Strasbourg, 07/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on 6 September, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the International Health Regulations (IHR) by the overwhelming majority of 570 votes to 5, with 4 abstentions, thereby inviting member states to meet the obligations imposed by the IHR. Parliament also called on the Commission to formalise the role of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in the implementation of the IHR, in particular with regard to the collection of data on matters relating to its areas of responsibility.
Parliament asked the Commission to define the means and mechanisms to support the setting up of appropriate systems in neighbouring and third countries, through funding and regional development schemes. It called on the Commission to define the means and mechanisms to support WHO policy on developing countries' access to pandemic vaccines. It invited the Commission immediately to develop the programmes necessary to meet the threats to public health in Europe and throughout the world, such as infections associated with healthcare and the increasing resistance to treatment by antibiotics. It stressed that a pan-European solution was required, given that diseases do not respect national borders. Parliament said there had to be a central stock of anti-virals and vaccines of proven effectiveness, to protect European Union citizens in the event of a flu pandemic in the Union and complement individual states' measures. It also stressed that the Commission had to put in place measures to be taken at European Union level so that the spread of any flu pandemic could be tackled effectively within the first 24 hours. (oj)