Briefing - World Health Organization at a crossroads - 26-06-2026
The World Health Organization (WHO) has had a central role in numerous health advances, including eradicating smallpox, driving the near‑eradication of polio, expanding childhood immunisation worldwide, and leading responses to global health threats such as HIV/AIDS and COVID‑19. Despite this, the United Nations (UN) specialised agency has faced persistent challenges, shortcomings and criticisms over decades. The agency has been limited by volatile, insufficient and distorted funding. Its complex governance and limited authority, compounded by political pressure, also compromise the agency's ability to carry out its mandate effectively. In addition, misinformation and disinformation have been obstructing the WHO's action. To address its systemic weaknesses and increase its capacity to overcome evolving challenges, the WHO launched its Transformation Agenda – an ambitious organisational change plan – in 2017. Although the WHO has successfully implemented many actions under its Transformation Agenda, owing to persistent structural weaknesses and newly arising challenges, the agency is still at a critical juncture. The second half of the 2020s is especially difficult for the agency. Following the United States' (US) withdrawal from the WHO, which was initiated in January 2025 and precipitated a sudden US$1.3 billion shortfall, 25 % staff reductions, loss of expertise and programme suspensions, historical vulnerabilities are now amplified to unprecedented levels. Moreover, declining investments in development assistance, including its health component, further intensify the financial pressure. The EU and the WHO enjoy a long-lasting strategic partnership. The EU supports the WHO's Transformation Agenda and contributes to a wide range of WHO programmes, focusing on areas such as UHC, strengthening health systems worldwide, health security, antimicrobial resistance, and enhancing laboratory capacities in Africa. Through its resolutions, the European Parliament has repeatedly expressed its strong support for the agency and called on the Commission and the EU Member States to comply with different WHO measures, initiatives and guidelines. Parliament supports the EU in seeking official observer status at the WHO.
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP