While COVID-19 was hitting hard the world in March 2020, the European Union started reviewing its legal tools and financial instruments to address health threats more effectively. One of the laws that was reinforced in speedlight was the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on serious cross-border health threats (SCBHT regulation).
The SCBHT regulation provides for strengthened coordination and collaboration between the Commission, EU agencies and Member States in the prevention, preparedness and response to a health emergency. The law includes obligations for sharing and reporting, and it sets down decision-making mechanisms. It also aims at establishing and/or strengthening EU level capacities and procedures for surveillance, early detection, risk assessment and rapid response. The Regulation replaced Decision 1082 from 2013.
Is the EU better prepared for a pandemic?
The European Commission launched the first survey to evaluate the functionality of the 2022 SCBHT Regulation. EFA replied to the consultation in December 2024 as it is essential to ensure allergy and lung patients are not left behind in the event of a health emergency.
EFA supports the EU’s legal and financial capacity to respond to health threats across borders in a coordinated manner and with solidarity. Thanks to the SCBHT Regulation, the EU and Member States can better cooperate with each other, since it introduces stress tests on EU assessment of national plans and capacities on cross border health threats.
The role of civil society in emergency preparedness and response needs to be strengthened
In the evaluation, EFA highlighted the gap in the involvement of civil society in health emergency preparedness and response. Despite the regulation not obliging for it, considering the voice and capacity of civil society when Member States prepare their national health emergency plans is essential for success against health threats. Not only participatory mechanisms help increase transparency but they also enhance public trust. Furthermore, one of the learnings of COVID is that better tailored information to the public during health emergencies is crucial for an effective response.
Reducing healthcare shortages is key to preparedness
EFA also pointed out that in a context of continuous health workforce shortages, health emergencies further increase the gap between health needs and healthcare capabilities, which can have fatal consequences for patients. While the regulation alone will not generate more healthcare professionals or reduce existing waiting lists, persistent health workforce shortages should be prioritized given the ageing trends and the likelihood of cross border health threats hitting the Union.
Addressing the existing epidemics: chronic diseases
EFA stressed that the regulation should recognize the already existing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are first leading cause of death in the EU. As representatives of patients living with respiratory diseases (1 in 8 deaths in the EU yearly), we urged the Commission and Member States to also address chronic diseases when defining preparedness and response plans.
Climate change is a health crisis
Lastly, while the regulation supports preparing and managing for certain health threats, it does not support health threats due to climate change, despite many of its nature and consequences translating into cross-border impacts, with fatal and hazardous impacts to health.
EFA looks forward to the progression of this evaluation and to the upcoming steps aimed at improving the Regulation.