Pandemic preparedness

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed weaknesses in the ability of the Union and its Member States to respond quickly and effectively to such an unprecedented health emergency. Therefore, the Commission is stepping up its efforts in supporting the Union’s ability to respond to serious cross-border threats.

Member States agreed to step up their coordination in the area of pandemic preparedness research and aim to establish a European partnership on pandemic preparedness. A dedicated coordination support action[[HORIZON-HLTH-2021-DISEASE-04-06: Building a European partnership for pandemic preparedness]] will help develop a common long-term Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for such a partnership.

A key component for the European Health Union will be the establishment of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) for which the Commission will put forward a legislative proposal by the end of 2021. It should build on experiences dealing with COVID-19, SARS and influenza, and consider emerging biological threats to human health, e.g. in the context of climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss.

This topic aims to contribute and complement both of these initiatives, notably by addressing priority research and innovation gaps also identified by Member States and that would contribute and support the establishment and work of a potential future Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

Research focussing on ‘pathogen X’ from threat assessment, horizon scanning for the identification of potential medical countermeasures and innovative technologies, including the development of standardised research protocols would be in the scope of this topic.