Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection

Inauguration of the

European Medical Corps

Report

15th of February 2016

Brussels

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Summary

The European Medical Corps (EMC) is the EU’s framework for mobilising medical and public health teams to respond to public health emergencies and crises with health dimension inside and outside the EU. Through the

EMC, EU Member States and other participating countries can make medical teams and assets available for rapid deployment. The EMC will include

Emergency Medical Teams, public health experts, mobile laboratories, medical evacuation planes and logistical support teams.

Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and

Crisis Management, officially launched the EMC on the 15th of February 2016 in a high-level ceremony in Brussels. Keynote speakers were the German

and French Foreign Ministers Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Jean-Marc Ayrault, as well as Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for

Health and Food Safety.

In the subsequent panel discussion, speakers from the European

Commission and the European Parliament, the WHO and national authorities in the field of emergency management discussed the development of EU’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies. Discussions recalled the

devastating tragedy of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa as a wake-up call for the international community. This unprecedented crisis revealed gaps in

the preparedness to public health emergencies, particularly in the rapid deployment of medical personnel and international coordination. At the

height of the outbreak, the German and French Foreign Ministers proposed the white helmets. The EMC is the direct follow-up of this initiative and implements the lessons learned from Ebola. It will allow to pool and rapidly

deploy European assets in respond to disease outbreaks and disasters with health consequences. The EMC is embedded into the global efforts for

stepping up the world's health emergency response capacity. As the European contribution to the global health emergency workforce, the EMC is being developed in close collaboration with the WHO.

F.W. Steinmeier, C. Stylianides and J.M. Ayrault (left to right)

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Opening and Welcome Address

Monique Pariat, Director General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection of

the European Commission, opened the inauguration event of the EMC. She reminded the audience that in the Ebola crisis the rapid mobilisation of

medical teams and logistics had been a major gap. As a direct consequence of the Ebola lessons learned the EMC was created. Hans Das, Head of Civil Protection Policy Unit of Directorate General Humanitarian Aid and Civil

Protection, gave a short overview of the legal framework and the operating mode of the EMC.

High-level inauguration session

Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, outlined the international lack of preparedness before

the Ebola outbreak and how the EMC will improve Europe’s response capacity. The German and French Foreign Ministers, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Jean-Marc Ayrault, welcomed the launch of the EMC and

called upon Member States to support the initiative. Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO, highlighted the global importance of the EMC

as part of the global health emergency workforce.

Medical response assets registered in the European Medical Corps

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Keynote by Christos Stylianides

European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management

The Ebola crisis in West Africa revealed an urgent need to step up

global preparedness to epidemics.

One of the central lessons from the Ebola outbreak was the urgent

need to improve global capacities to provide medical assistance to

people in need.

The EMC aims to address these gaps in disaster preparedness building

on the foundation of the "White Helmet" initiative put forward by

Germany and France at the height of the Ebola crisis.

The EMC allows the EU and its Member States to respond to

epidemics rapidly and predictably.

By bringing together relief teams, experts and equipment from the

Member States ready for deployment worldwide, the EMC allows for

better planning and more efficient European response to disasters

The EMC builds on the existing structure of the EU Civil Protection

Mechanism which brings together disaster management capacities and

expertise from the Member States in a Voluntary Pool of response

assets.

Nine Member States have already pledged teams and equipment to the

EMC. This is a genuine example of partnership and solidarity in

disasters that, hopefully, many more will follow.

"If there is one lesson we learned from Ebola, it is this one: We were all not

sufficiently prepared […]. As EU Ebola coordinator [...] I visited the three affected

countries. [...] The one urgent need I saw on the ground was for more medical

teams and more qualified and trained personnel."

Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and

Crisis Management

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Keynote by Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany

The Ebola epidemic showed the importance of preparedness and

coordination.

The Ebola outbreak was the most difficult global health crisis in recent

history. The epidemic demonstrated the importance of preparedness

and a fast and coordinated response. National measures alone are not

enough.

Against this backdrop, Germany and France proposed the “White

helmets”, a pool of medical and logistical experts ready at any time to

counter dangerous epidemics at an early stage. The EMC allows pooling

and coordinating national capabilities for a rapid and efficient respond

to epidemics.

Germany is committing three assets to the EMC through multi-

sectorial partnerships.

The German Red Cross is establishing an isolation hospital, the

Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine provides a mobile

laboratory and the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief offers

technical-logistical support.

The EMC is part of a global response capacity and a symbol of

European solidarity.

