About the project

Mission

Tobacco use remains the single leading cause of preventable death in the European Union, and alcohol use is the leading risk factor of global disability-adjusted life years in the age group 25–49 years. Both tobacco and alcohol consumption are key drivers of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other major non-communicable diseases. Together, their harms are synergistic, and they impose an even more significant toll on population health, health systems, and social equity across Europe.

JA-SAFE – the Joint Action on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention including Smoke and Aerosol Free Environments – brings together public authorities, research institutes, and health organisations from across Europe to prevent and reduce tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke and aerosols, and alcohol-related harm at both population and individual level.

Through coordinated action, shared evidence, and practical implementation research and guidance, JA-SAFE supports Member States in translating proven prevention measures into real-world impact, contributing to the EU ambition of a tobacco-free generation and reduced alcohol-related harm, as well as stronger health promotion systems.

Vision

JA-SAFE envisions a Europe that systematically expands smoke- and aerosol-free environments across community, public, and health settings, strengthens policies to prevent tobacco and nicotine initiation among youth, and advances effective measures to reduce alcohol-related harm. A Europe where prevention is embedded across healthcare, communities, and public policy, and where inequalities driven by addictive substance use are progressively reduced.

By strengthening cooperation between countries and sectors, JA-SAFE aims to ensure that effective health promotion and disease prevention measures are sustained beyond the project lifetime and embedded in national and regional systems.

Objectives

JA-SAFE’s objectives translate European public health priorities into coordinated, practical action across countries and sectors. Building on the evidence that tobacco use, exposure to smoke and aerosols, and alcohol consumption remain major drivers of preventable non-communicable diseases, the Joint Action focuses on policy implementation, system strengthening, and capacity building rather than standalone interventions.

The joint action aims to support a policy framework to:

Prevent tobacco use and exposure

Support the implementation and enforcement of smoke- and aerosol-free environments, including in healthcare and public settings.

Prevent alcohol-related harm

Strengthen alcohol prevention approaches as a core component of cancer and NCD prevention strategies.

Support tobacco and nicotine use cessation and treatment

Promote evidence-based cessation guidelines and improve access to effective support, particularly within healthcare systems.

Advance towards a tobacco-free generation

Contribute to EU-level goal by closing policy gaps, addressing emerging tobacco and nicotine products, and protecting young people from addiction.

Strengthen health promotion and prevention capacity

Enhance cooperation, knowledge exchange, and implementation capacity among Member States, regions, and institutions, and across sectors and research fields.

Coordination

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UOA) leads the Project Coordination of JA-SAFE under Work Package 1, ensuring effective governance and coherent implementation across the Joint Action. Overall coordination and management are carried out by the Project Coordinator, Constantine Vardavas, supported by the Project Secretariat.

UOA is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project, providing strategic and operational support to all work packages. This includes oversight of administrative issues, financial procedures, and communication and reporting obligations, as well as the monitoring of compliance of all project partners with their contractual and operational responsibilities.