Covid-19: EU has lessons to learn from early response to pandemic, say auditors

The European Union has faced “certain challenges” since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, including the provision of medical and personal protective equipment and supporting the development of vaccines, says a review carried out by the European Court of Auditors.1

The auditors had already flagged weaknesses in the EU’s legal framework for dealing with serious cross border health threats in a 2016 report. Some issues, such as preparedness planning, have proved to be persistent, the new report states.

Its publication comes as cases of covid-19 are rising in many EU countries and much of Europe is still under lockdown. The report highlights problems with …