Speeches

Madam President, Commissioner, dear Nicolas Schmit, first of all, I would like to join in the congratulations and commend the excellent work of our rapporteur and friend Sylvie Brunet. The text we are about to vote on is important to millions of platform workers, often young people. It proposes a way forward so that the work flexibility inherent in platforms also rhymes with security. It encourages people to support changes at work without sacrificing social progress. Among the proposed measures, I would like to welcome the focus on occupational health. Platform workers may be exposed to increased risks. These are not only accidents, but also their state of health. While the entire world was confined by the pandemic, most of them continued to work, exposed on the front line. Mental health can be affected by the unpredictability and intensity of their working conditions, but also by increased competition between them. The basic rules on health and safety at work, which are a concrete example of the social Europe we want to build, must therefore apply to all European workers. Adequate social protection guaranteeing insurance in the event of an accident and sickness and invalidity cover must be guaranteed. Some platforms are already doing this and generalization is possible. We now need a legislative framework, dear Sylvie, because there can be no second-class workers, especially when it comes to health.

Mr President, Commissioner, Council representative, since the beginning of 2020 the European Union has been fighting a long battle against one of the most serious pandemics in history. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed our fragility in public health. Faced with this life-size test, our national health systems were overwhelmed and this impotence first pushed our governments towards health protection reflexes. Right here in this Parliament, we have called for the establishment of a coordinated European response mechanism, the harmonisation of epidemiological data and we have supported the convergence of actions for the purchase of vaccines. The temptations to retreat quickly gave way to European solidarity and coordination, which are now bearing fruit. We are undeniably stronger together, but further health threats are still to be feared and the remarkable response we have improvised in the emergency must now pave the way for a Europe of solidarity, coordinated, independent and sustainable health. By publishing the ‘Building a European Health Union’ package, you wished, dear Stella, to bring coherence to our policy of anticipating, preparing for and managing health crises. In our draft report, we wish to reinforce your proposal on four points. Item number one: promoting solidarity. Health inequalities within the EU must be tackled by stepping up cooperation between national systems. There is a need to strengthen collaboration with third countries, especially the most deprived, in the exchange of knowledge and good practices. International cooperation must be emphasised, in particular by supporting the development of an international treaty on pandemics. Second point: strengthen operational coordination. We need to prepare the EU for any kind of future danger to public health by implementing the concepts of ‘global health’ and ‘health in all policies’. Of course, we will have to be prepared for new infectious problems – new viruses, the risk of antibiotic resistance – but we will also have to be able to respond to other threats, whether known or not – environmental, food, biological, chemical, nuclear, etc. We need to support Member States in collecting and sharing data, an area where they have frequently failed during the crisis. We also measured the tragic consequences of COVID-19 on people with chronic diseases. We need to extend ECDC surveillance to the impact of communicable diseases on non-communicable diseases. The same ECDC must ensure communication to European citizens and thus contribute to the fight against disinformation, an example of which we had at the beginning of this session. Item 3: ensuring European independence on health products. This requires a stronger involvement of the European Medicines Agency, the inclusion of health products in the resources identified for the national plans and a more systematic use of negotiated joint purchasing procedures with one voice, including outside crises. And, of course, we look forward to your proposal for the establishment of the HERA Authority. Fourth and last point: Inclusive health governance. European citizens are calling for more transparency and participation in the decision-making process. I propose to give Parliament an observer role in the Health Security Committee, which you have done well to strengthen, and to give a significant share to civil society representatives in the Advisory Committee. I also call for the involvement of regional authorities in the implementation of European and national plans, in order to foster health cooperation experiences in cross-border regions and to establish genuine interregional planning. This will allow Member States to mobilise funding in a proportionate manner and share infrastructure and personnel costs. The expectations of Europeans are high. This legislative proposal and the revision of the EMA and ECDC mandates are the first steps towards a true Health Europe. With €5.1 billion for 2021-2027, the EU4Health programme gives us the means to focus on coherence and effectiveness in our health policy. Despite the title of this regulation on serious cross-border threats to health, which I find unreadable, our 100% female negotiating team – and I welcome its representatives here, with a very friendly thought for my friend Joanna – will defend this programme for what it really is: a genuine European health crisis response plan.

Madam President, Commissioner, strengthening the powers of the European Medicines Agency is the first brick of the European Health Union that we have been so lacking, but is beginning to emerge. Yes, the new mandate of the EMA will allow a real medicines policy to be put in place. And in the autumn, the ECDC will strengthen our epidemiological management capacities. But Commissioner, let us take care of the gas plants. The European response programme to health threats, for which I am rapporteur, will be effective if and only if these agencies have the means to work together with convergent tasks and a clear definition of the powers and statutes of the future European authority HERA. Let us ensure the cooperation of the Member States by guaranteeing them a coordinated and complementary network of competences. Let us make this ambition our common priority.