Vaccination plays a vital role in protecting humans against respiratory infections, such as influenza, COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), or pneumococcal disease.
In the European Union, it is estimated that vaccination against seasonal influenza alone prevents up to 37,000 deaths each year. Influenza vaccination is also associated with a 34% reduction in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, highlighting immunisation as an important preventive strategy.
Vaccination against respiratory infections is highly recommended for at-risk groups.
These may vary according to the Member State, but often include:
- people aged 65 years and older
- pregnant women
- Individuals with a weakened immune system or chronic health conditions, who are more likely to develop a severe form of the disease
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.
Seasonal vaccines
As seasonal flu and COVID-19 viruses are continuously evolving, vaccines need to be re-administered annually to ensure they remain effective.
The Council Recommendation on seasonal flu vaccination of 2009 urges EU countries to commit to vaccinating 75% of at-risk groups against seasonal flu each year.
To ensure citizens have access to safe, effective vaccines, the Commission works with:
- European Medicines Agency
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- The World Health Organization
Pandemic vaccines
When a pandemic occurs, the Commission assists EU countries in the coordination of their response, including measures related to vaccines. In 2009 for example, it assisted in the development of national vaccination strategies against pandemic H1N1 influenza (or "swine" flu).
To strengthen its preparedness for a potential influenza pandemic, the Commission is setting up reservation contracts for pandemic preparedness vaccines against influenza, such as pandemic H5N1 ("avian" flu) vaccines, to facilitate their purchase by interested Member States.
The mechanism of joint procurement is laid down in the EU's Joint Procurement Agreement for Medical Countermeasures, which is signed by 38 countries, including all EU and EEA Member States. The mechanism allows the participating countries to jointly procure medical countermeasures on a voluntary basis.
