Since the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union has been working on establishing a Health Union, whose outlines are becoming increasingly clear. This will enable the EU to better handle new pandemics, the European Parliament also believes. Additionally, the already existing European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will be granted more powers.
With a Health Union, the EU should be able to act faster and better in the event of an outbreak of infectious diseases. The ECDC will collaborate closely with the European Commission, EU countries, and various EU agencies. This will allow information to be exchanged more rapidly and procedures to be standardized.
Moreover, the European Parliament has approved a proposal aimed at enabling the EU to respond better to cross-border health threats. From now on, the European Commission can recognize health crises at the EU level.
MEP Esther de Lange (CDA) is pleased with the outcome but is also somewhat disappointed. ‘What bothers me most is that mental health is not required to be included in the national preparedness plans. As Parliament, we would have liked that, but the ministers opposed it.
Furthermore, De Lange fears that during a future pandemic, government leaders will revert to the ‘national reflex’. ‘The Conference on the Future of Europe has shown that citizens do not want that. This legislation makes a European approach possible.’