MEPs push for €5 billion for health emergencies
MEPs want the updated civil protection mechanism to put greater emphasis on health preparedness, with more funding for medical stockpiles, cross-border teams and hospital surge capacity
EU lawmakers want stronger medical stockpiles, cross-border health teams and intensive care capacity as part of an overhaul of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
The European Parliament’s environment and public health committees backed their position on the 2028-2034 mechanism on Thursday (1 October), proposing a €12.42 billion budget. MEPs want 40% earmarked for health emergencies, 40% for civil protection and 20% kept flexible.
“This report strengthens the EU’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, health emergencies and other major crises,” co-rapporteur Aurelijus Veryga (ECR, Lithuania) said. The proposals would strengthen healthcare resilience through “intensive care unit surge capacity, cross-border medical teams, patient evacuation and medical stockpiling.”
The revamped mechanism would help countries respond to serious cross-border health threats by stockpiling medical countermeasures, including personal protective equipment and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and strengthening early-warning and surveillance systems.
MEPs also want closer cooperation between specialised care centres, more cross-border medical teams and stronger arrangements for transferring patients when national health systems are overloaded.
The wider reform shifts the EU towards anticipating crises rather than simply reacting to them. It calls for vulnerability mapping, scenario planning, stress testing and greater use of EU space capabilities for early warnings.
The proposal would also reinforce rescEU emergency capacity, including an EU aerial forest-fire-fighting fleet from 2028.
The committees adopted the position by 61 votes to nine, with nine abstentions. The report will now go to plenary.