STOCKHOLM, Sept 27 (AFP) - European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne on Monday opened the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control here, saying the new body would make the continent better prepared to face epidemics.
"Outbreaks like SARS in 2003 and bird flu this year have been a wake-up call. Infectious diseases can pose a deadly threat and they do not respect national borders," Byrne said in a statement issued after the opening.
"This new EU agency will enable Europe to be better prepared for whatever new epidemics the 21st century has in store. It also has a crucial role to play in helping us contain the alarming resurgence of HIV-AIDS we are beginning to see in Europe and enabling us to better understand a whole range of lethal diseases," he said.
Sweden was chosen as the seat for the centre during an EU summit in December 2003. It will be responsible for continent-wide disease surveillance as well as helping European countries coordinate their efforts with international partners.
The European Commission will fund the centre with 4.8 million euros in 2005, growing to 29 million euros in 2007.
The new body will have no regulatory powers, but will be aimed at tracing, evaluating and informing the public about current and emerging risks.
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