BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / EuroWire / — The European Commission has committed up to €73.7 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to support global epidemic and pandemic preparedness through vaccine research and development. The funding, announced on the occasion of the World Health Assembly, will cover work in 2026 and 2027 and will be provided through Horizon Europe, the European Union’s research and innovation programme.
The commitment is aimed at reinforcing international capacity to respond to health emergencies by accelerating vaccine development for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. The European Commission said the funding will support joint efforts to strengthen preparedness for future outbreaks and improve the ability of health systems and research partners to respond rapidly and effectively when new public health threats are identified.
CEPI is a global partnership that finances and coordinates vaccine development for epidemic and pandemic threats. The organization works with governments, research institutions, industry, philanthropic groups and civil society partners to advance vaccines and biologic countermeasures against pathogens with high outbreak potential, including diseases identified as priorities for global preparedness by international health authorities.
Funding supports global preparedness
The funding forms part of the Global Health Resilience Initiative, adopted by the European Union on May 13, 2026. The initiative sets out a framework for strengthening prevention, preparedness and response to health threats, with a focus on addressing gaps in global health resilience. It includes support for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics as central tools in managing future public health emergencies.
The commitment also aligns with the 100 Days Mission, an international objective focused on enabling the development of safe and effective vaccines within 100 days of a pandemic declaration. That effort has become a central benchmark for pandemic preparedness after the COVID 19 crisis, which exposed gaps in global access, production capacity, surveillance and rapid response coordination across health systems.
Focus on vaccine research
The latest support builds on previous European Union funding for vaccine development against priority pathogens, including Chikungunya, filoviruses and Rift Valley fever. Horizon Europe has funded research linked to infectious disease preparedness, public health resilience and biomedical innovation. The new allocation keeps the annual level of support for the coalition’s work through 2026 and 2027.
Singapore also announced a separate US$12 million pledge in support of the coalition’s preparedness work, adding to international backing for epidemic response and vaccine development. The combined announcements came as governments and health organizations continued to review financing needs for outbreak readiness, vaccine platforms and research capacity tied to emerging infectious disease threats.