EU, Canada to deepen cooperation on medical countermeasures including CBRN

The European Union and Canada have agreed to deepen cooperation on medical countermeasures such as vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tests to help ensure supplies are available during future health emergencies.

According to The Brussels Times, Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner for preparedness and crisis management, met Mélanie Joly, Canada’s minister of industry and minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec regions, on Monday 26 October, the European Commission announced on Friday.

The two sides agreed to work towards a more coordinated approach to medical countermeasure supply chains, including carrying out a joint "stress test" of priority supply chains to identify vulnerabilities.

They also agreed to pursue aligned investments in "dual-use" medical countermeasures linked to CBRN risks. The European Commission said the EU and Canada will support closer links between Canadian and European researchers, innovators and industry to speed up the development and production of new medical countermeasures.