Heidi Suorsa is an FWO postdoctoral fellow, whose work lies at the intersection of European law and social law and policy. She holds a PhD on the topic of unity in diversity of European healthcare systems from the University of Antwerp. She also holds a Master's degree in International Relations (cum laude) from Leiden University and an LL.M. in International and European Law from the University of Amsterdam.
In the context of the research project “Closing the gendered care gap: Redistribution of domestic care duties through legislation in Europe”, she investigates how EU and national legislative frameworks shape the distribution of caregiving responsibilities between parents, with a particular focus on maternity, paternity, and parental leave, as well as flexible working arrangements, and assesses whether these legal instruments effectively promote gender equality in both domestic care and labour market participation across EU Member States.
At the University of Antwerp, Heidi is affiliated with the Research Group Government & Law within the Faculty of Law, working on themes such as access to healthcare, EU social law, work–life balance policies, and fundamental rights protection. Alongside this, she is also affiliated to the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies at KU Leuven.
Areas of Expertise:
- Social Law
- EU Law
- Health Law
- Work-life Balance Policy
Selected Publications:
- Suorsa, H. and van der Vlugt, S. (2022) Clarifying the VAT treatment of city cards (Case C-637/20, Skatteverket v DSAB Destination Stockholm AB).
- Suorsa, H. (2022) VAT exemptions and accessibility of private medical care (Case C-228/20, I GmbH and the Finanzamt H).
- Suorsa, H. (2021) Creating a European Health Union in times of COVID-19: a trajectory towards a fundamental right to health care?
Full Publication List: repository.uantwerpen.be/acadbib/irua/21971/N
Selected Projects:
- 2021 - 2025 - Unity in diversity of European Health Care systems: A fundamental legal perspective on common values, organizational and financial principles.
- 2026 - 2029 - Closing the gendered care gap: Redistribution of domestic care duties through legislation in Europe.