Shaping EHDS from the Ground Up: Regions and People at the Heart of Europe’s Health Data Space | 17 November 2026 | 10:00–18:00 | Brussels

Event Date: 17 November 2026

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is moving from legislation towards implementation, creating a common framework for the primary and secondary use of health data across Europe. As Member States and stakeholders prepare for the next steps, regional ecosystems and human perspectives need to be an integral part of this process.

Shaping EHDS from the Ground Up brings together regional health and innovation ecosystems, public authorities, healthcare and research organisations, European initiatives and patient perspectives to discuss how the implementation of the EHDS can better reflect regional realities and human needs.

Building on the discussions initiated at the ScanBalt Symposium “Building the EHDS Together” in June 2026 and continued at DTx New Nordics 2026 in August 2026, the workshop will further explore two closely connected priorities: strengthening the role of regions in EHDS implementation and advancing a human-centric approach to health data governance.

The day will combine expert contributions, examples from different European countries and regions, and discussions aimed at identifying opportunities for cooperation and practical next steps.

Programme

09:30 | Registration and Welcome Coffee

10:00 | Welcome and Opening Remarks

Welcome by the Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU

Introduction to the ScanBalt initiative on co-creation of the EHDS

Jaanus Pikani, Thomas Karopka and Dr Lutz Groh

Session I | Strengthening Regions in Implementing the EHDS: Regional diversity, ecosystem needs, and Baltic Sea leadership

10:15 | Introduction and Opening Keynote

Preparing for EHDS Secondary Use: Emerging Approaches and Implementation Gaps in Selected European Countries

Kristel Oitmaa — Industrial Doctoral Researcher, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and Metrosert AS

10:35 | Status Updates from Strategic Partners I

• PRECISEU – Readiness and Maturity Assessment Framework
  Cecilia Maini — Health and Life Sciences Project Manager, ART-ER, Bologna, Italy

• TEHDAS2
  Elina Drakvik — Senior Lead and Project Lead, Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund / TEHDAS2

• VALO2
  Dr Jonathan Green — Director, Privacy Analytics, Europe, IQVIA Ltd

11:15 | Coffee Break and Networking

11:45 | Status Updates from Strategic Partners II: Regional Perspectives

• Lithuania
  Justas Trinkūnas — Product Owner, State Data Agency of Lithuania

• Estonia
  Taavi Lai — Founder, INTEGRIA Research and Analytics Lab

• Latvia
  Speaker to be confirmed

• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
  Toralf Schnell — Head of Digital Innovation & Transformation, University Medical Centre Greifswald

12:30 | Panel Discussion: How Can We Join Forces in Implementing the EHDS at Regional Level?

Moderator: Dr Jaanus Pikani — Chairman, ScanBalt

Panellists:

• Justas Trinkūnas — State Data Agency of Lithuania

• Kaspars Grosu — IQVIA

• Taavi Lai — INTEGRIA Research and Analytics Lab

• Toralf Schnell — University Medical Centre Greifswald

• Elina Drakvik — Sitra / TEHDAS2

• Dr Jonathan Green — IQVIA Ltd

13:15 | Networking Lunch

Session II | Towards a Human-Centric EHDS: From patient orientation to human-centric health data governance

14:00 | Inspirational Keynote: European Health Is Regional – Chances and Challenges

Karl-Heinz Lambertz — Former President of the European Committee of the Regions

14:30 | Rostock Outcomes: Beyond Patient Orientation Towards Human-Centric Health

Dr Lutz Groh — Managing Director, Dig-In-Health

15:00 | Panel Discussion: How Can We Integrate Human-Centric Aspects into EHDS Secondary Use?

Moderator: Dr Lutz Groh — Managing Director, Dig-In-Health

Panellists:

• Dr Gabriele Angenendt — Patientenstiftung AKTION NIERE (German Patient Foundation)

• John Wubbe — President, European Digital Peer Patient Alliance (EuDiPPA)

• Karl-Heinz Lambertz — Former President of the European Committee of the Regions

15:30 | Coffee Break and Networking

Session III | Turning EHDS Secondary Use into Practical Research Impact: From Data to Discovery: A Practical Use Case for Cross-Border Alzheimer’s Research

15:45 | Keynote: Alzheimer’s Disease in the Digital Age – Connecting Patients, Data and Care

Dr Eglė Audronytė, MD, PhD — Neurologist and Assistant Professor, Vilnius University

16:00 | Panel Discussion: From Health Data to Research Impact

Moderator: Dr Jonathan Green — Director, Privacy Analytics, Europe, IQVIA Ltd (TBC)

Panellists:

• Dr Aurelijus Veryga — Member of the European Parliament, Lithuania

• Dr Eglė Audronytė, MD, PhD — Neurologist and Assistant Professor, Vilnius University

• Aneta Tyszkiewicz — Director, Science & Regulatory, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA); Member of the PRECISEU Advisory Board

• Michele Calabrò — Executive Director, European Regional and Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA)

16:30 | Networking

17:00 | End of the Workshop

Why Join?

The workshop provides an opportunity to exchange experiences across countries and regions, connect regional and European EHDS initiatives, and discuss how regional ecosystems and human-centric perspectives can contribute to the practical implementation of the European Health Data Space.

The discussions will also help identify potential partners and next steps for continued cooperation around regional EHDS implementation and human-centric health data governance.

Practical Information

Date: Tuesday, 17 November 2026
Time: 10:00–18:00; registration and coffee from 09:30
Venue: Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU, Rue Guimard 11/13, 1040 Brussels
Participation: Free of charge; advance registration required
Registration deadline: 10 November 2026

Important: Entry is permitted to registered participants only, upon presentation of a valid ID card or passport. Please make sure that the name provided during registration matches the name on your identification document.

Registration: Register here

Organisers

Organised by ScanBalt MTÜ, BioCon Valley®, DIG-in-HEALTH and the Network of German Health Regions, in cooperation with Enterprise Estonia and the Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU and strategic EHDS partners.

The programme is currently being finalised and may be subject to changes.