In her 2025 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen sent a clear message: the EU is ready to lead in global health, stepping in where others step away.
Europe is increasingly struggling with the health impact of climate change, with extreme weather events like extreme heat, but also an unexpected surge in infections from vector-borne diseases like West Nile Fever and Chikungunya.
The EU must strengthen and harmonise health preparedness and response strategies still fragmented among Member States, and address underinvestments in global health research and innovation (R&I)
These place a heavier burden on vulnerable groups, including pregnant individuals and older adults, exacerbating issues such as rapidly aging populations, rising healthcare costs, and the gender health gap.
Climate change, with urbanisation, increased global mobility, and environmental disruption, is expanding the habitats of disease-carrying vectors like Aedes mosquitoes, raising the risk of outbreaks in non-endemic regions.
The EU Medical Countermeasure Strategy recognises vector-borne diseases as a pandemic threat and commits to including them in future climate adaptation plans. The EU has the unique opportunity to make this a priority in the next budget cycle.
Investing in global health is a smart decision to protect European health security and boost competitiveness
The EU must strengthen and harmonise health preparedness and response strategies still fragmented among Member States, and address underinvestments in global health research and innovation (R&I).
The Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 (MFF) offers an opportunity to embed a strong global health dimension into Horizon Europe.
Recent cuts in official development assistance and withdrawal from multilateralism are weakening the global health security architecture and widening inequalities globally, especially in low- and middle income countries
This should include funding for the development of affordable diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, and vector control strategies under a One Health approach. At the same time, strengthening EU agencies like the Health Emergency and Response Authority (HERA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will help Europe respond swiftly to cross-border health emergencies.
Recent cuts in official development assistance and withdrawal from multilateralism are weakening the global health security architecture and widening inequalities globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
These countries, already disproportionately affected by the health burden of climate change, risk losing further capacity to control the spread of already neglected vector-borne diseases such as Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.
Therefore, the EU must support international cooperation, particularly in Africa, focusing on strengthening health systems and boosting R&I capacity through policy alignment, regulatory support, and technology transfer, in line with the Global Health Strategy and the EU-AU Innovation Agenda.
The EU must ensure the continuation of initiatives with a proven track record in tackling infectious diseases such as the Global health European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP3) and the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies (TEI MAV+) in the next MFF.
This is not just solidarity, but a smart investment to boost EU competitiveness and geopolitical interests. A study by Impact Global Health shows that every euro invested by a high income country in global health R&I delivers a 7x return at home by creating skilled jobs, generating private sector co-investments, stimulating innovation ecosystems and scientific infrastructures which place Europe at the forefront of global innovation and strengthen its position as a key partner for strategic regions.
In partnership with Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW)
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