On 21 March 2024, the Mission Board on Vaccination in Europe (MBVE) launched its Consensus Report at an event held in the European Parliament. The event was co-hosted by MEP Alessandra Moretti (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Italy) and MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos (European People’s Party, Greece), and moderated by Professor Walter Ricciardi, Chair of the MBVE.
The event aimed to foster proactive dialogue and engagement around the recommendations outlined in the Consensus Report, generating momentum around the importance of robust immunisation systems and the needed actions for strengthening immunisation policies and programmes across Europe. Additionally, discussions focused on the next steps for implementing the MBVE recommendations, particularly looking towards the implementation phase.
The event featured presentations by high-level external speakers from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Belgian EU Presidency. Michele Cecchini, representing the OECD, highlighted the economic benefits of vaccination, stressing its positive impact on public health and workforce productivity. Meanwhile, Prof. Pierre Van Damme, representing the Belgian EU Presidency, underscored the importance of pandemic preparedness and the need for coordinated action at both EU and national levels.
During the roundtable discussion, participants emphasised several key points, including the investment value of vaccination, harmonising immunisation policies across EU Member States, involving citizens and patients in decision-making processes, tailoring vaccination programmes to specific population needs and the importance of evidence-driven approaches and electronic vaccination records.
