Division 3.2 Topics addressed under the first objective ‘Improve citizens’ health security'

The aim of activities under this section is to protect citizens against health threats.

An effective rapid response capability is needed to avert threats to public health, for example from communicable diseases or chemical or biological attacks as well as from the emerging environmental burden of diseases. Tackling such threats needs to be coordinated effectively at EU level. The principle of free movement increases the need for vigilance enabling a timely response to major cross-border health threats, such as pandemics, bioterrorism or environmental health threats, such as environmental pollution implicating more than one Member State or through infected vectors. These threats involve intersectoral competencies such as civil protection and environment.

The activities of the second Health Programme contribute to implementing strategies and mechanisms needed to respond to health threats, including emerging threats, by supporting:

• the management of risks linked to communicable diseases (CDs) on the basis of risk assessment carried out by European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC)^f1,

• the activities being developed by the Health Security Committee (HSC)^f2 on health security preparedness, response capacity and planning of the Member States against biological, chemical and radiological agent attacks.