Spotlight on the EU vaccines strategy
The end of last year sparkled hope that the unprecedented situation we are currently facing is coming to a close, as highly effective vaccines started being rolled out. Vaccinations across the European Union started on 27 December 2020, emphasising unity.
The EU vaccines strategy aims to ensure a lasting way out of the pandemic, equitably for the Member States and their population, as early as possible through safe, effective, accessible, and affordable vaccines. On behalf of all Member States, and as part of this strategy, the Commission has already secured 2.3 billion doses in a diversified portfolio of vaccines and from six producers, each applying a different technology.
This unprecedented plan started being deployed in June, when there was almost no certainty as to which vaccine – if any – would be effective, let alone which would be available first. ʻWe’ll have more than enough safe and effective vaccines for protecting all Europeans’, declared President Ursula von der Leyen some 7 months later, on 6 January, when the second safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 was authorised. Only 1 day earlier, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had confirmed that the Council is fully mobilised to deploy the vaccines. The latest key updates on the vaccination roll-out are that the Commission wants to achieve a 70% of the EU’s adult population vaccinated by this summer and is working intensively to increase vaccine production capacity in the EU.
Patience is still needed and the year ahead will bring no shortage of challenges. The newsletter of the Publications Office is here to keep you updated. This first edition of 2021 features a selection of interesting publications related to the COVID-19 vaccination as well as several other interesting topics.
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The European Commission has been working since June to build one of the broadest portfolios of vaccines that are safe, effective and affordable. These represent our best chance to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. This factsheet provides more information about COVID-19 vaccines. |
Available in all the official languages of the EU |
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The way out of the coronavirus pandemic |
Now that we have one of the most comprehensive vaccine portfolios in the world, we need to get ready for rapid marketing authorisation to those vaccines. At the same time, they will still undergo rigorous scientific assessment to ensure they are effective and safe. These aspects of such a monumental project are presented in this factsheet. |
Available in all the official languages of the EU |
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Vaccines work by preparing a person’s immune system (the body’s natural defence) to recognise and defend itself against a specific disease. However, not all of them follow the same approach to achieve this. Find out about the different approaches of COVID-19 vaccines in this factsheet. |
Available in all the official languages of the EU
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How are they developed, authorised and put on the market? |
Due to the urgency of the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccines are being developed and authorised faster than usual. However, they have to meet the same high standards as all other vaccines. As disinformation is thriving in the health space, this factsheet provides answers on this topic of primary concern. |
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Spreading authoritative information online |
Although vaccines have saved millions of lives around the globe, in 2019 the World Health Organization listed ‘vaccine hesitancy’ among the top-10 threats to global health. Anti-vaccination activists have become extremely organised in how they communicate their messages on social media to challenge the beliefs of the hesitant part of the population. This publication is intended to help healthcare professionals provide accurate information about vaccines and counter false narratives both in day-to-day interactions with patients and through their activity on social media. If you have a special interest in the topic, you can also consult this Eurobarometer dataset about attitudes towards vaccination; its documentation includes an interesting infographic. |
Available in English |
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DATASETS |
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Check out the many datasets about COVID-19 in the EU Open Data Portal. These datasets can be freely reused by the public, including businesses, researchers, and developers, in order to spread knowledge and help tackle the pandemic and its effects |
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One year on: 1 December 2019 - 1 December 2020 |
Following the mandate received from the European Council and the European Parliament, the von der Leyen Commission put forward a set of ambitious goals for Europe’s future: climate neutrality by 2050; making the 2020s Europe’s digital decade; and making Europe stronger in the world with a more geopolitical approach. What else did it achieve in its first year? Find out in this publication. |
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A new relationship, with big changes |
The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement sets out preferential arrangements in many areas. While by no means does it match the level of economic integration that existed when the United Kingdom was still an EU Member State, the agreement goes beyond traditional free trade agreements and provides a solid basis for preserving a longstanding friendship and cooperation. This factsheet provides an overview of the agreement. |
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Following the election of President Biden and of Vice-President Harris by the people of the United States of America, and looking out at a new geopolitical and economic reality, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy are putting forward a proposal for a new, forward-looking transatlantic agenda for global change. This proposal is centred on areas where EU–US interests converge, where our collective leverage can best be used and where global leadership is required. Find out more in this factsheet. |
Available in English and French |
Research and innovation |
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To be successful in the modern workforce, students need to be equipped with the skills that are most in demand by employers. The ability to write well, analyse and solve problems are the crucial classic ‘soft’ skills that are highly sought, but digital skills have become just as valuable and cherished. The special feature of this Research*eu magazine presents seven projects that have developed innovative solutions to infuse the digital into European education. |
Available in English
(Individual article also available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish on the CORDIS website)
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Management of the response to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak requires undertaking several forecasting responsibilities. For hospital managers, a major one is to anticipate the likely needs of beds in intensive care units in a given catchment area 1 or 2 weeks in advance. This paper proposes a bivariate error correction model to forecast that need, jointly with the number of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 symptoms. |
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Since 1952, the Court of Justice of the European Union has monitored the Member States’ application and implementation of EU law. Numerous judgments have found that the prohibition of discrimination laid down in EU law has not been respected. This brochure presents a selection of key judgments grouped by categories of discrimination. |
Available in all the official languages of the EU except Irish |
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Artificial intelligence and fundamental rights: report |
From tracking the spread of COVID-19 to deciding who will receive social benefits, artificial intelligence (AI) affects the lives of millions of Europeans. Automation can improve decision-making but it can also lead to hard-to-challenge mistakes and discrimination. This report discusses the potential implications for fundamental rights and analyses how these rights can be taken into account when using or developing AI applications. |
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State of play and perspectives: in depth-analysis |
The world is facing important challenges in the arms control and disarmament domain. These challenges result in an increased likelihood of a global nuclear arms race. Based on a review of the drivers of the current crisis and the options for addressing them, the present briefing identifies ways in which the EU can support the nuclear arms control agenda despite its lack of formal competence in the field. |
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Join Endorse: the EU Data Conference on Reference Data and Semantics
Knowledge sharing is the driving force of digital transformation, but it also represents a challenge. Endorse aims to provide a platform to discuss and shape the future of data management in public services by bringing together international experts in the fields of digitalisation, semantics, reference data and knowledge management. Join us to have your voice heard and be part of an active and forward-looking community! The event will take place online in four half-day sessions from 16 to 19 March 2021.
Registrations are already open. Book your place soon!
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