Europe faces a major systemic, cross-sectoral challenge with the current influenza pandemic. It has spread across the world and affected European countries at different speeds and incidence rates. In the midst of such stressful developments, the full range of public health agents - including national governments and public health authorities, the European Commission, ECDC, WHO - have come up with some very innovative responses to this new type of threat to public health. The EU governments have cooperated closely and effectively and have made full use of the EU structures for risk assessment in a way unprecedented in the history of public health in the EU.
Actions to collect and share evidence-based practice amongst EU countries have led to unprecedented progress in strengthening pandemic preparedness and response in the EU.
The coordinated EU-level monitoring structures have ensured close collaboration between EU countries, the European Commission and scientific agencies such as ECDC and WHO. Public health measures are being taken on the basis of EU communicable disease planning, supported by regular technical meetings and scientific reports. These allow information and alternatives to be shared about present and future approaches in key themes of great interest for the European citizen. Special attention is also being paid to how the pandemic is evolving in other regions of the world as the virus circulates from and to European countries.
Within this coordinated approach, it is natural that some diversity remains, given the rich array of national, regional and local realities in the EU. This diversity is a source of inspiration and strength, and the EU's commitment to respect diversity allows for flexibility in implementing technical options suited to the local public health needs of citizens.
