2012: EC/WHO global agreement on health security at the global level

Key elements of the agreements

The main objectives of the collaboration between the European Commission and the World Health Organization will be to strengthen and deepen sharing of information and experiences in relation to the following areas:

1) Safety and security of sensitive research

  • H5N1 research area – sharing of information between the European Commission, WHO and ECDC

2) Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)

  • Exchange of information on alerting and monitoring of risks
  • Risk assessment and response coordination
    • • Collaboration on public health risk assessment, with special reference to public health emergencies of international concern declared under the IHR
    • • Exchange of good practice and information on public health response, with special reference to public health emergencies of international concern declared under the IHR
    • • Mass gatherings
  • national core capacity strengthening

3) Preparedness

  • Exchange of good practice on preparedness and response planning including all-hazards approach and specific approaches (e.g. pandemic preparedness)
  • Implementing  the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework (PIP Framework)

4. Joint procurement of medical countermeasures

  • Information sharing as regards the developments of the EU joint procurement mechanism

5. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

  • In the context of the implementation of the European Commission Action plan on AMR, cooperation with the new WHO HQ AMR Coordination would:
    • Scale up visibility, awareness and international commitment on promotion of prudent use of antimicrobial agents
    • Support the appropriate conditions at global level to allow/encourage/facilitate the introduction of new antibiotics on the market
    • Exchange best practices and lessons learnt on prevention and control of AMR and in-country assessment
    • Focus on inter-sectorial collaboration
  • The collaboration in the field of research and innovation would address in particular  antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. It would be developed in the framework of the roadmap on innovation.


Update on the progress made with the implementation of the agreements so far

The European Commission and the World Health Organization collaborate under the informal network of the Global Health Security Initiative with the G7 + Mexico countries on CBRN threats and preparedness for all hazards.

In addition the European Commission and the World Health Organization collaborate under the informal setting of the Health Security Committee and under the formal setting of the Community network for the prevention and control of communicable diseases.


Major challenges

  • The key areas of collaboration will need to be linked on the EU side with the Commission's legal proposal on serious cross-border threats to health, which was adopted on 8 December 2011 and is currently discussed within the Council and the European Parliament.
  • Coherent and timely Implementation of IHR and PIP Framework.


Future steps

  • Considering the institutional and global challenges it would be extremely important to join forces and to develop work jointly in these common areas. The points are indicated under 'key elements' above.