The European Union (EU) said in a statement Friday that a sustained, coordinated and increased response is required to curb current Ebola trends.

The statement, released by the European Council after an EU summit, said that additional assistance is needed to scale up the response on the ground, notably medical care and equipment as well as reinforced exit screening.

It puts the use of the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Center as a clearing house mechanism for the deployment of voluntary health experts as a priority.

The European Council also calls for developing a package of measures to address the wider political, security and economic implications of the Ebola crisis in West Africa, in that the scale of the epidemic is a threat not only to the economy and the stability of the affected countries, but also to the region as a whole.

The statement clearly noted that helping West Africa to cope with the crisis is the most effective way to prevent a serious outbreak of the disease elsewhere, including the EU.

Following the first confirmed case of Ebola infections in Europe, the statement also emphasized that the state of preparedness within the EU and further work to protect EU countries and their citizens are of utmost importance.

It urges adoption of precautionary measures to reduce risks of contagion, including coordinated preventive actions within the EU, such as sharing of information and best practices, training of health professionals and possibly entry screening.

The EU appointed the incoming Commissioner Christos Stylianides as EU Ebola coordinator, with a view to further reinforcing the EU Ebola response capacity, who will work with EU institutions, member states, the UN and other international organizations and stakeholders. Endit

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