10 February 2022
The new European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) today presents its first annual work plan, which will have a budget of €1.3 billion in 2022 to prevent, prepare for and rapidly respond to cross-border health emergencies.
Following the adoption of the 2022 work programme by the HERA Board, HERA can now start implementing actions to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities within the EU, address vulnerabilities and strategic dependencies and contribute to reinforcing the global health emergency architecture.
Announcing the adoption of the work plan at the informal EPSCO Council in Grenoble, Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “Two years into the pandemic, we know that the capacity to respond decisively to cross-border health emergencies must be at the heart of a strong European Health Union. HERA is already operational and working to ensure that medical countermeasures are available for the present, but also ensuring that the right tools are available for any future health threats. The adoption of HERA’s first work plan will enable it to begin its critical mission, by becoming the EU’s health security watchtower for future health threats, as well as a key player for health crisis preparedness at global level.”
As a key pillar of a strong European Health Union, HERA has set out a number of ambitious deliverables for 2022, both in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 response, and for preparedness for potential future health threats. A press release and factsheet are available here.