On Friday 9 December, the European health ministers will again gather for a meeting with a busy agenda.
It will start with an exchange of views on vaccine procurement at European level (see EUROPE 13070/6). To launch the debate, the Czech Presidency of the EU Council has invited Member States to answer two questions, one of which was whether to reconsider the possibility of once again purchasing vaccines at national level.
According to one European official, vaccine procurement at EU level has been successful, while acknowledging that the issue of surplus vaccine stocks and the issue of low population vaccination rates in some Member States may be linked.
Cancer. Ministers are also expected to adopt a recommendation on cancer screening (see EUROPE 13025/4, 13042/4). The European Commission had proposed an update of an existing recommendation, highlighting developments in data and research since 2003 (see EUROPE 13025/4).
The ministers are also expected to approve conclusions on vaccinations, which are considered one of the most effective instruments for preventing disease and improving public health.
Health data. Legislative deliberations on two important texts will be held in public session, one on the progress of the work to achieve a European Health Data Space (see other news), the other on the future regulation governing the quality and safety standards of substances of human origin intended for human medical use.
On this second matter, as of 1 December, delegations were still discussing the Czech Presidency’s proposal. The text, particularly Chapter I, is expected to be discussed in the Council's ‘health’ working group on 13 December.
Medical devices. There will also be a number of other items on high-profile issues. The Commission will provide an update on the implementation of the Medical Device Regulation.
Several MEPs are calling for an urgent change to this legislation (see EUROPE 13076/7). Another item on the agenda is the revision of pharmaceutical legislation (see EUROPE 13076/7).
Global Health Strategy. One item will cover the EU’s Global Health Strategy (see EUROPE 13074/22) and another the negotiations for a treaty on pandemics.
The Commission will inform delegations about the Health Preparedness Report (see EUROPE 13074/21).
The Czech Presidency will also report on the health-related conferences it has organised in the last 6 months.
Finally, the Swedish delegation will inform the ministers about its work programme for the first half of 2023, under the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council.
Link to the provisional agenda of the ‘Health’ Council: https://aeur.eu/f/4i9 (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)