International Health Regulations (2005): authorising Member States to accept the amendments contained in the Annex to Resolution WHA77.17 and adopted on 1 June 2024

The European Parliament adopted by 514 votes to 126, with 6 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision inviting Member States to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) contained in the Annex to Resolution WHA77.17 and adopted on 1 June 2024.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the draft Council decision.

The International Health Regulations (2005) are the primary international legal instrument for notifying the World Health Organization (WHO) of disease outbreaks and defining the rights and obligations of parties in managing public health events and emergencies with transboundary potential. They are legally binding on 196 countries.

The Commission negotiated the amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) on behalf of the European Union, for matters falling within the competence of the Union, on the basis of an authorisation from the Council of the European Union set out in Council Decision (EU) 2022/451 of 3 March 2022.

The amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) adopted by Resolution WHA77.17 contribute to strengthening global public health emergency preparedness, response and surveillance and take into account lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, two key priorities for EU action in the field of global health.

The majority of the amended provisions concern issues that have been regulated at EU level, in particular in the areas of serious cross-border threats to health, cooperation with competent public health organisations and the protection of public health in the event of a public health emergency.

The Council decision does not make use of the possibility for the Union to exercise its external competence in areas for which Union rules do not already exist. Member States should retain competence in respect of the matters covered by the amendments, provided that they do not affect Union rules or alter their scope or foreseeable future development.

Furthermore, in accordance with Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Member States remain solely responsible for defining their health policy and for the organisation and provision of health services and medical care. Furthermore, the Council Decision does not create additional financial obligations for Member States. None of the amendments are contrary to Union law and therefore there is no need to enter reservations to amendments falling within Union competence.