The EU Health Security Committee was set up in 2001 at the request of EU Health Ministers as an informal advisory group on health security at European level. In 2013 Decision 1082/2013/EU formalised and strengthened its role. The Committee is mandated to reinforce the coordination and sharing of best practice and information on national preparedness activities. Member States also consult each other within the Committee with a view to coordinating national responses to serious cross border threats to health, including events declared a public health emergency of international concern by World Health Organisation in accordance with the International Health Regulations. The Committee further deliberates on communication messages to health care professionals and the public in order to provide consistent and coherent information adapted to Member States' needs and circumstances. It is chaired by a representative of the Commission, which also provides the secretariat.
The plenary meetings of the Health Security Committee are organised in the secure facilities of the Château de Senningen, provided through the Luxembourg government.
Document of interest:
List of authorities to which the representatives in the Health Security Committee belong
Members:
| Austria – Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection | Italy - Ministry of Health |
| Belgium - Ministry of Health, Food chain safety and environment | Latvia - State Emergency Medical Center |
| Bulgaria - Ministry of Health + National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases | Lithuania - Ministry of Health + Health Emergency Situations Centre |
| Croatia – National Institute of Public Health | Luxembourg - Ministry of Health |
| Cyprus - Ministry of Health | Malta - Ministry for Energy and Health + Office of the Superintendance Public Health |
| Czechia - Ministry of Health + National institute of public health | Netherlands - Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport |
| Denmark - Danish Health Authority | Poland - Chief Sanitary Inspectorate |
| Estonia - Health Board + Ministry of Social Affairs | Portugal - Directorate-General of Health |
| Finland - Ministry of Social Affairs and Health | Romania - Ministry of Health + National Institute for Public Health |
| France – Ministry of Health | Slovakia - Public Health Authority |
| Germany - Federal Ministry of Health | Slovenia - Ministry of Health |
| Greece - Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention | Spain - Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equity |
| Hungary - Ministry of Human Capacities | Sweden - Ministry of Health and Social Affairs + Public Health Agency + National Board of Health and Welfare |
| Ireland - Department of Health | |
Observers:
| Iceland - Directorate of Health | Serbia - Ministry of Health |
| Lichtenstein - Office for Public Health | Turkey - Turkish Public Health Institution |
| Norway - Ministry of Health and Care Service + Norwegian Institute of Public Health |