Statement - Canada and the European Union intensify cooperation in the area of medical countermeasures for preparedness and response to combat health emergencies

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 30, 2026 /CNW/ -- On October 26^th, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions and Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, met to reaffirm the strong Canada-EU partnership on health emergency preparedness and response. Minister Joly and Commissioner Lahbib agreed to deepen cooperation, with the aim of assuring that medical countermeasures are available when they are needed to combat emerging health threats.

"As demonstrated by the joint response to world crises such as the current outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus , the Government of Canada and the European Commission share a commitment to work together and pursue tangible measures to connect and reinforce the resilience of our medical countermeasure ecosystems in the face of new and emerging health threats.

"Together we are committed to:

• Advancing a coordinated Canada-EU approach on medical countermeasure supply chains, with a commitment to deliver a collaborative stress test of priority medical countermeasure supply chains and to pursue joint action to address identified vulnerabilities;
• Pursuing aligned investments to develop dual-use Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear medical countermeasures to protect populations;
• Supporting stronger links between Canadian and European researchers, innovators and industry actors to accelerate the development and production of innovative medical countermeasures by supporting Canada's participation in the Horizon Europe BE READY pandemic preparedness partnership.

"By bringing together our respective strengths in scientific excellence and industrial capabilities, and our shared commitment to health emergency preparedness, we are building on the foundations of an enduring partnership, shaping an irrepressible architecture that is better equipped to anticipate, prevent, and respond to future health emergencies across both sides of the Atlantic."

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada