EU chief urges MEPs to build stronger 'European Health Union' amid pandemic

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged EU members to build a stronger health union, stressing that people were “still suffering”. Delivering her first annual State of the European Union address, Von der Leyen said that they must continue to handle this pandemic with extreme care, responsibility and unity.

“For me, it is crystal clear – we need to build a stronger European Health Union. And to start making this a reality, we must now draw the first lessons from the health crisis,” she added.

Addressing the MEPs, Von der Leyen said that Europe must continue to protect lives and livelihoods, especially in the middle of a pandemic. She warned the coronavirus cases can quickly spiral out of control as the pandemic has shown “no signs of running out of steam or intensity.”

She announced that the European Union will build its own BARDA, an agency for biomedical advanced research and development. The 27-member bloc will also propose to reinforce and empower the European Medicines Agency and ECDC, Europe’s centre for disease prevention and control, said Von der Leyen.

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Letter of Intent

The Commission President called the coronavirus pandemic an opportunity to make change happen by design and not by disaster or diktat from others. She also sent a Letter of Intent to European Parliament President David Sassoli and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, outlining the Commission's plans for the year ahead.

In the letter, the 61-year-old German leader, who has also served in Merkel’s cabinet, listed major initiatives that the Commission intends to propose in the coming year. She stressed that the initiatives reflect the input received from the Parliament and the Council but the list is not exhaustive. The list includes initiatives for European Green Deal, targeted legislation for a digital decade, and a new push for European democracy.

“The future will be what we make it. And Europe will be what we want it to be. So let's stop talking it down. And let's get to work for it. Let's make it strong. And let's build the world we want to live in,” she told the parliament in her concluding remarks.

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