Protecting Our Shared Future: The Brussels One Health Declaration for a Resilient Europe
- Cristina Lu
- 40 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By The Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA)
The health of humans, animals, plants, and our environment are not competing priorities—they are a single, fragile web. When one part of the system is threatened, we all are.
Yet, as we face escalating threats from antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate-driven diseases, and zoonotic spillovers, Europe’s policy landscape remains dangerously fragmented. Data is trapped in silos. Policies are reactive instead of preventive.
We cannot solve the interconnected crises of the 21st century with disconnected governments. It is time for a unified European One Health Strategy.
The Brussels One Health Declaration is our roadmap to get there.
What is the Brussels One Health Declaration?
On February 3, 2026, stakeholders from across sectors gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels for a landmark conference to address these exact gaps. Out of that high-level dialogue came our roadmap for legislative change: the Brussels One Health Declaration.
Facilitated by the Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA), this landmark document outlines the urgent policy needs and strategic priorities required to legally integrate the One Health approach across the European Union.
It is not just a technical paper—it is a blueprint for legislative change.
The Declaration calls on the EU to adopt 6 Strategic Priorities:
Integrated Governance: Establish a high-level One Health Advisory and Coordination Group at the European Commission.
Unified Data Ecosystems: Build real-time, interoperable surveillance data across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
Strengthened Preparedness: Embed One Health mandates into EU agencies like HERA and the ECDC.
Inclusive Engagement: Guarantee sustained funding and a formal voice for civil society and NGOs.
Responsible Innovation: Lead globally in ethical AI and genomic risk surveillance.
Policy Coherence: Mandate strict One Health Impact Assessments for all new EU regulations, from agriculture to trade.
Why Your Organization's Signature Matters
A declaration is only as strong as the coalition standing behind it. The European Union has the democratic mandate to lead this global transformation, but policymakers need to see an undeniable, united front to act.
Here is why we need your organization to step forward and sign:
You Will Shape EU Law: We are not just collecting signatures. The IDA is working directly with the MEP Interest Group on Infectious Diseases. We are taking this consensus straight to the European Parliament to turn these six pillars into binding legislation.
You Will Break the Silos: By signing, you join a diverse alliance of public health bodies, veterinary experts, environmental NGOs, and private sector innovators. You are proving that cross-sector collaboration works.
It is a Moral Imperative: If we continue to work in isolation, we accept an avoidable risk to our collective future. Adding your name is a public commitment to protecting health, prosperity, and resilience for everyone.
Join the Consensus: Sign the Declaration
The era of fragmented health policy must end. Whether your organization operates in the heart of a city, a scientific laboratory, or the depths of a forest, your voice is essential to this transition. We invite a broad coalition to stand with us. Please complete the form above to add your organization’s endorsement to the Brussels One Health Declaration.
Declaration Document:
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