Vulnerable groups and medical staff should be the first to be vaccinated against swine flu, according to a list of recommendations agreed to by EU experts.
Member states would still be able to adapt their national vaccination strategies according to their specific needs.
Following a series of meetings in Brussels, EU experts from the 27 member states agreed priority should be given to three most vulnerable groups across the EU in the light of scientific evidence and advice from the European Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation.
According to the European Commission, vaccination should first be administered to those from six months old with underlying chronic conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and persons with congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, starting with those "with the most severe symptoms".
Priority will also be given to medical staff and pregnant women.
Once these priority groups are vaccinated, the process unfolds until the national targets are met, according to the recommendations. Almost all member states have decided what percentage of the population should be vaccinated.
Malta's national strategy targets the entire population. However, if the vaccine is not initially available for everyone, the priority groups established by the EU will be followed.
EU experts said the identified priority groups were only "indicative" and could be adjusted by member states according to the health situation and resources available.
At first, it was mooted that young persons and children should be prioritised but EU experts did not accept this. In contrast, the US - the country most affected by H1N1 -has placed those aged from six months to 24 years in a priority group for vaccination.
In the EU, the UK, the European country most affected with 12,957 infected, of whom 59 have died, has identified a priority group of 11 million people, including 2.1 million engaged in the health and social services.
France (1,125 cases and 10 deaths); Spain (1,538 cases and 16 deaths); and the Netherlands (1,473 cases and two deaths) plan to vaccinate high risk groups first. Spain may also add primary school teachers to this list. The Czech Republic (237 cases, no deaths) is only targeting doctors, nurses and other public health employees for now.
Clinical trials for vaccines against the pandemic flu are in full swing across the world and laboratories said these will soon be on the market but in quantities too small to meet demand in the first months. According to WHO, 25 laboratories are working on the vaccine's production.