#EURespiDay 2026 looks ahead to a Council Recommendation on respiratory virus immunisation for cardiovascular prevention
"Healthy populations, resilient systems, stronger economies: the case for EU leadership on respiratory immunisation"
Organised by the Steering Group on Prevention of Respiratory Infections and hosted by MEP Aurelijus Veryga, the official EU Respi Day 2026 event at the European Parliament in Brussels looked ahead to a future Council Recommendation on ‘vaccination against respiratory infections as a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases’, foreseen under the EU Safe Hearts Plan.
A keynote address by Colin Russell, ESWI Chair and Steering Group Co-Chair, highlighted the value of immunisation as a vital tool to tackle respiratory infections and reduce burdens on individuals & health systems. The forthcoming Council Recommendation represents a critical opportunity to improve vaccine uptake through clear targets, improved data and confidence-building. The European Commission is expected to present a proposal by end 2027.
The discussion also emphasised that development and adoption of a Council Recommendation should be followed by national implementation and further European coordination and investment. MEP Veryga called for EU leadership to:
- Ensure harmonisation across member states, for example through consistent vaccine schedules.
- Reframe vaccination as an investment, not an expenditure.
- Invest in communication to rebuild trust and confidence.
It was acknowledged that this will require engagement beyond science and health communities, including with economists & finance ministers. Personal reflections from patient advocate Karen Vande Casteele, on the barriers to essential vaccinations and their consequences, reminded us why this action is so urgent.
On average, just 0.5% of national healthcare budgets goes to immunisation; a very small share for one of the most effective prevention tools we have.
-We want this Council Recommendation to be ambitious: robust enough and transformative enough to help Member States close persistent immunisation gaps, strengthen prevention across the lifecourse, and use immunisation as the tool for health system resilience that it already is.
Health is not everything, but everything without health is nothing.
