On 20 July 2026, the European Commission published a proposal for a Council Decision establishing the EU's position for the first meeting of the States Parties Committee for the Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005), scheduled to start on 31 August 2026. The Committee will adopt its own terms of reference and those for its Subcommittee. The EU position is to support adoption only if the terms of reference ensure efficient, cost-effective, transparent and orderly functioning of meetings and grant the Union observer status in both the Committee and its Subcommittee. The position will be expressed by EU Member States represented in the Committee, acting jointly in the Union's interest. Minor technical changes may be agreed without a further Council decision.
The proposal is based on Article 168(5) TFEU in conjunction with Article 218(9) TFEU. The Union is not a party to the International Health Regulations; only states can be parties. All EU Member States are parties, though the Netherlands and Slovakia rejected both the 2022 and 2024 amendments, and Italy, the Czech Republic and Austria rejected only the 2024 amendments. The Council is expected to adopt the decision before the Committee meeting. The European Parliament is not involved in this procedure. The proposal impacts EU Member States, which must coordinate their positions, and the EU institutions, which seek observer status to influence global health rule-making. The Committee's terms of reference will shape future implementation of the IHR, affecting global health security and the EU's role in international health governance.