Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BE READY (Building a European strategic Research and Innovation Area in Direct Synergy with EU and International Initiatives for Pandemic Preparedness)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-11-30
The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated how unilateral research initiatives may lead to a fragmented research landscape and further highlighted the importance of planning and investing in research and innovation before a health crisis occurs. For this purpose, the main goal of BE READY is to build a consolidated European Research and Innovation Area that lays down the foundation for the candidate European partnership for pandemic preparedness.
The expected future European partnership for pandemic preparedness aims to improve the EU’s preparedness to predict and respond to emerging infectious health threats by better coordinating funding for research and innovation at EU, national and regional level towards common objectives and an agreed Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. Such a partnership will contribute to building a coherent European Research Area, enabling Member States, Associated Countries and the European Commission (EC) to rapidly and jointly support research and innovation in pandemic preparedness. Aligned around a multi-annual Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda with common objectives for research and innovation in pandemic preparedness, the prospective partners – in close collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other relevant actors – will boost research in the medium and long-term. The Partnership is expected to build on existing pandemic preparedness networks, and work in synergy with the EC and Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA).
The activities of BE READY are conducted by a group of 26 public organisations from 16 different countries with complementary expertise and policy areas including Public Health Organisations, Ministries of Science, Health and Innovation and Environmental organisations. All partners have a key role in preparedness and response activities in their respective countries.
The outcomes of BE READY are to:
- Establish a consolidated research and innovation framework that provides the foundation of the expected future European partnership for pandemic preparedness, including the Partnership’s scope, objectives, governance and ways of working;
- Foster alignment towards common objectives and a common understanding of the long-term Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the Partnership;
- Ensure the engagement of healthcare providers, national public agencies, European and international stakeholders with the appropriate partners through the research and innovation framework of the partnership.
The activities of BE READY include:
- Developing the strategic research and innovation agenda for pandemic preparedness;
- Building the collaboration framework among future partners of the Partnership;
- Establishing coordination and collaboration with the EC and HERA;
- Actively engage with relevant stakeholders and initiatives in the area of pandemic preparedness at EU and International level.
The expected future European partnership for pandemic preparedness aims to improve the EU’s preparedness to predict and respond to emerging infectious health threats by better coordinating funding for research and innovation at EU, national and regional level towards common objectives and an agreed Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. Such a partnership will contribute to building a coherent European Research Area, enabling Member States, Associated Countries and the European Commission (EC) to rapidly and jointly support research and innovation in pandemic preparedness. Aligned around a multi-annual Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda with common objectives for research and innovation in pandemic preparedness, the prospective partners – in close collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other relevant actors – will boost research in the medium and long-term. The Partnership is expected to build on existing pandemic preparedness networks, and work in synergy with the EC and Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA).
The activities of BE READY are conducted by a group of 26 public organisations from 16 different countries with complementary expertise and policy areas including Public Health Organisations, Ministries of Science, Health and Innovation and Environmental organisations. All partners have a key role in preparedness and response activities in their respective countries.
The outcomes of BE READY are to:
- Establish a consolidated research and innovation framework that provides the foundation of the expected future European partnership for pandemic preparedness, including the Partnership’s scope, objectives, governance and ways of working;
- Foster alignment towards common objectives and a common understanding of the long-term Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the Partnership;
- Ensure the engagement of healthcare providers, national public agencies, European and international stakeholders with the appropriate partners through the research and innovation framework of the partnership.
The activities of BE READY include:
- Developing the strategic research and innovation agenda for pandemic preparedness;
- Building the collaboration framework among future partners of the Partnership;
- Establishing coordination and collaboration with the EC and HERA;
- Actively engage with relevant stakeholders and initiatives in the area of pandemic preparedness at EU and International level.
During the first 18 months of the project the following main actions have been carried out by the partners:
- As a baseline, Needs, gaps, obstacles and weaknesses on pandemic preparedness were identified;
- The Pandemic Preparedness and Response Observatory was set up and is available on the website. This is an inventory per country of policies, strategies, infrastructures, funding mechanisms, actors, authorities and processes in case of a health threat. Country profiles for Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and the Netherlands can be consulted in the observatory. It provides a comprehensive landscape of the preparedness level in each country and therefore a valuable resource.
- BE READY’s Strategic Research and Innovation agenda was prepared and will be shared with stakeholders at the workshop on the 10th January 2024 in Vienna.
- Key stakeholders, related programmes and initiatives, European Partnerships, research infrastructures in basic, preclinical, clinical, data sharing, social and human sciences have been identified.
- As a baseline, Needs, gaps, obstacles and weaknesses on pandemic preparedness were identified;
- The Pandemic Preparedness and Response Observatory was set up and is available on the website. This is an inventory per country of policies, strategies, infrastructures, funding mechanisms, actors, authorities and processes in case of a health threat. Country profiles for Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and the Netherlands can be consulted in the observatory. It provides a comprehensive landscape of the preparedness level in each country and therefore a valuable resource.
- BE READY’s Strategic Research and Innovation agenda was prepared and will be shared with stakeholders at the workshop on the 10th January 2024 in Vienna.
- Key stakeholders, related programmes and initiatives, European Partnerships, research infrastructures in basic, preclinical, clinical, data sharing, social and human sciences have been identified.
BE READY contributes to building a cooperation framework between experts, researchers, scientists, decision-makers in pandemic preparedness across Europe. This structured and strengthened cooperation framework contributes to building interpersonal knowledge and trust which will facilitate the strengthening of collective capacities of health care systems and their ability to act in times of crisis.
The Strategic Research and Innovation agenda, is based on an analysis of gaps, obstacles and weaknesses in pandemic preparedness. It is also a tool to foster international cooperation, synergies between research and health actors, and to align funding for better capacities in preparing and preventing health threats.
The Strategic Research and Innovation agenda, is based on an analysis of gaps, obstacles and weaknesses in pandemic preparedness. It is also a tool to foster international cooperation, synergies between research and health actors, and to align funding for better capacities in preparing and preventing health threats.