The EU is responsible for ensuring that safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines reach the public in the EU/EEA. The European Commission authorises COVID-19 vaccines, after evaluation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and consultation with the EU Member States. The first vaccines were given at the end of 2020.

COVID-19 is the disease associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is a new strain of coronavirus that had not been identified in humans prior to December 2019. There are different types of coronaviruses and, although they mostly circulate among animals, some can also infect humans.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted loss of human life, serious illness, and social and economic disruption across the European Union (EU) and worldwide. Safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 can protect individuals from becoming ill, especially healthcare professionals and vulnerable populations, such as older people and people with long-term diseases.