Subject: Urgent: Strengthening UN Political Declaration on NCDs & Mental Health – EPHA Input
From: "Sara Bertucci" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>, "Info - SOM" <[email-masked]>, "Info - RAM" <[email-masked]>, "Info - RAM" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 16:19:13 +0300

Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.

Dear Excellencies,

On behalf of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), the leading civil
society network advocating for better health in Europe, I am reaching out
to you ahead of the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable
Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health.

The upcoming Political Declaration will be a pivotal moment for global NCD
prevention. We trust in the leadership of Estonia to help ensure the text
sends a strong and unambiguous signal of commitment. The decisions taken
now will shape not only the future burden of NCDs, but also public
confidence in governments’ resolve to protect health.

In the attached letter, we respectfully urge Estonia to:

*	Strengthen Article 42, point VII, by explicitly recommending
tangible fiscal actions to ensure affordability of healthy products,
including zero-rating VAT on raw fruits and vegetables;
*	Strengthen paragraph 43, committing governments to "implement or
increase" health taxes;
*	Explicitly include taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol,
tobacco, and ultra-processed foods as core measures;
*	Safeguard against vague language or commercial interference;
*	Reaffirm governments’ right to implement public health measures
free from undue influence.

These measures are among the most effective and cost-efficient tools to
prevent NCDs, improve population health, and generate revenue for health
and social protection. The urgency to act has never been greater, and the
Estonia’s role and influence will be critical to a strong outcome.

We remain fully available to discuss these recommendations or provide any
support that could be useful in your deliberations.

With highest consideration,

 <https://twitter.com/epha_eu>
<https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-public-health-alliance/>
<https://www.youtube.com/@epha_eu>

Sara Bertucci (she/her)

Policy Manager - Global Public Health

Rue de Trèves 49-51,1040 Brussels, Belgium

 <mailto:[email-masked]> [email-masked] |
<http://www.epha.org/> www.epha.org