Here's an overview of the program and speakers. MEP Laura BALLARIN, a member of the Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA), just made the introduction.

Prof. Evelina TACCONELLI's talk just started.

1) A first draft for the Horizon Europe work program 2026-2027 has been published by the European Commission.

While it no longer includes the previous call on high-burden under-researched conditions, there’s now a new call on ‘post-infection long-term conditions’

🇪🇪 Does anyone know any ME/CFS patient organisations from Estonia?

If you are an ME/CFS patient in Estonia, could you perhaps reach out to us at europeanmecoalition@outlook.com?

Many thanks in advance!

2) For the #HorizonEurope call Tackling high-burden for patients and under-researched medical conditions (HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-DISEASE-07) the Commission has created a new selection procedure (explained in the screenshot below).

ec.europa.eu/info/funding...

1) Important news: there is now a much greater chance than ever before for #MECFS scientists to obtain funding from #HorizonEurope.

#BlueSunday2025 at the EMEC headquarters 💙
Coffee or lemonade with cookies and a game of Rummikub to celebrate this special day. Our dog mascot Shifra got some biscuits too.

We donated to the @irishmecfsassoc.bsky.social in honor of our friend @tomkindlon.bsky.social

#TeaPartyForME #MECFS

3) The scope of the call are illnesses with a high disease burden that remain under-researched. The description is still quite broad (we argued that it should be more specific). Nonetheless ME/CFS is mentioned as the first example.

1) Good news: the European call on high-burden, under-researched conditions will likely be renewed in the 2025 work program of Horizon Europe.

#MECFS is prominently mentioned as an example.

3) The commission has now replied, but their answer is rather disappointing and non-specific.

You can read the reply here:
www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/docume...

1) Member of the European Parliament Pascal Arimont (EPP) submitted a written question on ME/CFS in november last year.

4) A scoping study was commissioned to define what high-burden, under-researched conditions are. EMEC, the World ME Alliance, and other charities provided input to this study.

The final list looks like this

1) It’s been a long time since you heard from us, but we can finally give an update of what we have been doing behind the scenes.

#MECFS #LongCovid

1) Happy holidays to everyone affected by ME/CFS.

Many thanks to the ME/CFS Research Foundation for organizing this challenge and funding scientific research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
#MECFS #LongCovid

We are supporting the #LemonChallengeMECFS 🍋 The lemon acts as a symbol for the bitterness of the disease but also for the hope of healing.

We challenge:

MEP Pascal Arimont
Prof. Jos Bosch
Mr. Anil Van Der Zee

More info:
mecfs-research.org/en/lemonchal...

Member of the European Parliament Pascal Arimont has submitted a written question asking the new European Commission how it will stimulate ME/CFS research.

We are very grateful for MEP Arimont’s strong and continued support for ME/CFS patients.

It has been a while since we gave an update about our work. Our efforts have mostly taken place behind the scenes this past year. This doesn’t mean nothing has happened!