The European Union will create its agency for biomedical research, Reuters reported referring to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

She also said that the EU will convene a global health summit in Italy next year to better prepare for future pandemics. Von der Leyen said she would propose strengthening the European Medicines Agency and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and the creation of a European agency for advanced biomedical research and development.

“And because this was a global crisis we need to learn the global lessons. This is why, along with Prime Minister Conte and the Italian G20 Presidency, I will convene a global health summit next year in Italy,” she said told EU lawmakers in her annual ‘state of the union’ address.