Common EU preparedness for pandemics

Subject: Common EU preparedness for pandemics

The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated to Europe how poorly the EU and its Member States were prepared for pandemics of this kind. For years, a pandemic has been seen as a likely threat in European risk assessments. The 2016 EU Global Strategy mentioned that the Union was working internationally to improve the effective prevention and detection of pandemics and the response to them. Noneless, coronavirus took Europe by surprise.

Health systems in many countries were immediately overwhelmed, and there were shortages of supplies of protective equipment. There were no concerted actions at the beginning, and measures took time to become operational or else decision-makers woke up to the need for them too late. Member States introduced completely unilateral and uncoordinated restrictive measures, such as closing EU internal borders, thus paralysing the normal functioning of the internal market. When the Commission offered to assist Member States with the procurement of protective equipment in February, Member States did not take up the offer. It was impossible to establish an overall picture of the necessary protective equipment, as it was not clear to the Member States themselves what their protective equipment situation was. When Italy activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, other Member States did not display solidarity and non-EU countries offered assistance by sending poor- quality aid supplies.

The current crisis has shown in a concrete way that Member States cannot cope with cross-border pandemics on their own. In such situations, there is a need for a clear common picture of the situation, proper preparedness and joint coordinated action across Europe. International coordination is also needed, and the EU ought to play a major role in it.

How will the Commission in future prepare for pandemics that threaten Europe and ensure cooperation and coordination between Member States, as well as international cooperation with non- EU countries?

Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

(30 July 2020)

The Commission has used all available policies and instruments to work with Member States and international partners to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic (1) in Europe and globally.

Key health actions include joint procurement tenders for essential medical and protective equipment (2), the first ever rescEU stockpile (3) and an EU Strategy for COVID-19 vaccines (4). The new Emergency Support Instrument (EUR 2.7 billion) enables quick, coordinated and targeted actions in the EU, and a new clearing house facilitates the matching of Member States’ needs of medical equipment with supply. The Commission has also issued guidance on emergency assistance in cross-border healthcare, testing and clinical trials in the context of COVID-19.

The Commission needs to ensure that Europe is better prepared for the next health crisis. As a cornerstone of Europe’s Recovery Plan (5), the Commission has proposed a new EU4Health Programme (6) (EUR 9.4 billion) to protect people from health threats, improve access to and innovation in medical products, and strengthen the resilience of health systems. EU4Health provides an unprecedented opportunity to prepare for future health crises and reduce health inequalities in Europe.

In addition, the Commission will propose to strengthen the European Medicines Agency in monitoring production and supply of essential medicines in the EU. It will also give a stronger role for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in coordinating preparedness and response to health crises and strengthen the EU’s health regulatory framework.

The Commission will continue to work closely with non-EU countries on global health security through bilateral and multilateral channels, including with the G7, G20 and the United Nations.

⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response_en

⋅2∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/public-health_en#ensuring-the-availability-of-supplies-and-equipment

⋅3∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_476

⋅4∙ https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1103

⋅5∙ https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response/recovery-plan-europe_en

⋅6∙ https://ec.europa.eu/health/funding/eu4health_en