Overview

A word from DG HERA

In this interview, European Investment Bank Vice-President Marek Mora explains how DG HERA Invest, a flagship initiative under the EU4Health programme, supports the development of innovative medical countermeasures in Europe. He discusses how the €120 million venture debt facility helps SMEs and mid-caps scale up research, clinical trials and production, while addressing priority health threats such as pandemic pathogens, antimicrobial resistance and CBRN risks. The interview also highlights the strategic cooperation between DG HERA and the EIB to strengthen Europe’s preparedness and support breakthrough health innovations.

The European Commission launched the Union Prevention, Preparedness and Response Plan for Health Crises, a key pillar of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. Developed in close cooperation with Member States and EU agencies, the plan provides a comprehensive framework for managing cross-border health crises, ranging from pandemics and biological threats to environmental hazards and cyber risks. The plan strengthens EU crisis governance and coordination through an all-hazards and whole-of-government approach, ensuring Europe can act earlier, coordinate better and respond faster to emerging threats.

Discover the inspiring journey of Professor Rappuoli, a world-renowned microbiologist and scientific director of the Biotecnopolo Foundation of Siena. In this exclusive interview, he shares his lifelong passion for science rooted in his Siena roots, his vision for the European Vaccine Hub, an innovative initiative born from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the critical importance of collaboration and research in ensuring Europe's strategic autonomy in vaccine development. Learn how his work is shaping a more prepared, self-reliant Europe in the fight against future health emergencies.

We sat down with Commissioner Hadja Lahbib to discuss her vision for the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and its impact on European crisis management. With crises becoming increasingly complex, Commissioner Lahbib emphasizes the need for a stronger, more comprehensive approach to preparedness. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that investing in preparedness is essential to preventing dramatic impacts on livelihoods and economies. The Commissioner also highlights the importance of integrating a gender-responsive approach and health equity considerations in health emergency preparedness. Read our interview to learn more about her plans to strengthen the EU's preparedness and response to future crises.

We interviewed Professor Rachel Lowe, ICREA Research Professor and Global Health Resilience (GHR) Group Leader at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), to discuss the interlinkages between climate change and the outbreaks of climate-sensitive infectious diseases, and to understand why these are increasing and expanding to new parts of the world, especially in Europe. With Professor Lowe we also talked about how shifting climate patterns could have an impact on emergency preparedness and future response efforts.