The European Commission prompted the creation of a European Health Data Space (EHDS) at the core of a unified European strategy for health data and its use for care, public health, research and a more value-based healthcare ecosystem. Member states and ecosystem stakeholders have welcomed the proposal and made the EHDS a key priority. Organized  in collaboration with the Shared Services for the Ministry of Health of Portugal (SPMS, E.P.E.) and Health Cluster Portugal on the occasion of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, this session will discuss next steps in leveraging the EHDS for maximum impact, and the stakeholder collaborations that will be needed to build up this unified approach. Our panel of European experts will share high-level strategic and political perspectives, highlight the success of on-going European examples that will guide the initiative and discuss how the COVID-19 outbreak will influence the development of the EHDS.