On Friday 28 November, the European Commission presented the outlines of a new ‘EU prevention, preparedness and response plan for health crises’.
Described in a communication, the plan will provide policy makers, crisis managers and stakeholders with practical tools - such as the exchange of information, expertise and technical assistance in the event of a crisis - to enable coordinated action in times of health emergencies and protect the health and well-being of people across the EU (see EUROPE 13722/33).
This EU plan covers all potential health hazards and crises, whether natural, accidental or deliberate, and caused by various types of threat. It describes the EU governance framework for health crisis management, integrating available capacities and resources, support mechanisms and surveillance, at all stages of the crisis management cycle.
The plan will help Member States by detailing the European ‘toolkit’ for health crises:
- prevention and preparedness: support for the resilience and development of healthcare systems, availability and distribution of medical countermeasures; - detection and assessment: EU surveillance, early warning system and risk assessments; - response: coordination, deployment of capacities and recognition of a public health emergency at EU level; - recovery: evaluation of crisis management, feedback and support for reconstruction within the EU.
The plan stresses the importance of developing national health crisis management plans.
See the text: https://aeur.eu/f/jr1 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)