Health Union: enhancing disease prevention and cross-border cooperation
MEPs will debate and vote on two laws to strengthen the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and better tackle cross-border health threats.
In adopting their position on the two legislative proposals before the summer break, MEPs from the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), proposed a number of ways to enhance the EU’s disease prevention and control capacity. This would be ensured through an extension of the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to also cover major non-communicable diseases - for example cardiovascular diseases, cancer or diabetes - as well as through reinforced coordination between EU bodies and their national and international counterparts, and better involvement of member states.
They also outline how the EU should strengthen crisis prevention, preparedness and response when addressing future serious cross-border health threats, including through clear procedures and increased transparency around EU joint procurement and purchase agreements.
Background
As part of building a European Health Union, on 11 November 2020 the Commission proposed a new health security framework, based on the experience dealing with the coronavirus. The package includes a proposal for a regulation on serious cross-border threats to health and a proposal to reinforce the mandate of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Procedure: ordinary legislative procedure
2020/0322(COD) - cross-border threats
Debate: Monday, 13 September
Vote results: Wednesday, 15 September