This European initiative is embedded in the crisis response mechanisms

of the World Health Organisation, especially the global health

emergency workforce. Europe's contribution to this initiative is aligned

with the central and coordinating role of WHO in global health crises.

"I call on other Member States to also offer their expertise to this important

instrument. […] The European Medical Corps signals solidarity within the EU, as

well as our shared political responsibility in the world. [...] It underscores the

EU’s ability to act in times of complex crises situations."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany

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Keynote by Jean-Marc Ayrault

Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development, France

The EMC builds on the lessons learned from the Ebola crisis.

The massive mobilisation of the international community, particularly

the NGOs, allowed combating the Ebola health crisis effectively. The EU

was at the forefront of this response mobilising political and financial

support as well as investment in research for innovative solutions like

vaccines.

The scope of the Ebola crisis highlighted structural and operational gaps

in capability and coordination at European and global level. There was

an acute shortage of capacity to provide assistance to infected health

workers resulting in the need to set up an evacuation system.

The EMC is a response to a global problem; it has to be integrated

into a global system.

The EMC proves that Europe can provide operational solutions rapidly

and timely to respond to a global problem which has occurred and will

re-occur.

As the European contribution to the global health emergency

workforce, the EMC should be part of the global process led by the

WHO. An ambitious WHO reform would enable the international

community to meet the current challenges.

"We have created a system which is efficient and flexible while using existing

assets. We have not created more expensive structures but better coordination

and steering of available resources [...]. Europe has come up with a concrete

response to global problems which unfortunately could re-occur and will re-

occur."

Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development, France

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Keynote by Dr Margaret Chan

Director-General of the World Health Organization

The Ebola outbreak was a wake-up call for the world to be better

prepared.

When the Ebola outbreak began, the world and WHO were ill-prepared

to mount a response on such a monumental scale. It was a brutal

wake-up call. The world must never again be caught by surprise.

The massive support from the EU with personnel and equipment played

a decisive role in turning around the outbreak. EU's contribution to

medical evacuation opened the door for other deployments from

around the world.

The launch of the EMC is a milestone in the creation of the global

health emergency workforce.

The EMC is a visible and highly effective contribution to the global

health emergency workforce. This is the culmination of joint WHO-EU

work over the past year to establish quality standards for Emergency

Medical Teams.

The EMC reinforces the national capacity with a regional capacity to

offer a timely, predictable, efficient and appropriate response to

emergencies.

"The inauguration of the European Medical Corps today is a ground-breaking

milestone, because it is the culmination of joint WHO - EU work over the last year

to establish standards […]. It makes a visible and highly effective contribution to

the global health emergency workforce."

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization

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Panel discussion: Developing the EU’s capacity to mobilise public health and medical teams for

emergencies

The Panel discussion focussed on the development of EU’s capacity to respond to health emergencies. Speakers identified a strong need for the

Member States to pool and coordinate their assets in the EMC, while embedding the European contribution in the global structures of WHO. The discussion reiterated challenges related to quality assurance of Emergency

Medical Teams and long-term deployments. During the discussion, participants presented national contributions to the EMC and exchanged

views on the future outlook for the EMC.

Speakers:

Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur on

the "Ebola crisis: long-term lessons"

Laurent Prevost, Prefect, Director General for Civil Security and Crisis

Management, France

Rafael de Prado, Head of Emergency Department, Humanitarian

Action Office, Spanish Agency for International Development

Cooperation (AECID), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Spain

Dr Ian Norton, Project Leader Emergency Medical Teams and Global

Health Emergency Workforce, World Health Organisation

Monique Pariat, Director General, DG Humanitarian Aid and Civil

Protection, European Commission

EU Member States need to cooperate and coordinate in their

response to health crises.

Speakers agreed that Member States already have considerable assets. However, the Ebola crisis revealed shortcomings in the mobilization of medical personnel, medical evacuation capacity and international

coordination.

M. Pariat and L. Prevost

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The EMC provides the means to coordinate and combine Member States’

assets to improve the European capacity to respond to pandemics and other medical emergencies. Under this framework Member States can use

synergies to jointly develop new capacities, such as a complex referral field hospital. The European Commission supports disaster management

cooperation between the Member States with joint exercises and financial assistance. It was recognized that close coordination between the EMC, the Health Security Committee and the European Centre for Disease Prevention

and Control is crucial to ensure consultation and full involvement of the European health authorities.

The EMC is part of an international response to health emergencies.

