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Recognizing the value of dialogue and joint action to promote health and health care in Europe, 26 national nursing and midwifery associations and WHO/Europe signed a declaration of intent in November 1996 to form the European Forum of National Nursing and Midwifery Associations (EFNNMA). EFNNMA serves as a link between international and national policy-makers and the 6 million nurses and midwives in the WHO European Region (who constitute the largest group of health care workers in almost every country).

EFNNMA aims:

• to contribute to and influence the debate on improving health and the quality of health care in Europe;
• to strengthen and promote the exchange of information, ideas and policies between national nursing/midwifery associations and WHO;
• to support the integration of appropriate policies in line with the Health for All philosophy into nursing and midwifery practice and into basic, postgraduate and continuing nursing and midwifery education;
• to formulate consensus/policy statements and recommendations on health and nursing/midwifery that can be used to develop national health policy strategies at the national level;
• to initiate projects to implement evidence-based practice into nursing and midwifery and undertake pilot projects subject to appropriate sources of funding.

The work of EFNNMA is based on the operational principles adopted after its founding in 1996. The steering committee is elected at the annual meetings and meets four times a year.

The 15th annual meeting took place in Copenhagen at WHO Regional Office for Europe from 29 to 30 September 2011.