CoFoE: Benova: Boosting Powers of EMA Part of Efforts to Make EU Better Prepared
Strasbourg, January 26 (TASR) – Mutual solidarity and cooperation between EU-member states through coordination at the European level have already proven their worth in the past, said Slovak MEP Monika Benova in response to the strengthening of the powers of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as cited by the European Parliament press department.
“It’s part of efforts to make the Union better prepared to deal with possible future health crises and related threats,” said Benova. On January 20, the European Parliament approved an increase in the EMA’s powers.
The third citizens’ panel of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) has also included boosting the powers of the agency in its recommendations. This conference gives EU citizens an opportunity to express their opinions regarding the future of the EU.
The empowering of the EMA was supported by 655 MEPs, while 31 voted against and eight abstained. After approval by the EP, the regulation still needs to be formally endorsed by the EU Council of Ministers. The new regulation will then be signed and published in the EU’s Official Journal. It should enter into force on March 1, 2022.
Each one of the four CoFoE panels will submit its recommendations to the European Parliament. The recommendations will be included in a final report to be drawn up by the CoFoE executive board in the spring.
Anyone can join the debate on the future of the Union via the multilingual digital platform futureu.europa.eu.