Brain Awareness Week 2026: Why Neuroscience Is Key to Europe’s Competitiveness

Brain Health Day 2026: Advancing a European Strategy for Brain Health Across Policy, Research and Society

On 18 March 2026, as part of Brain Awareness Week, the Brain Health Mission, together with the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), the European Brain Council (EBC), and the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), and with the support of MEP Angelika Winzig, convened a full day of high-level discussions in Brussels under the banner “Brain Health Day: Prevention, Policy, Progress.”

Structured around three complementary events, the day connected policy, science and practice to advance a coordinated European approach to brain health, spanning prevention, care, research and innovation.

Setting the scene: towards a coherent European brain health strategy

The morning session, the European Brain Health Summit (09:30–12:30 CET), focused on the urgent need for a unified European strategy addressing brain health across the entire lifespan - from early childhood to healthy ageing. 

A strong consensus emerged that brain health is both a societal and economic priority. MEP Angelika Winzig (EPP) highlighted that over 43% of Europeans are living with neurological disorders, calling for decisive political action: “By investing in neuroscience and prevention we can achieve breakthrough that can benefit millions of people.Investing in brain health means investing in Europe’s future.''

Speakers emphasised that addressing this burden requires breaking traditional silos. As Andrea Fiorillo (European Psychiatric Association President) noted, “the brain does not consider boundaries across disciplines,” calling for integrated approaches to mental and neurological conditions. This was echoed by Elena Moro (European Academy of Neurology President), who stressed that care must move beyond treating diseases in isolation: “we treat individuals, not disorders,” requiring a holistic approach that integrates biological, psychological and social dimensions.

A lifespan perspective was central to discussions. Early-life conditions, including maternal health, nutrition, vaccination and education, were identified as critical determinants of long-term brain outcomes. At the same time, ageing populations and modifiable risk factors highlight the importance of prevention, with up to 45% of dementia cases potentially avoidable through targeted interventions. Across all stages of life, the objective is clear: not only extending life, but improving its quality.

Fred Destrebecq (European Brain Council Executive Director) framed brain health within the broader “brain economy,” estimated at 6 trillion dollars annually. He stressed the need to shift the narrative from cost to investment, highlighting that policymakers respond to solutions and measurable returns.

Given the current policy momentum - particularly ongoing discussions within the European Parliament on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) - investment in prevention, innovation and brain research was repeatedly identified as essential to reduce long-term societal burden. 

Patient organisations reinforced the importance of inclusiveness and equity, advocating for the principle “nothing for us without us” and highlighting persistent inequalities in access to care across Europe.

MEPs reinforced the need for a European coordination plan. MEP Nina Carberry (EPP) called for:

• an EU-wide brain health strategy embedded across policy areas,
• stronger research infrastructures and cross-border data sharing,
• support for national neurological plans,
• and decisive action against stigma.

MEP Billy Kelleher (Renew Europe) highlighted Ireland’s intention to champion a coordinated EU approach, positioning brain health as an opportunity to deliver tangible benefits for citizens while reducing inequalities.

Bringing brain health to the heart of policy

The afternoon programme moved to the European Parliament, starting with the Brain Health Mission Exhibition (14:00–15:00 CET) hosted by MEP Angelika Winzig with the participation of Sabine Verheyen, Vice-President of the European Parliament (Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)

The exhibition underscored brain health as a cross-cutting policy priority, linking it to Europe’s well-being, productivity and societal resilience. It showcased concrete initiatives and emphasised the importance of prevention, early intervention and public awareness - particularly among younger generations. The exhibition also highlighted the role of education, lifestyle and community engagement in shaping brain health outcomes across the lifespan.

Coordinating research, care and innovation: a European vision

The day concluded with “A European Vision for the Brain: Coordinating Research, Care & Innovation” (16:00–18:00 CET), hosted at the European Parliament at a critical moment as the EU prepares its next research and innovation framework (FP10).

Discussions focused on how coordinated approaches across research, healthcare systems, data infrastructures, funding opportunities, and innovation ecosystems can reduce fragmentation and foster development.

From a scientific perspective, speakers pointed to a new phase of “neuro-optimism.” Nobel Laureate John O’Keefe highlighted now we are at the dawn of neuroscience breakthroughs thanks to its rapid evolution, driven by advanced tools and interdisciplinary collaboration, while stressing the need for sustained investment due to the very high cost of research instruments and infrastructure.

Panayiota Poirazi (FENS) emphasised the strategic importance of neuro-inspired AI, rather than LLM type of AI, arguing that future systems must draw from brain mechanisms to achieve efficiency and be ethical and capable to regulate their thinking and actions. The more developed this “artificial” systems will be the closer they will resemble to the human brain. In this context, Europe has a unique opportunity to lead globally.

