During the COVID-19 public health emergency, between 2020 and 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) enabled the development and authorisation of safe and effective treatments and vaccines in the European Union (EU). The Agency monitored the safety of these medicines, worked on the response with regulators across the world, and provided reliable, timely and openly-accessible information.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. On 30 January 2020, the WHO had declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). 

Within its first two years, more than 450 million cases were reported worldwide, with 100 million in the European Union (EU) alone.

The pandemic caused millions of deaths worldwide and disrupted the lives of people across the globe. 

In response, the EU and its health authorities deployed a range of public health counter-measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, protect citizens, and save lives.

Throughout the crisis, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) along with national competent authorities (NCAs):

• enabled the development, scientific evaluation, approval, and monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics;
• collaborated with regional and international partners;
• monitored and mitigated the effects of medicine shortages;
• provided timely and reliable information to patients, healthcare professionals and the general public.

Such responsibilities are part of EMA's extended mandate which recognises the Agency's role in preparing for and helping deal with public health emergencies.

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