Stockpiling medical countermeasures (MCMs) supports the timely availability of medical resources to protect EU citizens in emergencies. In 2019 the Commission introduced rescEU MCM stockpiles as part of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), which serves as a strategic reserve of Europe's disaster response capabilities and stockpiles, fully funded by the EU. Among the various capabilities included, rescEU notably comprises a substantial inventory of medical countermeasures, with their implementation and coordination being under the mandate of DG ECHO and HERA. Shelf-life extension of selected MCMs is used to enhance stocks sustainability, reduce waste, and optimise stockpile management, while also ensuring that the MCMs still meet applicable standards. A survey of national contact points on medicine availability and shortages conducted by EMA in 2024 highlights that a considerable proportion of Member States already implement shelf-life extension for medicines stockpiled in preparedness for health threats at national/regional level. The extension of shelf life has been promoted by DG ECHO and HERA as part of the overall sustainability strategy for rescEU stockpiling during the calls launched in 2022 and 2023. The European Commission and EMA are piloting a structured shelf-life extension programme so that MCMs in the rescEU stockpiles can remain usable beyond their original expiration date, provided they undergo rigorous scientific testing and regulatory oversight. This pilot will be used to develop a policy framework for a shelf-life extension programme and will consist of testing of three MCMs from the EU stockpile (including at least one biological medicine, e.g. a vaccine). We will sign contracts with 1-3 OMCL laboratories to perform stability testing on these three identified MCMs.
See the official notice for the place of performance.
Published 6 October 2025 · rebuilt nightly from the official notice.