Speakers reiterated the importance of associating the EMC to the broader global response capacity of the WHO and the ongoing work on the global

health emergency workforce. Building on national capacities it will allow Member States to help each other or to respond on a global level. The EMC

could also help to strengthen national disaster response capacities in other parts of the world, for example by bilateral trainings or logistical support to National Emergency Medical Teams. This requires more involvement from

the countries receiving support, which should take the lead. Speakers highlighted the global importance of Europe’s capacity for medical

evacuation of infectious patients. This capacity was very important during the Ebola outbreak and will be a corner stone of any international response in the future.

“If we maintain 28 separate systems, it is quite clear that we will not be able to

deal with a systemic crisis like Ebola.”

Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur on the "Ebola crisis: long-term lessons”

“The Ebola crisis shows that we did need a European Medical Corps and a global

health emergency workforce.”

Dr Ian Norton, Project Leader Emergency Medical Teams and Global

Health Emergency Workforce, World Health Organisation

I. Norton and C. Goerens

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Quality assurance, long-term missions and legal provisions

need to be addressed.

While the speakers recognized the launch of the EMC as a major step forward, the discussion highlighted several areas for further development. The EU is working closely with the WHO to align quality standards for

Emergency Medical Teams. The certification of EU assets could set an example for Emergency Medical Teams worldwide. Panellists pointed out

possible legal and administrative barriers to the rapid deployment of medical experts during emergencies. Spain recently changed its legislation to facilitate deployment in emergency response operations. One participant

highlighted the particular financial and staffing challenges of long-term deployment. He suggested a rotational system involving several Member

States and called upon the European Commission to explore new financing arrangements that would help Member States to deploy teams over longer

periods. Improvements in the trigger systems for early detection and warning of disease outbreaks, particularly in vulnerable countries, could lead to an earlier assessment and a quicker response.

Member States announced national contributions to the EMC.

During the official launch ceremony, several Member States announced their support for the initiative and their contributions to the EMC. These include

medical teams and field hospitals committed by France and Spain and soon to be committed by Italy. Germany commits an isolation field hospital, a

mobile laboratory and logistical support. Luxemburg provides a medical evacuation capacity. Adapted with financial support from the EU to transport Ebola patients it was already deployed for the evacuation of EU

citizens during the Ebola outbreak. Several Member States including Italy and France are collaborating in the development of a complex field referral

“We have declared capacities which [...] comply with European standards. We

may have to adapt our European standards to those of WHO for a number of

items.”

Laurent Prevost, Prefect, Director General for Civil Security and Crisis

Management, France

R. de Prado and I. Norton

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hospital. Italy, the Netherlands and France also mentioned their interest in

supporting the initiative with public health expertise. The Netherlands expressed their interest in developing a medical evacuation capacity for

highly infectious diseases.

Other Member States already committed teams to the EMC before the

event. These contributions include a mobile biological laboratory developed by Belgium, an advanced medical post developed by the Czech Republic, and logistical support teams made available by Sweden and Finland.

The full list of official commitments may be found in the EMC factsheet.

Closing Remarks

The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, concluded the event. In his speech he highlighted the

importance of cooperation between countries and across sectors in times of globalised health threats. Andriukaitis called upon the European countries to

support the EMC with health professionals and assets.

Response Teams and Modules available as of February 2016

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Keynote by Vytenis Andriukaitis

European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

Health crises require collaboration across countries, continents and sectors.

To respond to the Ebola outbreak Member States sent volunteers. The

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control also deployed

health experts. But it took a long time to send enough health

professionals to West Africa. Europe was not prepared.

The EMC is a timely project to ensure that Europa is ready to deploy

medical teams and public health experts at short notice in response to

health emergencies. One of the key lessons from the Ebola crisis is the

need for cooperation across countries, continents, and sectors for a

coordinated and efficient global response.

The EMC will be closely linked to WHO’s global health emergency workforce.

In times of globalization the risk of diseases spreading into cross-

border and cross continent pandemics is real. In countries with weak

health systems outbreaks could be detected too late. Intensive

travelling and transport of goods across the world provides the means

for infectious diseases to spread globally.

The EMC will be Europe's contribution to the Global Health Emergency

Workforce. The EU works closely with the WHO and the international

community through the Global Health Security Initiative, to fully

implement the International Health Regulations.

“I strongly appeal to you, the Member States here, to provide people and assets;

so that the Corps is ready to make a rapid and positive difference whenever and

wherever a health emergency erupts.”

Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety