In the resolution adopted by 526 votes to 105 with 50 abstentions, the MEPs stressed the need to draw the right health lessons from the Covid-19 crisis and engage in ”far stronger cooperation.”  Part of the envisaged scenario is a proposed European Health Union that would help level the playing field between the 27 member states.

The health union’s mission would be to establish common minimum standards for quality healthcare, through “urgently needed stress” tests of existing systems throughout the bloc.

A European Health Response Mechanism would serve to identify weaknesses early and assure that all countries are prepared for a possible resurgence of the novel coronoavirus, the EP said, noting that critical to strategies for responding to Covid-19 as well as other all health crises should be better coordination and management of the strategic reserve of medicines and medical equipment.

The MEPs welcome the planned EU pharmaceutical strategy, which would go hand in hand with the €9.4 billion health program. This, they said, must contain provisions to make essential medicines more immediately available in Europe. This would require diversified supply chains to be put in place to guarantee affordable access to medicines at all times.

Another parliamentary proposal calls for establishment of a dedicated EU fund to improve hospital infrastructure and health services. Alongside this, the MEPs believe European health agencies as well as joint health research corridors should be strengthened.

In drafting the resolution, the parliament reiterated its commitment to affordable access for all to future Covid-19 vaccines and treatments as soon as they are available. To achieve this, it said, joint EU procurement mechanisms must be used more systematically to avoid competition between member states when public health is at stake.

While stressing that primary responsibility for public health and, in particular, healthcare systems lies with the member states, the resolution asserts that the EU has an important role to play in improving public health, preventing and managing diseases, as well as mitigating sources of danger to human health and harmonizing health strategies between its member states.