EU must declare its own health emergencies

Declare European Union health crises such as pandemics as emergencies. Make cross-border planning, coordination and staff training mandatory. Simplify joint procurement and advance the purchase of medical products. Guarantee continuous healthcare for other diseases such as cancer during emergencies. These, and other measures, are part of the improved set of rules for the EU to react better to cross-border health threats which the Environment Committee of the European Parliament adopted today.

"Borders cannot stop a virus, but they can significantly hamper the fight against a virus. One of the most important lessons that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is that we need to increase our cross-border cooperation. It must never happen again that a small town hospital cannot treat its patients because nurses from the neighbouring region are not allowed to work across the border, or that one country lacks masks while another is stockpiling them. This law package is to make us better prepared for the next time", said Esther de Lange MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group responsible for Economy and Environment and this dossier.

De Lange also stressed that with the improved rules, Europe will reduce its dependency on the World Health Organisation (WHO) which was slow in declaring the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. "We want to be able to declare our own health emergencies, if needed. If Europe needs to act, we must not delay measures and wait for the WHO", she concluded.