Immunisation is a safe and cost-effective way to protect people – at all ages – from certain infectious diseases. Each year, vaccination stops millions of people from getting measles, pertussis and tetanus.
Different aspects of your life may put you at higher risk of catching and spreading infection, such as your job, whether you’re travelling abroad, becoming pregnant or if you have certain medical conditions.
All EU countries have a national immunisation programme and vaccination schedule, outlining which vaccines are recommended at what age. The differences between countries are influenced by factors such as disease burden, healthcare system structures and resources, political and cultural factors, as well as the resilience of the vaccination programme.
Key moments for vaccination include:
- Pregnancy
- Childhood
- Adolescence and teenage years
- When travelling
- Older age
Despite the benefits of vaccination being well documented, many people in Europe go unvaccinated and remain vulnerable to potentially life-threatening diseases. To prevent serious consequences as a result, it is essential to ensure that every community is not only prepared but also well informed.
Debunking myths, promoting science-based arguments and ensuring that individuals understand the importance of vaccines at every stage of life is as crucial as providing equitable access to the vaccines available to protect them.
Improving rates of childhood immunisation at EU level
Following agreement on the need to strengthen childhood immunisation at EU level in the 2011 Council Conclusions on childhood immunisation, the Commission (together with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is supporting EU countries by:
- Advising on best-practice measures during outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases
- Funding projects on immunisation through the EU4Health Programme
- Improving the monitoring of vaccination coverage
- Encouraging European associations of healthcare professionals to help advocate childhood immunisation to parents
- Providing objective and evidence-based information to healthcare professionals (e.g. European public assessment reports).
Demographic changes have given impetus to renewed research on more effective and sustainable ways of investing in health and healthy ageing. Within this context, adult vaccination programmes are instrumental in helping to meet disease elimination goals, as well reducing disease burden in later years of life. For example, the Safe Hearts Plan, which was unveiled by the European Commission in December 2025, includes a proposal for a Council recommendation on vaccination against respiratory infections as a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases.
