The EFVV (European Forum for Vaccine Vigilance) was originally founded, some 22 years ago, to raise awareness of vaccine risk, oppose vaccine mandates and promote freedom of choice in health matters.  In 2015, a version of this petition was submitted to the EU through their petition portal and a response received in 2016 from the Chair of the EU Committee on Petitions, based on written information from the European Commission.  That response informed us that it was not within the remit of the EU to define member states’ health policy or to organise and deliver health services.  Vaccination policy is therefore the competence of individual Member States.  We quote:

“Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides that Union action in the area of public health shall complement national policies and must respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services.  Consequently, vaccination policy is a competence of individual Member States.”

Also, let us not forget the Council of Europe’s Resolution 2361 of the 27th January 2021 which states: “The Parliamentary Assembly urges the Member States and the European Union to: ‘ensure that citizens are informed that the vaccination is NOT mandatory and that no one is under political, social or other pressure to be vaccinated if they do not wish to do so’ and ‘to ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated, due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated(1)”.

It is therefore all the more important for EU citizens to continue to lobby their respective politicians regarding vaccination policy.  Attempts at the EU level are still being made so MEPs also need to be reminded that vaccination policy and vaccine mandates are NOT within their remit.

(1) Resolution 2361 (2021), https://pace.coe.int/en/files/29004/html; point 7.3.1

Thank you, 

EFVV Team