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The EU should come up with a detailed action plan to combat the spread of the Ebola virus, Development Committee MEPs told Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides on Monday, after he briefed them on his four-day trip to the affected countries. MEPs highlighted the need to invest in these countries' health systems and not to reduce the EU humanitarian aid budget.

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management and EU Coordinator on Ebola Christos Stylianidessaid his trip had both a symbolic and a practical objective. Expressing his sympathy for all the medical staff working on the ground he set out the differing needs each of the three countries - Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone - and stressed that all need enhanced regional cooperation. He promised to come forward in the coming days with a list of concrete steps to be taken and said the EU should also pay attention to the post-Ebola phase where a Marshall plan will be needed to help these countries to recover.

Committee Chair Linda McAvan (S&D, UK) asked Mr Stylianides to put in place an action plan with a timetable of all concrete actions to be taken. She agreed on the need to put the countries' health systems back on track.

Development Committee rapporteur on Ebola Charles Goerens (ALDE, LU), criticised the Council for being late to act and raised the issue of EU funding, saying that "if we fail due to lack of funding we will all pay a high price for that". Mr Goerens congratulated Mr Stylianides on his appointment as EU coordinator and said that Parliament "will be happy to follow his line".

You can watch the debate as a recorded event via the link to the right.