease burden within and between countries. It highlights the importance of governmental action, in partnership with non-governmental and public health organisations.
EU Member States and the World Health Organization are invited to adopt and implement the Charter at national level, and National Cardiac Societies and Heart Foundations will have leading roles to play. National launches of the Charter will take place over the next six months.
Visit http://www.heartcharter.eu/ for more information on the Charter, now available in 18 European languages.