EU Initiative on Health Security

Work Package 1: Workforce-oriented capacity-building (MediPIET)

Expected result 1: Continuation and further development of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (MediPIET) as Field Epidemiology Training Programme

Key deliverables

• Training resources and needs analysis;
• Training of two successive cohorts of fellows to support field epidemiology capacity in the partner countries;
• Strengthening the MediPIET network, by promoting ownership and maintaining quality of training;
• Digitalisation of MediPIET training modules through the use of existing ECDC online platforms; and
• Increasing sustainability by creating a training cascade effect in the partner countries.

Work Package 2: Epidemic intelligence, risk assessment, preparedness and response

Expected result 2: Stronger countries’ systems and capacities necessary to effectively assess, detect, respond, and prevent threats from communicable diseases.

Expected result 3: Enhanced regional cooperation in the field of preparedness, response, and emergency operations.

Key deliverables

• Conducting assessments of partner country capacities following procedures and methodologies of ECDC;
• Strengthening Epidemic Intelligence in partner countries;
• Empowering partner country experts to perform comprehensive Risk Assessment; and
• Raising the level of preparedness and coherence of response to Public Health Emergencies.

Work Package 3: Integration into ECDC systems, knowledge-sharing, and networking

Expected result 4: Progressive integration of the partner countries in the work of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Key deliverables

• Integration of partner countries into ECDC systems;
• Observership for annual ECDC meetings of National Focal Points for public health functions; and
• Knowledge-sharing on topics related to Public Health.

Project partners

Southern Neighbourhood (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine*, and Tunisia), Eastern Neighbourhood (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and EU Enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo**, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Türkiye).

* This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

**This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

Background

The EU Initiative on Health Security aims at protecting EU neighbours’ citizens against cross-border health threats posed by communicable diseases, to strengthen partner countries’ and institutional mechanisms to respond to health threats and support cross-border cooperation between the EU and partner countries on health security threats of common interest through exchange of information, best practices and lessons learnt.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has been working together with EU Member States, EEA countries and public health partners to strengthen Europe`s defences against current and emerging threats to human health posed by infectious diseases for more than a decade.

In an increasingly interconnected world, protecting EU citizens against the threat of communicable diseases represents a particular challenge as in such an environment, the epidemiological situation outside the EU/EEA and the security of people in Europe are increasingly interlinked.

The total founding provided by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations) is 9 million EUR.

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