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Merkel convinced of need for a European Health Union

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The European Council welcomed the positive announcements on the development of effective vaccines against COVID-19 and the conclusion of advance purchase agreements by the Commission. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that cooperation has improved since the start of the pandemic and that she was convinced of the need for a future European Health Union.

Health has always been an area that has been jealously guarded by EU member states. While there has always been some degree of cooperation between states in this field, the pandemic demonstrated how the EU could help strengthen national responses. The EU will now take forward proposals for a Health Union. 

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the EU was working full speed on vaccine approval. However, she added that vaccinations and not vaccines saved lives and she called on all countries to finalize their preparations for the timely deployment and distribution of vaccines, including the development of national vaccination strategies, to ensure that vaccines are made available to people in the EU in good time and in a coordinated manner.

The EU will also continue its efforts to contribute to the international response to the pandemic, including via the COVAX facility for guaranteeing affordable and fair access to vaccines for all. Given the enormous impact of the current pandemic the EU wants to reinforce international cooperation and look at the possibility of an international treaty on pandemics within the framework of the World Health Organization.

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