The instrument currently being negotiated by WHO countries, also called ‘the accord’, aims to improve prevention, preparedness, and response to future pandemics at a global level.

The goals are to:

• ensure sustained and long-term political commitment
• define clear processes and tasks
• ensure long-term public- and private-sector support at all levels
• promote an ‘all-of-government’ and ‘all-of-society’ approach, integrating health matters across all relevant policy areas (e.g. research, innovation, financing, transport).

The instrument is being negotiated by the delegations of the 194 member countries of WHO, the most inclusive and most experienced international body in which all countries can work together on critical global health issues.

Civil society, international organisations and relevant United Nations agencies are also being consulted broadly and extensively.

Timeline:

November 2020 – European Council President Charles Michel proposes developing an international instrument on pandemics at the Paris Peace Forum.

December 2021 – Special session of the World Health Assembly agrees to launch the drafting and negotiation on a convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

March 2022 – The Council of the European Union gives the green light to start negotiations.

March 2023 – WHO countries begin negotiations on a first draft agreement (the ‘zero draft’).

May 2023 – The negotiating body delivers a progress report to the 76^th World Health Assembly.

May 2024 – The proposed instrument is presented for consideration by the 77^th World Health Assembly.

The final decision to adopt the instrument will lie with the WHO member countries. Once agreed, the instrument will be legally binding and rooted in the WHO constitution.

The EU has been an active and engaged partner in the negotiations towards such an agreement since the beginning. Please find below all documents related to this process:

1. Pandemic agreement

Commission services reflection paper, released on 1 September 2021:

• “Agreement on pandemic preparedness and response: an initial blueprint”: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/agreement-pandemic-preparedness-and-response-initial-blueprint_en?s=62

EU Statement delivered at the 3^rd Working Group on Strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies, held on 4 to 6 October 2021:

• https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/3rd-working-group-strengthening-who-preparedness-and-response-health_en?s=62

Documents related to the second special session of the World Health Assembly, held on 29 November to 1 December 2021:

• Press release EU Delegation to the UN in Geneva: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/world-health-assembly-paves-way-towards-pandemic-treaty_en
• Speech delivered by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_6423
• EU Statement delivered at the Special Session: https://apps.who.int/gb/statements/WHASSA2/PDF/EU-2.pdf

Substantive elements for a WHO international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response – Discussion notes (9 November 2022)

• Pandemic Agreement_ Discussion note on Preventing laboratory release.pdf
• Pandemic Agreement_ Discussion note on Preventing Zoonotic Spillover.pdf
• Pandemic agreement _Discussion note on detecting and reporting pandemic threats.pdf
• Pandemic agreement_Discussion note on AMR.pdf 

Documents related to the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body - INB 1:

• EU statement delivered on 24 February at the first meeting of the INB 2022: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/eu-statement-%E2%80%93-inb-1_en?s=62
• EU contribution to the identification of the substantive elements for a convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, as submitted to the INB Bureau on 29 April 2022:  https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/european-union-contribution-identification-substantive-elements-convention_en?s=62
• Written comments of the European Union on the “White Paper: draft annotated outline of a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response” (A/INB/1/12), submitted to the INB on 24 June 2022

EU comments on INB Document A_INB_1_12.pdf

Documents related to the second meeting of the INB – INB 2:

• EU statement delivered at the second meeting of the INB held on 18 to 21 July 2022: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/eu-statement-inb-2-intergovernmental-negotiating-body-opening-remarks-eu-and_en?s=62

• Written comments prepared by the European Union and its Member States on the “Working draft of a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response” (document A/INB/2/3), as submitted to the INB Bureau on 15 September 2022 INB2 - Working draft - written input by the EU and its MS.pdf

Documents related to the third meeting of the INB – INB 3

• EU statement delivered at the third meeting of the INB, held on 5 to 7 December 2022: INB 3 - Opening statement from the EU and its Member States with general comments.pdf
• Written comments prepared by the European Union and its Member States on the “Conceptual Zero draft” (document A/INB/3/3), as submitted to the INB Bureau on 7 December 2022 INB 3 - Conceptual Zero draft - Specific comments from the EU and EU MS.pdf

Documents related to the fourth and fifth meetings of the INB – INB 4 and INB 5:

• EU statement delivered at the fourth meeting of the INB, held on 27 February to 3 March

  INB 4 Opening statement from the EU and its Member States.pdf

• European Union initial textual proposals for an agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response in view of the fifth meeting of the INB 5 (from 3 to 6 April 2023): 

         Rationale EU text proposals INB 28 March.pdf /Rationale EU texts proposals - French translation.

EUROPEAN UNION INITIAL TEXTUAL PROPOSALS FOR AN AGREEMENT ON PANDEMIC PREVENTION - 20 April

Factsheet_Pandemic_Agreement.pdf

Documents related to the seventh meeting of the INB – INB 7:

• EU drafting suggestions on the INB Bureau’s proposal for negotiating text

2. Amendments to the International Health Regulations

• Submission of proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), pursuant to decision WHA75(9) of the World Health Assembly

Submission of proposed IHR amendments to WHO.pdf

• Explanatory notes on the proposed amendments submitted to WHO

Explanations for the amendments to the International Health Regulations.pdf