27 December is observed as International Day for Epidemic Preparedness, highlighting the crucial need to prevent, detect and effectively respond to health threats that can become epidemics.

This designation supports the EU’s ambition to step up preparedness and response to serious cross-border threats.

The European Commission has launched an ambitious package of measures to improve the health of EU citizens while strengthening the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the health sector.

The new rules incentivise supply chain diversification, support collaborative procurement models and create incentives to boost pharmaceutical manufacturing in EU countries.

A new modelling study from RespiCompass, the ECDC Respiratory Diseases Scenario Modelling Hub, indicates that influenza and COVID-19 vaccination programmes markedly reduced hospitalisations among older adults across Europe in the 2024/25 season.

In partnership with ESWI, the Coalition for Life Course Immunisation has released a new policy brief highlighting the urgent need for a more coordinated, life-course approach to respiratory virus prevention across the EU.

The HUF is a capacity-building programme designed for health policy professionals from across Europe to learn about EU health policy, exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation, and build a strong, lasting network.

Annual influenza epidemics in the United States cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations.