The European Economic and Social Committee supports the proposal for a decision on serious cross-border threats to health.
It welcomes the approach adopted, which takes the successful system for communicable diseases and an analysis of recent crises as a basis for remedying the shortcomings of the current mechanism, as allowed for by the Lisbon treaty.
Europe-wide coordination that cuts across sectoral boundaries will be needed in order to counter risks that do not stop at borders more effectively.
Nonetheless, the Committee stresses that all elements of civil society must be involved both in planning to ensure preparedness for crisis situations, and in communication should a crisis occur. An approach that limits coordination to healthcare professionals and civil protection experts is no longer in keeping with the way society operates, with the media having a significant role in disseminating information to the public.
