Key milestones of the partnership

Key milestones of the partnership

WHO
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Technical cooperation between WHO and the European Commission has taken place since the 1970s, based on areas of European Union (EU) competence relating to public health in EU Member States.

Since 2000, the European Commission and WHO have established a framework for cooperation based on an exchange of letters aimed at identifying and developing effective actions to ensure an intersectoral approach to global health and public health developments.

In 2011, the WHO Regional Director for Europe was given the responsibility to lead relations for all of WHO with the EU and its institutions.

Operationalization of the partnership through strategic and technical collaboration

Relations between WHO and the European Commission are governed by an exchange of letters (dated 14 December 2001) that outline the objectives for priority areas of cooperation, as well as the procedures and practical arrangements for the implementation of activities.

Since signing these letters, WHO and the European Commission have formulated operational working arrangements between their offices at global, regional and country levels, including:

  • senior official meetings to review annual progress in priority areas and to examine future collaborative projects;
  • coordination meetings between services to cover practical matters of cooperation;
  • multiple engagements on thematic topics through technical working groups and expert panels;
  • in-country dialogue between WHO and EU delegations to strengthen specific cooperation;
  • participation by the European Commission as an observer in annual meetings of the WHO Executive Board and the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as in the annual meetings of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe;
  • regular dialogue and collaboration with the WHO Representation Office to the EU (WEU) in Brussels, Belgium; and
  • the financial and administrative framework agreement between the European Commission and the United Nations, to which WHO has adhered since 2003.

WEU has the WHO global mandate to facilitate relations with the EU and its institutions, particularly the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as to build and strengthen alliances with Brussels-based health stakeholders.

Working with other EU agencies and institutions

WHO interacts and cooperates with the European Council through the presidencies, the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions and relevant EU agencies, including:

  • the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
  • the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
  • the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
  • the European Environment Agency (EEA)
  • the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)
  • the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
  • Eurostat
  • the European Investment Bank (EIB).