EXCLUSIVE: EU seeks defence cooperation for future health emergencies

ATHENS – The Commission is seeking close cooperation with EU defence ministers as part of a new medical countermeasures plan to address future health crises, according to a document seen by Euractiv.

The strategy, due to be presented in July, lays out how the EU can respond more quickly and effectively to future pandemics or health emergencies resulting from chemical or biological warfare.

It focuses on medical countermeasures or anything that can help protect or treat people during a health crisis. These measures cover a broad range of tools, including vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks.

Prioritising threats

The strategy calls for the development of a “robust intelligence system” to detect emerging health threats, alongside a new EU-wide IT platform dubbed 'ATHINA,' designed to track emergency supply chains and integrate with national systems.

The first wave of priorities includes respiratory viruses, like COVID-19, and contact-based viruses such as Mpox. Next are vector-borne diseases or animal reservoir viruses with epidemic potential (such as malaria, which is transmitted by mosquitoes), followed by infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials.

In the EU, an estimated 35,000 people die each year due to AMR, and despite the scale of the crisis, the pharmaceutical sector has shown little interest in developing new antibiotics due to weak financial incentives.

With the new strategy, the Commission hopes to fix this by offering accelerated funding to develop innovative antibiotics that will be effective “at a moment when others fail,” an EU diplomat told Euractiv in Athens.

The EU’s proposed plan to boost the production of essential medicines, such as antibiotics and painkillers – the Critical Medicines Act – is also expected to fit into the strategy.

In parallel, the document stresses the need for clear, science-based public communication to counter misinformation around health emergencies, and urges member states to build a “strong and resilient healthcare workforce."

Armed conflicts

The draft strategy expands preparedness for medical emergencies linked to armed conflicts.

While exact plans for medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) will remain classified, the document references scenarios involving deadly biological agents, such as viruses or bacteria, and chemical warfare agents, like sarin. Sarin was used in the Ghouta chemical attack by forces of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during Syria’s civil war.

Central to implementing the strategy is enhanced civilian-military cooperation. The Commission states that it will initiate a dialogue with defence ministries to explore practical ways to improve interoperability.

By 2026, the executive is set to present the Medifence initiative, which will aim to boost EU capabilities in dealing with CBRN threats and conflict-linked crises. Cooperation with NATO’s Joint Health Group and the Committee of Chiefs of Military Medical Services is also foreseen.

The ‘accelerator’

The document outlines that the Commission will take on a “strong role” in future stockpiling procurements and will facilitate the distribution and joint procurement of vaccines and other medical countermeasures among member states.

A new Medical Countermeasures Accelerator – to be launched by the end of 2025 – will serve as a one-stop shop for companies developing health technologies. It will provide a simplified funding framework to help companies access various financial tools, from grants and loans to venture capital.

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