The EPSCO Council of health ministers took place on 15 June 2021 in Luxembourg. On behalf of Hungary, Prof. Dr. Ildikó Horváth Minister of State of Health attended the meeting. The main agenda item was related to the Covid-19 situation; the ministers discussed the use of the European digital covid certificates and the possibility of recognizing certificates issued in third countries. Ildikó Horváth highlighted that Hungary had achieved a high level of vaccination very early and therefore we were able to ease non-pharmaceutical interventions largely.
source: consilium.europa.eu
Following the first couple of weeks after lifting the restrictions, our experiences show that the decline of the epidemic remained unchanged. This is a clear evidence for the incomparable benefit of vaccination and more precisely the efficiency of all the vaccines applied in the Hungarian portfolio. Ildikó Horváth informed her colleagues that the Hungarian immunity certificate plays a key role in supporting active a participation in community life. In order to facilitate the recognition of the certificates in third countries, the Hungarian Government has signed a number of bilateral agreements and supports the promotion of interoperability at global level.
The Council has reached a general approach on the draft regulation on the strengthened mandate of the European Medicines Agency, so the negotiations with the co-legislators can start soon. The new regulation will provide a better coordination to secure safe supply of medicines and medical devices during next emergencies. The two remaining parts of the European Health Union package, namely the draft regulations on the ECDC and cross border health threat have also a good chance for a successful conclusion during the Slovenian Presidency, according the progress report adopted by the Council.
The ministers adopted Council Conclusion on the availability, access and affordability of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The document strikes balance between the need of supporting innovation and ensuring affordable prices of health technologies for the benefit of the patients as well as of the healthcare systems.
