The European Committee on Public Health (SANT) elected its Bureau at today’s inaugural meeting as an independent committee. Adam Jarubas (EPP), a Polish MEP, was re-elected as chair.
Incumbents retained the vice-chairmanships, too. First Vice-Chair, Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg) was the only one elected by secret ballot. The rest – Stine Bosse (Renew, Denmark), Romana Jerković (S&D, Croatia), and Emmanouil FRAGKOS (ECR, Greece) were all elected by acclamation.
The establishment of the newly independent committee aims to strengthen the European Union’s ability to address more effectively key health issues and challenges that have become increasingly urgent in recent years.
“This is a great day. The fact that the Public Health Committee can get down to work will go down in European history as an important moment, as a new era in shaping pan-European health policy,” Chair Jarubas extolled the virtues of the move after his election.
Partner to the Commission
Mr Jarubas said the covid-19 pandemic had shown that health challenges know no borders, exposing the fragility of supply chains and the interdependence of countries. “The pandemic has also shown us how we can work together in an effective way instead of trying to compete when we have limited resources,” Jarubas added, calling on his colleagues to make the SANT committee a trusted partner of the European Commission in tackling health challenges.
„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.”
In February 2023, Parliament approved the creation of SANT as 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 on 18 December 2024.
