Press release by President Charles Michel on an international Treaty on Pandemics

Summary:

Summary of the participation of the President of the European Council Charles Michel at the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, which was held on 3-4 December 2020.

Further information:

The President of the European Council proposed the elaboration of an international Treaty on Pandemics, in the framework of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Mr Michel argued that an international treaty would enable the international community to better anticipate, prepare for and manage future pandemics.

Charles Michel listed a number of areas such a treaty could address:

• risk monitoring;
• better financing and coordination of research;
• a more efficient system of alerts and information sharing;
• improving access to healthcare;
• resilience: strengthening healthcare systems and securing supply chains.