MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – European Commission involvement in implementing the WHO Pandemic Agreement and ensuring transparency – E-000125/2025(ASW)

1. While the Commission cannot prejudge the outcomes of the negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement[1], the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (the GSCL Network)[2] would aim to enhance equitable, timely and affordable access to pandemic-related health products[3]. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is expected to convene the GSCL Network, in consultation with the Parties to the agreement, WHO Member States not Parties to the agreement and in partnership with relevant stakeholders. In practice, the latter may include collaborations between public and private sectors, civil society organisations, and international organisations to foster the efficient and comprehensive distribution of health products. National governments would be responsible for coordinating distribution efforts, establishing regulatory frameworks, and allocating resources to ensure equitable access to health products within their territories.

2. Transparency and stakeholder involvement are among the European Union’s key principles set out in Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union, as well as in Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The draft text of the Pandemic Agreement[4] includes a range of measures aiming to ensure that the implementation of the Agreement is transparent, inclusive, and accountable[5]. The documents pertaining to the EU position in the ongoing negotiations are publicly available[6]. If the EU decides to become a Party to the Agreement, the EU would implement it in accordance with the applicable EU law and with the provisions of the Agreement.

3. The Commission works to ensure that any data handling provisions in the future Pandemic Agreement comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679[7].

• [1] Information related to the ongoing negotiations is available at: https://inb.who.int/
• [2] To be established under Article 13 of the Pandemic Agreement, available at https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA77/A77_10-en.pdf
• [3] Such products typically refer to health products that may be needed for prevention, preparedness and response to pandemic emergencies and may include medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, personal protective equipment etc.
• [4] The draft text of the Pandemic Agreement is available at https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA77/A77_10-en.pdf
• [5] See in particular Articles 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the draft Pandemic Agreement.
• [6] The documents pertaining to the EU position are publicly available at the following link: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/who-pandemic-agreementihr-negotiations-related-documents_en
• [7] Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1).