The ECR Group supports the European Union's efforts to better prepare for future disease emergencies.

On Monday night, Parliament negotiators led by ECR MEP Joanna Kopcińska, and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the extension of the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). On Tuesday, the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted an inter-institutional agreement on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency (EMA). According to Ms Kopcińska who is also Shadow Rapporteur on the EMA file, with both steps “the EU has managed to make an important upgrade for its health architecture.”

“The enhanced mandate for the ECDC play a pivotal role in ensuring that the EU has resources to deal with public health emergencies while respecting the role of the Member States”, Ms Kopcińska stated.

The ECDC will provide recommendations to strengthen health systems’ capacities. It will also play a role in the development of health service indicators for the management of infectious disease threats. The EMA will establish a special platform making the monitoring of shortages, and the supply and demand for medicinal products easier. Furthermore, two steering groups backed by solid funding from the Union budget will deal with shortages. “The capacity to provide sound and independent scientific expertise on how to respond to transboundary health threats in a reactive, but also preventive and precautionary manner is also strengthened”, Ms Kopcińska said.

Ms Kopcińska added:

“I am also pleased that the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control will continue to use the highest standard of data protection procedures and safeguards. Its processing operations will fully respect the principles of lawfulness, fairness and transparency.”