Foreword The coronavirus pandemic poses an unprecedented collective challenge to the right to life and to health for people living in the European Union (EU). The wide-ranging measures Member State governments are putting in place to control the spread of the virus have changed daily life in ways that were unthinkable at the start of 2020. In taking swift steps to limit infection rates, governments are seeking to fulfill their obligations to protect the population. The current situation powerfully underlines that human rights and public health are not an ‘either/or’ choice. We know from experience in responding to other epidemics that public health measures that respect human rights will prove to the most effective in terms of health outcomes. In our responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, we can look to each other – across Member States – for a joined-up response that draws on best practices from across our Union. We can also draw on experience gained from previous crises: both the things we got right and the mistakes we made can teach us useful lessons for this fight. I hope that in showcasing just some of the efforts of those who are embarking on effective, rights-respectful responses to COVID-19, this report can support policymakers across the EU to ensure that measures to control the pandemic reflect the fundamental rights protections. Public health responses to COVID-19 are constantly changing in light of changing circumstances. These measures, to the extent that they restrict rights need to be rigorously assessed in terms of their necessity, proportionality and respect for the principle of non-discrimination. While COVID-19 affects all of us, we need to recognise that our populations are not homogeneous. Certain individuals and groups are particularly vulnerable during the pandemic including because of their overall health and socio-economic situation. This includes older persons, Roma, asylum seekers, and persons with disabilities, to name just a few. A human and fundamental rights approach to the pandemic will ensure that they remain to the forefront of our attention so that government measures respond to the needs of our populations in all their diversity. Michael O’Flaherty Director 5