Decision on setting up a standing committee on Security and Defence and a standing committee on Public Health

The European Parliament adopted by 448 votes to 161, with 40 abstentions, a decision on setting up a standing committee on Security and Defence and a standing committee on Public Health.

Under this decision, the existing subcommittees on security and defence and on public health were transformed into full-fledged committees.

(1) Standing committee on Security and Defence will be responsible for EU security and EU defence integration and cooperation including the issues related to the European Defence Agency, the permanent structured cooperation, the scrutiny of the common security and defence policy (CSDP), European Defence Industry and European defence industry funding where it contributes to the objectives of CSDP and related defence-exclusive measures of the European Union.

The Committee will be responsible, inter alia, for;

- the developments threatening the territorial integrity of the Union and its Member States and the security of Union citizens;

- the capabilities and assets for civilian and military CSDP missions outside the Union;

- the implementation and regular review of strategic defence decisions and policies;

- the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy leading to a Common Defence Union;

- the capabilities to monitor and counter hybrid threats from outside the Union;

- the defence capabilities, preparedness and resilience of the Union and its Member States;

- the measures, activities and instruments related to Union defence industrial integration and cooperation in pursuit of a single market for defence;

- initiatives, programmes and policies insofar as they aim to strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base;

- defence-specific international agreements;

- relations with the Union’s security and defence partners, including NATO;

- multilateral frameworks for security, arms exports and control and non-proliferation issues, the external dimension of counter-terrorism.

(2) Committee responsible for public health matters related to:

- pharmaceuticals and medical devices;

- programmes and specific actions in the field of public health;

- health crisis preparedness and response;

- mental health and patients’ rights;

- health aspects of bioterrorism;

- the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control;

- relations with the World Health Organization concerning the above matters.

Both standing committees will have 43 members. This decision will enter into force on the first day of the next part-session from 20-23 January 2025.