The HEALTH4DE-NL project aims at fostering the cooperation between health system actors in the Dutch-German border region, which is home to approximately 2.8 million people. It focuses on four main domains:

• Establish a cross-border health network, in which healthcare professionals, policymakers, hospitals, Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdiensten (GGD’en), and Gesundheitsämter/NLGA collaborate.

• Analyse healthcare systems and compare them at the regional level, the results form the basis for formulating policy recommendations that promote equal access to care.

• Improve cooperation between public health services, by organising regular meetings and workshops and appointing cross-border contact persons to strengthen communication.

• Engage citizens actively, with a focus on vulnerable groups, through public engagement activities around prevention, self-reliance and community participation, citizens are encouraged to take a more active role in their health.

The HEALTH4DE-NL project is being implemented within the framework of the Interreg VI Germany-Netherlands program and is co-financed with 2.33 million euros by the European Union, the Ministry for Federal and European Affairs of Lower Saxony and the provinces of Groningen and Friesland.