Overview   International

A word from DG HERA

DG HERA’s Director-General Florika Fink-Hooijer visited the WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar, Senegal, to see firsthand how EU4Health funding is supporting emergency preparedness and response in Africa. The visit highlighted ongoing cooperation with the World Health Organization and regional partners to strengthen public health intelligence, improve disease monitoring systems and expand medical countermeasure stockpiling. These initiatives contribute to stronger regional collaboration and more resilient health systems.

During meetings in Canada, DG HERA deepened collaboration with Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC), advancing joint work on medical countermeasures, supply chain resilience, and access tools — three pillars of preparedness. Exchanges on antimicrobial resistance and the 100 Days Mission reinforced innovation and manufacturing capacity. Participation in the CEPI Funders’ Roundtable and the AMR High-Level Meeting underlined that global partnerships are essential to equitable access and stronger collective resilience.

Editorial

The European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA) took part in the official opening of negotiations with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein on an autonomous agreement concerning Health Emergency measures in the area of medical countermeasures (MCM).

DG HERA took part in the first day of the 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brazil, where the draft “Belém Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Health Sector” was discussed. When it comes to climate change–induced health threats, the question is no longer if we should act, but how we should act.

The European Commission and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have launched today the Partnership to Accelerate Mpox Testing and Sequencing in Africa (PAMTA) initiative. This initiative, funded under the EU4Health 2024 Work Programme, aims to enhance health emergency preparedness and response across the continent. As a testament to EU-Africa health cooperation, PAMTA will support comprehensive diagnostics capabilities and resilience against future health threats.

The Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA) and Canada’s newly established federal agency, Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC), have signed an Administrative Arrangement to strengthen cooperation in the area of medical countermeasures for preparedness and response to serious cross-border public health threats.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) visited HERA premises and met with HERA's Deputy Head, Laurent Muschel to discuss our vital partnership and collaboration on global health initiatives.Together, we're working to strengthen pandemic preparedness and address pressing health challenges.

The European Commission, via its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), delivered 10,000 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine to Uganda to support the country's response to the ongoing mpox outbreak.

In a significant step towards strengthening global pandemic preparedness, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and key international partners, launched the first clinical efficacy trial for a vaccine against the Sudan ebolavirus disease.

In an interconnected world, cross-border health threats present challenges that demand collaborative responses. The Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) is committed to forging international partnerships that enhance global health security. Our work is grounded in the belief that resilient health systems are built through cooperation, sharing resources, and fostering solidarity among nations.

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on 26 September, the global community took a significant step forward in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A new Political Declaration, endorsed by UN member countries, including EU Member States, sets the stage for intensified global action against AMR through a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

In a significant stride towards combatting the mpox outbreak, HERA has successfully delivered a total of 205,420 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. This initiative reflects HERA's commitment to supporting African nations in their urgent need for vaccination against mpox, following the outbreak's designation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority as part of its mandate on preparedness, has signed on behalf of participating Member States, a joint procurement framework contract for the supply of up to 665,000 pre-pandemic vaccine doses of the up-to-date Zoonotic Influenza Vaccine Seqirus, as well as an option for a further 40 million doses over the duration of the contract.

The Commission adopted a Communication on the European Health Union, which highlights the strides made in EU health policy over the last four years, for the benefit of citizens in the EU and worldwide. The vision for the Union is to ensure that Member States are better prepared to respond to future health crises together.

On 25 and 26 October, HERA and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) held a Roundtable on the power of collaboration to address medical countermeasures R&D for epidemic and pandemic threats.

HERA and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) are strengthening their cooperation on medical countermeasures to step up prevention, preparedness and response to serious cross border health threats.

Laurent Muschel, the acting Head of HERA was present at the World Bio Summit 2023 in Seoul, Korea, to moderate a discussion on accelerating pandemic therapeutics development and manufacturing.

HERA was present at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2023 in Dakar, Senegal to moderate a discussion on the key role that wastewater pathogen surveillance plays in global pandemic preparedness.