WHO - 75th World Health Assembly - EU Statement: Item 21.6 – Global strategies and plans of action that are scheduled to expire within one year Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property

Chair,

Director General,

Excellencies,

Colleagues,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia[*], Montenegro* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.

The European Union and its Member States welcome the decision on the extension till 2030 of the implementation plan of the Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property.

The EU is committed to Universal Health Coverage and increasing the resilience of and access to health systems, including equitable supply of medicines and other medical countermeasures.

We support a holistic approach to ensure timely, fair and equitable access to quality, safe and affordable diagnostics and medical countermeasures, including therapeutics and vaccines, to be provided in strengthened health systems. That is why the EU has been an early supporter of the ACT Accelerator.

In the long term, the EU supports the establishment of sustainable manufacturing of medical countermeasures and sharing of know-how in the global south, in particular in Africa. . EU companies have made substantial progress in establishing local manufacturing in developing countries in cooperation with their local partners. Cooperation between innovators and manufacturers is the best and most promising way to ensure effective and efficient technology transfer.  We encourage the expansion of regional manufacturing hubs, such as the mRNA technology transfer hub set up by WHO. To improve equitable access, the EU also supports the development of innovative mechanisms for voluntary transfer of technology, including in close collaboration with the Medicines Patent Pool. We call on the WTO, WIPO and the WHO as well as all Member States to promote and facilitate co-operation between health technology developers, manufacturers, and investors. The EU stands ready to play its role in this regard.

The EU favours the development of production capacities through an enabling business environment. This includes strengthening regulatory frameworks.

The EU is committed to strengthen medical research capacity through programmes such as the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. We call on WHO and its Member States to strengthen medical research capacity, including sustainable financing mechanisms, support innovation and develop medical production capacities in order to build resilient health systems and promote global public health, leaving no one behind.

In conclusion, the EU is ready to further discuss how we can improve the global health ecosystem to make it fit for purpose.

Thank you.

[*] The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.