Exchange Visit on Article 6
The aim of the EPIC11 project is to develop an EU preparedness training programme that responds to the needs of PPR planners, managers and practitioners and addresses current gaps in EU Member States and EEA countries in relation to PPR planning. The EPIC11 project is implemented by a consortium made up of GFA Consulting Group GmbH (GFA), the KIT Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) and Think Modular (TM).
The overall project vision is to strengthen PPR capacities for future public health emergencies within and across countries through training. The EU Preparedness Training Programme will support EU Member States and EEA countries to:
- Build knowledge and skills for more resilient emergency management.
- Strengthen communication, collaboration, and coordination within and between countries.
The foundation of the EU preparedness training programme is a multi-hazard approach to health threats in a cross-sectoral and cross-border setting, focusing on serious cross-border threats to health. This training programme will complementary and build on existing training programmes developed and managed by ECDC, World Health Organization (WHO), EC Directorates-General (DG), as well as joint actions, various EU level projects, universities, training institutes and national institutions.[A2]
Prevention, preparedness, and response planning (PPR planning) is essential for effective monitoring, early warning, and combating of serious cross-border threats to health. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need to enhance PPR planning for SCBTH, both at national level and Union level. The Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on SCBTH enforces national-level PPR planning through regular reporting and assessment of national plans. Additionally, the SCBTH regulation describes the training of healthcare and public health staff and the development of a Union PPR plan.
According to Article 6 of the Regulation, when preparing national PPR plans, “Member States shall liaise with each other within the Health Security Committee (HSC) and coordinate with the Commission in order to seek coherence with the Union PPR plan to the largest possible extent.” While preparing their plans, “Member States may also consult, where relevant, patient organizations, healthcare professionals’ organizations, industry and supply chain stakeholders, as well as national social partners.” National PPR plans may include elements relating to governance, capacities, and resources. The regulation puts special emphasis on collaboration in cross-border regions and across sectors.
WHO promotes PPR planning through the National Action Planning for Health Security (NAPHS), which is a country-owned, multi-year planning process based on One Health, all-hazards, whole-of-government approach. The NAPHS strategy encourages Member States and EEA countries to use existing health security capacity development plans and ensure alignment with the broader national health strategy, planning, and budgeting cycles to enhance investment opportunities from domestic and international budgetary allocations for health security.
Aims and Objectives
Aims
The aim of an exchange visit is to strengthen PPR planning by:
- Learning from best practices.
- Sharing experiences and lessons learned.
- Fostering networks and cross-border collaboration.
This Exchange Visit aims to exchange knowledge and best practices on preparedness systems and response mechanisms implemented by different countries, and to learn from best practices. The meetings will facilitate the sharing of experiences on PPR planning at national level and support networking of national competent authorities responsible for developing and implementing these plans. Additionally, the Exchange Visit aims to discuss and exchange challenges and opportunities in the development and implementation of PPR plans. The visit will also strengthen cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration through improved PPR planning. Finally, the visit aims to foster collaboration, communication, and cross-border partnerships among countries, thereby enhancing collective responses to health emergencies and nurturing a growing Community of Practice network that supports ongoing learning, collaboration, and exchange among health experts.
Objectives
The Meeting on EU/EEA countries’ PPR Plans has been requested by the EU/EEA countries to provide a platform to facilitate discussions and exchange experiences on PPR plans. Country experts working on national PPR plans can exchange their experiences in developing, revising, and implementing these plans from three different aspects or provide their suggestions:
- Managing the process of developing and revising national PPR plans.
- Governance of PPR planning.
- Evidence-based PPR planning.
The meeting is designed to benefit EU/EEA countries in different phases of the planning cycle, from early adopters to planning champions. At the same time, these face-to-face meetings will encourage and enhance collaboration and cooperation across borders. Besides the plenary sessions, the meeting also foresees scenario-based group discussions on biological, chemical, environmental, and unknown threats. The meetings will also support the development of the Union PPR Plan, Article 5 of the same Regulation.
Methodology
The exchange visit follows a participatory approach, promoting the exchange of experiences among different countries and participants. The aim is to engage the audience in meaningful discussions, allowing them to ask questions, share insights, and provide feedback on the presented structures and plans.
The programme comprises presentations from countries and subject matter experts, group discussions, plenary discussions, and experience sharing.
Target Audience
In total 50 experts from EU member states and EEA countries will be invited to participate. Participation in the EPH2024 conference is not required.
The target audience includes:
- Mid-level managers and experts from public health and civil protection sectors involved in policy-making activities in prevention, preparedness, and response,
- Risk managers, planners, and senior-level officials within the national healthcare sector,
- Other relevant stakeholders in the health emergency management field.