A notice of meeting published by the Council of the European Union schedules a meeting of the Working Party on Public Health for 24 July 2026 at 11:00 in the Justus Lipsius Building, Brussels. The sole substantive agenda item is a proposal for a Council Decision on the EU position for the first meeting of the States Parties Committee for the International Health Regulations (2005). The European Commission is set to present the proposal, after which delegations will exchange views. A supporting document (12005/26) is to follow. No interpretation will be available for the meeting.
The meeting comes as the EU prepares to coordinate its stance ahead of the inaugural session of the States Parties Committee, a body established under the International Health Regulations (IHR) to oversee implementation and amendments. The IHR, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2005, govern global health security and disease outbreak response. The EU's position will be formalised through a Council Decision, which requires unanimous agreement among member states.
The Working Party on Public Health, composed of health attachés from member states, serves as a preparatory body for the Council's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO). Its discussions on 24 July will feed into the EU's negotiating mandate for the IHR committee meeting.
Stakeholders impacted include EU member states, which must align their national positions with the EU stance; the European Commission, which proposes the decision and will represent the EU in the committee; public health authorities across the EU, which will be bound by any IHR amendments; and international partners, who will engage with a unified EU position. The lack of interpretation may pose challenges for delegations whose officials are not fluent in the meeting's working language.
after the Working Party's exchange of views, the proposal will proceed to the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) and then to the EPSCO Council for adoption. The first meeting of the IHR States Parties Committee is expected to take place later in 2026.