On 6 July 2026, the European Union and its Member States voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution on sustainable and safe water, sanitation, hygiene, waste and electricity (WASH) services in health care facilities, while expressing regret that several of their proposals were not included. The explanation of vote was delivered by Shane Stephens, Humanitarian Coordinator and UN Agency Lead at the Permanent Mission of Ireland, on behalf of the EU and its Member States, at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The resolution, facilitated by Hungary and the Philippines, updates language on the climate crisis and water crisis, which the EU welcomed. However, the EU noted disappointment that proposals on the climate-health nexus and the operationalisation of the One Health approach were not adopted. On two specific preambular paragraphs, the EU stated it could only recognise 'zero waste initiatives' if they are 'local and national' (PP17) and 'traditional medicines' if they are 'evidence-based' (PP19), stressing that no precedent is set by the agreed language.
The EU also reaffirmed the importance of the United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation and, looking ahead to future negotiations, emphasised that the transition to health sovereignty with country ownership at its core is essential for sustainable financing, with strong partnerships and international financing as complements.
The EU regretted that a vote was called on what is normally a consensual resolution, arguing it undermines collective effort and the constructive spirit of consensus. The EU voted in favour. Candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, as well as San Marino and the United Kingdom, aligned themselves with the EU statement.