Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BE READY (Building a European strategic Research and Innovation Area in Direct Synergy with EU and International Initiatives for Pandemic Preparedness)
Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31
The COVID-19 pandemic showed that unilateral research leads to fragmented preparedness. It also highlighted the need to plan and invest in research and innovation before a health crisis occurs. BE READY’s main objective was to start building a unified European Research and Innovation Area as a foundation for the future European partnership for pandemic preparedness.
The future partnership aims to improve the EU’s ability to predict and respond to health threats by better coordinating research and innovation at EU, national and regional levels. This will enable Member States, Associated Countries and the European Commission to rapidly and jointly support research and innovation in pandemic preparedness, aligned around a multi-annual Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). Working with ECDC, EMA and other relevant actors, the Partnership will boost research and preparedness capacity, build on existing networks, and work in synergy with the EC, DG Research and Innovation, DG SANTE, and HERA.
BE READY brought together 25 public organisations from 16 countries with expertise spanning public health, science, health and innovation ministries, funding agencies and environmental bodies, all playing key roles in preparedness and response in their countries.
Outcomes of BE READY:
- Establishment of a consolidated research and innovation framework forming the foundation for the future Partnership, including its scope, objectives, governance and operational methods.
- Fostering alignment towards common objectives and a shared vision for the long-term SRIA.
- Ensuring engagement of healthcare providers, national public agencies and European/international stakeholders within the framework.
Activities included:
- Developing the SRIA for pandemic preparedness.
- Building the cooperation framework among future partners.
- Establishing coordination with the EC and HERA.
- Engaging with stakeholders and initiatives at EU and international levels.
The future partnership aims to improve the EU’s ability to predict and respond to health threats by better coordinating research and innovation at EU, national and regional levels. This will enable Member States, Associated Countries and the European Commission to rapidly and jointly support research and innovation in pandemic preparedness, aligned around a multi-annual Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). Working with ECDC, EMA and other relevant actors, the Partnership will boost research and preparedness capacity, build on existing networks, and work in synergy with the EC, DG Research and Innovation, DG SANTE, and HERA.
BE READY brought together 25 public organisations from 16 countries with expertise spanning public health, science, health and innovation ministries, funding agencies and environmental bodies, all playing key roles in preparedness and response in their countries.
Outcomes of BE READY:
- Establishment of a consolidated research and innovation framework forming the foundation for the future Partnership, including its scope, objectives, governance and operational methods.
- Fostering alignment towards common objectives and a shared vision for the long-term SRIA.
- Ensuring engagement of healthcare providers, national public agencies and European/international stakeholders within the framework.
Activities included:
- Developing the SRIA for pandemic preparedness.
- Building the cooperation framework among future partners.
- Establishing coordination with the EC and HERA.
- Engaging with stakeholders and initiatives at EU and international levels.
In the second period, BE READY:
- Prepared and submitted a draft proposal for the European Partnership, including scope, vision, objectives, impact and activities, to the EC on 12 April 2024.
- Invited all EU Member States and Associated Countries to bilateral meetings with BE READY, DG RTD and HERA to discuss the Partnership’s scope and build the future consortium. 20 meetings took place between April and July 2024.
- Developed and published country fiches based on questionnaires mapping national strategies, policies, and infrastructures in pandemic preparedness, providing a valuable resource (available on BE READY PLUS Observatory).
- Adopted a consolidated SRIA (post-public consultation) on 25 March 2025 (Expert Group) and 8 April 2025 (consortium). Key stakeholders, related programmes, initiatives, European Partnerships, and infrastructures in research and data sharing were identified to align efforts.
- Prepared and submitted a draft proposal for the European Partnership, including scope, vision, objectives, impact and activities, to the EC on 12 April 2024.
- Invited all EU Member States and Associated Countries to bilateral meetings with BE READY, DG RTD and HERA to discuss the Partnership’s scope and build the future consortium. 20 meetings took place between April and July 2024.
- Developed and published country fiches based on questionnaires mapping national strategies, policies, and infrastructures in pandemic preparedness, providing a valuable resource (available on BE READY PLUS Observatory).
- Adopted a consolidated SRIA (post-public consultation) on 25 March 2025 (Expert Group) and 8 April 2025 (consortium). Key stakeholders, related programmes, initiatives, European Partnerships, and infrastructures in research and data sharing were identified to align efforts.
BE READY built a cooperation framework connecting experts, researchers, and policymakers across Europe in pandemic preparedness. This structured collaboration strengthened trust, facilitating health systems’ collective capacity to act during crises.
It issued the first consolidated SRIA on pandemic preparedness, identifying gaps and weaknesses and aligning funding and strategies to enhance capacities for preparedness and prevention of health threats. The SRIA fosters international cooperation and synergies between research and health actors, ensuring readiness for future challenges.
It issued the first consolidated SRIA on pandemic preparedness, identifying gaps and weaknesses and aligning funding and strategies to enhance capacities for preparedness and prevention of health threats. The SRIA fosters international cooperation and synergies between research and health actors, ensuring readiness for future challenges.