Commission takes stock of the work of HERA to reinforce health security in the EU

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the Commission has published a report assessing the work of the Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) since its creation over three years ago. The report highlights HERA’s achievements in strengthening EU-level preparedness and response capacities, as well as taking on new tasks, such as addressing the supply chain aspects of critical medicines shortages.

The report acknowledges HERA’s central position in the EU’s reinforced health security framework, helping to ensure that the EU is better equipped to develop, produce and deploy the medical products needed to respond to health threats. At the same time, it identifies areas where improvements are needed to make the most of HERA’s potential to protect citizens and reinforce Europe’s preparedness.

HERA strengthens the EU’s preparedness and health security

While HERA was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s report demonstrates the effectiveness, efficiency and continued relevance of its work to enhance EU-level coordination for health emergency preparedness and response.

The report also acknowledges that having a structure dedicated to medical countermeasures for pandemic preparedness and response plays an important part in enhancing policy coherence and in providing clear EU added value in health security, notably in joint procurement and stockpiling of medical countermeasures.

Recommendations to maximise HERA’s impact

The review acknowledges that HERA’s particular structure within the Commission allows close and constant relations with key stakeholders, such as Member States, industry, civil society and EU agencies. This has positively contributed to ensuring effective joint European action and cooperation with global actors to enhance health security.

The report also sheds light on areas where further work is needed, with some steps already under way:

• Reinforcing synergies between HERA and the European Centre for Disease Protection and Control, the European Medicines Agency, the Health Security Committee and the Advisory Committee on Public Health Emergencies.
• Enhancing coordination and cooperation with Member States in all stages of HERA’s activities, as well as streamlining the role of the HERA Board.
• Ensuring flexibilityinHERA’s work in the area of preparedness.
• Optimising fundingbyensuring access to funding mechanisms suitable for HERA’s objectives, taking into consideration the budgetary context.
• Continuing to effectively communicate HERA’s activities.

Given the many actors and policy areas that contribute to health emergency preparedness and response, HERA will continue to prioritise seamless and strengthened cooperation with all stakeholders in its work.

Background

HERA was established in October 2021 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant it was set up at speed, and the Decision establishing HERA as a Commission service called on the Commission to carry out an in-depth review by 2025. This would look at implementation of HERA’s work, its structure and governance, and address in particular any need to modify HERA’s mandate, as well as the financial implications. The Commission was tasked with reporting on the findings of the review to the European Parliament, to the Council and to the HERA Board.

The report adopted today reviews the implementation of the operations and functioning of HERA. It draws upon the results of a thorough consultation of external and internal stakeholders. In particular, it is based on the results of an external study – comprising  a public consultation, a call for evidence, targeted surveys and interviews and a literature review, an internal consultation of Commission services and EU agencies, and the views of other stakeholders, including  positions from both the European Parliament and the Council.

The report feeds into the Commission’s overall efforts to bolster health security and preparedness in the EU, including strengthening resilience and preparedness on the lines set out in President Niinistö’s report.