European Commission

Citation

(2004), "European Commission", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 17 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2004.06217aab.004

European Commission

European Commission

Strengthening global health threat defencesKeywords: European Commission, WHO, International’health regulations

In September the European Commission called for the EU to play a central role in World Health Organisation (WHO) negotiations to reinforce international rules on the control of infectious diseases and other health threats. The WHO's International Health Regulations (IHR) were adopted in 1969, and have been updated twice since then (in 1973 and 1981). In May 2003, the World Health Assembly agreed to launch a review. Amongst the core elements that the WHO is proposing for the revised IHR are:

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  the reporting of all public health emergencies of international concern;

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  national capacity to quickly analyse and report national disease risks and, in collaboration with WHO, to determine their potential to spread internationally and to affect other countries;

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  measures on how to offset the risk of economic losses associated with public health emergencies of international concern by issuing time limited recommendations that in effect establish a template (norms) for the measures required for the protection of other countries;

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  the obligation on WHO to rapidly assist countries in assessing and controlling outbreaks; and

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  the establishment of a permanent IHR review body to secure continuity within the IHR process.

The reinforced system of international cooperation on infectious diseases proposed by the WHO is similar to the system that already exists within the EU.

The Commission adopted a communication in which it fully supports the WHO's proposals. It also endorses the WHO's proposals for international cooperation on all major public health events of international concern: for example, natural disease outbreaks and deliberate release of chemical or biological pathogens (bio-terrorism), as well as food safety threats. At present the International Regulations cover only cholera, plague and yellow fever. Outbreaks or incidents of these three diseases must be notified to WHO and control measures taken at ports, airports and land borders. The Commission envisages developing a common EU negotiating position on those aspects of the IHR which fall within the EU's competence.

The WHO aims to have the revised IHR adopted in 2005, and to implement them shortly thereafter under the framework of the Global Alert Network on health threats. The EU will be in the forefront in helping to strengthen the IHR and could have an even more significant input into this process, if Council and Parliament back the Commission's proposal to create a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne said: "An effective revision of the International Health Regulations will strengthen both Europe's and the world's defences against health threats. The EU should take a lead in supporting the WHO's proposals, and strive to become a major player in a reinforced system of international cooperation against health threats. Europe will be in an especially strong position to support international health cooperation if and when a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is established".

The EU and its member states have significant experience in cooperating in the fight against health threats. By bringing this experience to the table Europe can have a major influence on the review of the IHR.

Further information: for further information on the EU cooperation against health threats see: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_threats/threats_en.htm