EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg have agreed to guarantee appropriate healthcare for European volunteer doctors and nurses who are contemplating travelling to west Africa to help combat the Ebola virus.
The move comes as the authorities struggle to convince health professionals to join the effort to contain the virus at its source in west Africa.
Ministers have also suggested that if the current outbreak escalated dramatically, the EU may draw up contingency plans for how member states should control air and sea ports.
They also suggested that in such an eventuality, data held by immigration authorities and transport operators could be used to assess "potential arrivals of disease infection".
The virus has so far claimed more than 4,500 lives in the worst affected countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
The World Health Organization estimates that by December there will be up to 10,000 new cases of Ebola per week, with up to 70% of victims dying.
Chronology - Worst Ebola outbreak on record
In a statement, ministers said that health workers who take up frontline positions in the fight against the outbreak will receive treatment "in country" or medical evacuation back to Europe if they contract the virus in the course of their work.
However, the "appropriate care" is guaranteed "within available resources".
After the meeting, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said: "It was agreed that there would be a coordinated effort and that every protection would be given so as to ensure their welfare, safety and health.
"The EU will be engaged and fully involved should the eventuality arise."
The EU is trying to coordinate efforts to contain the epidemic across a range of areas.
Already about €500m has been committed either from the EU budget or by individual member states.
Ireland has provided €16m in aid disbursed through NGOs and the United Nations, but has no specialised aircraft for medical evacuation.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has called on Europe to increase the amount to €1bn.
However, the pressing need to recruit trained medical professionals to help contain the outbreak at source has been hampered by fears among volunteers about the risks of contracting Ebola when treating local victims in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
While European volunteers can be treated "in country", there is a preference for medical evacuation back home or to another appropriate European capital.
One key limitation is the number of aircraft equipped with "air transportable isolators", which will provide for the safe evacuation of those who have contracted the virus.
Only a small number of EU member states, including Britain, France and Germany, are equipped with such aircraft and the ability to receive them in commercial airports.
The European Commission, along with the US State Department, recently signed a contract with US operator Phoenix Air Group, which specialises in medical evacuation.
EU foreign ministers have agreed that member states that can provide specialist aircraft and pilots can attract 100% funding from the EU budget to expand their capacity.
Ministers also agreed to revisit the long-term implications of the epidemic for political stability in a region already wracked by civil war and poverty.
It is understood the EU will examine ways to help rebuild the health systems of the countries worst affected once the current outbreak subsides.
However, EU foreign ministers meeting also acknowledged that member states would need a more coordinated response in terms of passenger screening and visa restrictions, in conjunction with the WHO, if the outbreak in west Africa were to escalate dramatically.
#EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions on #Ebola http://t.co/VW9hLN6IRL #FAC
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In a statement, ministers "stressed the importance of more consultations with a view to coordinating national measures at entry points".
The ministers suggested that in the event of a much greater outbreak, then there could be "common protocols and procedures" at EU level in terms of monitoring entry points or restricting access from affected countries.
The ministers called on member states "to use in full the potential of visa information systems and transport carriers' information to anticipate potential arrivals of disease infection".
Ministers have also stressed that while a range of problems need to be addressed in areas where the outbreaks have taken place, only qualified volunteers should travel to the region.
"International volunteers are welcome, but let me stress, these people should have experience and should have expertise," said Mr Flanagan.
"Obviously it's a matter of huge importance, and it's right and proper that experts, fully qualified personnel, be they in the health area or in other professional areas, be engaged."
Irish charity Concern Worldwide today announced a €36m programme to fight the spread of Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
It is looking for logisticians, healthcare staff and engineers to travel immediately to west Africa.
It will also take over the management of 14 burial teams and two cemeteries in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.
Concern said it will build isolation units at 19 community health centres in Liberia.
Third UN employee dies from Ebola in Sierra Leone
Meanwhile a UN staff member in Sierra Leone has died from Ebola, the third employee from the world organization to die from the deadly virus, the UN spokesman said this evening.
The man, who was a driver for the UN Women agency, passed away at the weekend in Sierra Leone. His spouse is currently receiving treatment.
A Sudanese national who worked as a UN health worker in Liberia died in Germany last week while a Liberian woman died of probable Ebola last month.
Nigeria 'free from Ebola'
The World Health Organisation said today that Nigeria is now free from Ebola after 42 days passed with no new cases reported.
Elsewhere, a Norwegian woman who contracted Ebola while working for Doctors Without Borders in Sierra Leone has recovered, the organisation has said.
Oslo University Hospital said the patient would be discharged from a special unit for highly infectious diseases, where she has been treated since her repatriation from Sierra Leone on 7 October.
The treatment given to the 30-year-old Norwegian woman has not been made public.
Further tests are due this week on the Spanish nurse who contracted Ebola to confirm she is completely free of the disease.
A Spanish government statement said tests on Teresa Romero, who was the first person to contract Ebola outside west Africa, were negative yesterday.
She became ill after caring for two infected priests in a Madrid hospital.
Meanwhile, a UN staff member in Sierra Leone has died from Ebola, the third employee from the world organisation to succumb to the deadly virus.
A UN spokesman said the man passed away at the weekend in Sierra Leone and his spouse is currently receiving treatment.
