During the 2021 State of the Union, the European Commission launched the European Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). HERA will work to prevent, detect and rapidly respond the health emergencies in the future. 

HERA will oversee the development, production and distribution of medicines, vaccines and other medical countermeasures, like PPE, that were seen to be lacking during the first phase of Europe's coronavirus response. 

HERA is a pillar of the European Health Union, announced by President von der Leyen in her 2020 State of the Union address.

Learn more about HERA here.