Parliament’s Public Health Committee begins work

During its constitutive meeting on Wednesday, the new standing committee on public health (SANT) elected MEP Adam Jarubas (EPP, PL) as its Chair, alongside its four Vice-Chairs.

Members elected the following Bureau to lead the committee’s work:

Chair: Adam JARUBAS (EPP, Poland) - by acclamation

First Vice-Chair: Tilly METZ (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg) - elected by secret ballot

Second Vice-Chair: Stine BOSSE (Renew, Denmark) - by acclamation

Third Vice-Chair: Romana JERKOVIĆ (S&D, Croatia) - by acclamation

Fourth Vice-Chair: Emmanouil FRAGKOS (ECR, Greece) - by acclamation

According to its approved powers and responsibilities, the committee will deal public health related matters related to pharmaceuticals and medical devices, programmes and specific actions, health crisis preparedness and response, mental health and patients’ rights, health aspects of bioterrorism, the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as relations with the World Health Organization.

Chair Adam Jarubas said: “The COVID-19 pandemic clearly showed that today's health challenges know no borders. It also showed how easily global supply chains can be torn or broken, as well as the excessive external dependence of the EU in health resources. At the same time, COVID-19, but also other health challenges, show how much more effective and efficient we can be by working together instead of competing for limited resources, which increases costs. In the past term, we witnessed the successful adoption of a first holistic strategy, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which we called for and worked on in the Parliament. We want to continue this work with even greater commitment. The Commission is responding by developing the Health Union, but it needs a reliable partner, with an appropriate citizens mandate and knowledge of citizens’ needs in every corner of the EU. I believe that the first permanent, legislative, independent Public Health Committee in the history of the Parliament and the EU can be such a partner. This is the right response to public expectations for greater European involvement in health.”

Background

In February 2023, Parliament approved the creation of a public health subcommittee. In December 2024, Parliament’s political group leaders decided to upgrade its status to a standing committee. The decision was confirmed by plenary, which adopted on 18 December 2024 the modification of Parliament’s rules of procedure accordingly.