Improving paediatric immunisation coverage rates: a position paper of the European Academy of Paediatrics

The European Academy of Paediatrics reaffirms its strong support for comprehensive childhood immunisation programmes. At a time when vaccine hesitancy, policy instability, and funding gaps threaten established achievements, public health policy must remain firmly grounded in scientific evidence, transparency, and ethical responsibility. Based on established evidence and current post-pandemic data, we urgently endorse Europe-wide harmonised surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases, interoperable Immunisation Information Systems (IIS), and a Pan-European standard for digital vaccination records or routine measurement of vaccine confidence and access barriers; and equity-focused catch-up immunisation for under-immunised groups. Investment is also needed in training and tools that equip paediatricians and all other healthcare professionals involved in immunisation to build confidence in vaccination. Coordinated, multilingual public information campaigns should proactively counter misinformation and visibly align political decisions with scientific evidence.