 Industry perspectives confirmed a “neuro-renaissance,” with renewed pharmaceutical investment in solutions for neurosciences and stronger collaboration with startups. In fact now all of the big 10 Pharma companies are back investing in neuroscience, also thanks to the breakthrough of AI and data science.

At the same time, experts highlighted the importance of large, integrated datasets sharing and governance, with the European Health Data Space identified as a key enabler to advance European research beyond individual laboratories - provided it is implemented with strong safeguards to ensure trust and accessibility, as well as 

MEP Aurelijus Veryga highlighted that prevention is not only a health issue but a competitiveness imperative, particularly in the context of Europe’s ageing population and workforce challenges.

Invest in Europe’s future, invest in brain health

Ultimately, Brain Health Day 2026 positioned brain health as a foundational pillar for Europe’s future - linking public health, economic resilience and technological leadership. The message was consistent across policymakers, researchers and stakeholders: investing in brain health is not optional, but essential to ensure Europe’s long-term well-being and competitiveness.

Juelich Atlas presented in Dusseldorf

The Julich Brain Atlas and research results were presented during Brain Awareness Week 2026 in Düsseldorf. The events on March 17 and 20 were organised by the Heinrich Heine Universität and included talks, tours, pub quiz, interactive activities and exhibitions.

European Partnership for Brain Health: Brain Awareness Week 2026 on 19/03/2026

EBRAINS was participating to the EP BrainHealth (European Partnership for Brain Health) event organized in the framework of the Brain Awareness Week by the European Brain Council (EBC). The European Partnership is founded on the principle that brain health is a fundamental right for all and that it must be a key priority for governments and stakeholders. It is based not only on excellence in collaborative basic and applied brain research, but also on strong patient involvement, and on concrete actions aimed at translating discoveries into innovative solutions for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. 

Stakeholder engagement at the European and national levels currently  goes to up to 500 M€ to advance this research over ten years through several calls every years, in order to address the key needs of the community as a whole. To improve the efficiency of the resulting projects, EBRAINS is in charge of leveraging the means and data provided by the European Research Infrastructures. 

Phillipe Vernier, joint EBRAINS CEO, stressed: ‘’The EP meeting by showcasing remarkable research, moving patients testimonials and insightful debates on international collaboration, innovation and current societal and ethical challenges, has beautifully contributed to this international Brain Awareness Week that spread over more than 100 countries worldwide’’.

Mind Your Mind Webinar on 20/03/2026

EBRAINS and IBI hosted ‘Mind Your Mind’ webinar on neurotechnology and brain data protection.

On 20 March, EBRAINS and the International Brain Initiative (IBI) brought together leading experts and the public for an interactive webinar, “Mind Your Mind,” as part of Brain Awareness Week. The event explored the growing impact of neurotechnology – tools that can record and analyse brain activity – and highlighted both its transformative potential and the ethical challenges it raises.

As speakers emphasised, neurotechnology is no longer a distant promise but an emerging reality. From consumer devices such as gaming headsets and sleep trackers to clinical applications, these technologies are generating increasingly sensitive brain data. This raises important concerns, including data breaches, behavioural profiling and the loss of control over how personal neural information is used – making concepts like “privacy by design” more important than ever.

Anthony Hannan, Chair of the IBI, highlighted the “extraordinary potential” of neurotechnology to transform and save lives. “However, as with any new technology, there’s potential for misuse and harm,” he noted. “That is why the work of EBRAINS, IBI and others leading the field of neuroethics is so important.”

Hervé Chneiweis (INSERM and EBRAINS Ethics and Society Committee) gave an overview on what neurotechnology is and what it enables, and the definitions developed by UNESCO and OECD over the past decade. Marcello Ienca (Technical University of Munich) clarified what constitutes neurodata – what is being collected and what insights can be derived from it. Olivia Matshabane (Stellenbosch University) addressed the importance of discussing the implications and risks associated with neurodata collection.

‘Mind Your Mind’ Guide to Protecting Brain Data

Ioana Podina (University of Bucharest) presented the newly launched ‘Mind Your Mind’ Guide to Protecting Brain Data, a collaboration by the EBRAINS Ethics and Society Committee and the IBI. The guide is designed as a practical resource for anyone using or considering commercial neurotechnologies.

“Our goal was to make the complex conversation around neurodata accessible to parents, employees, students, and anyone interacting with these devices in the consumer space, where regulations have not kept pace with the speed of this technology,” Podina explained.

She encouraged attendees to read, share, and help translate the guide into their native languages – supporting a broader effort to ensure that users can make informed choices and promote responsible, human-centred innovation in neurotechnology.