Pandemic Preparedness and Response Observatory
The Observatory serves as a comprehensive resource for tracking and analysing Research & Innovation (R&I) efforts in pandemic preparedness and response across EU Member States and Associated Countries. It provides structured country profiles detailing national policies, strategies, infrastructures, funding mechanisms, and key stakeholders involved in health threat preparedness. Initiated under the BE READY project and expanded through BE READY PLUS, the Observatory ensures close collaboration with the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), the European Commission’s DG Research & Innovation, and other EU institutions. By mapping ongoing initiatives and fostering synergies, the Observatory contributes to a coordinated European response to future health crises.
Expanding beyond biomedical research, the Observatory will integrate insights from Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and embraces a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. It compiles information from Horizon Europe-funded projects, national and international initiatives, and overarching institutions. By continuously updating and broadening its scope, the Observatory lays the foundation for a searchable online database, facilitating knowledge-sharing and strategic collaboration in pandemic preparedness and response.
Austria
Austria is a federal state with a bottom-up funding system and no specific dedicated funding schemes for research within pandemic preparedness. Austria has specific PP research infrastructure, National Reference Centres & Reference Laboratories to monitor animal and human pathogens.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria participates in the process of development of the WHO pandemic instrument and is still working on the legal framework in regard to translational medicine and clinical trials.
Cyprus
During the COVID pandemic, the Cyprus Ministry of Health was in charge of various actions.
Czech Republic
The Czech Recovery and Resilience Plan funds research & development consortia in the areas of infectious diseases.
Denmark
Denmark has set “Better health – global and local health threats” as research priority area in the RESEARCH2025-catalogue.
Estonia
Estonia a very small and agile country organised a whole-of-government response to COVID-19 with scientific guidance from a scientific advisory board.
Finland
Finland has a strategic research programme that focuses on the crises caused by pandemics and their wide-ranging social impacts.
France
France has a national acceleration strategy for “Emerging infectious diseases and nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical threats”(MIE-MN).
Greece
The recent pandemic showed that interdisciplinary teams are needed for addressing emerging threats. Greece is implementing policies to fortify its preparedness for future shocks.
Ireland
The Irish Department of Health Statement of Research Priorities 2023-2025 includes a specific section on health systems Resilience and Pandemic Preparedness.
Italy
In Italy, in case of an outbreak, the institutional agencies Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of University & Research (MUR), National Research Council (CNR), are activated for R&I.
Norway
In Norway, pandemic centres play an important role in establishing collaboration and synergies and preparing society for future pandemics.
Poland
COVID-19 pandemic has proven, that Polish financing institutions supported research on various levels -basic, clinical research, innovation projects with funds reallocated to needed purposes.
Portugal
Portugal has a programme for the prevention and control of infections and antimicrobial resistance.
Romania
In Romania, in case of an emergency, all specialized national research and development institutes and universities will be mobilized under the coordination of both the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation and the Ministry of Health.
Slovenia
Throughout the pandemic, the response to COVID-19 has been coordinated at the national level. Slovenia has a Biosafety Stage 3 Pathogenic Microorganism Research Infrastructure Centre (IC BSL-3+)
Sweden
Sweden has a ten-year national research programme in viruses and pandemics, part of the Government’s long-term strategy and action plan to counteract and reduce virus outbreaks and pandemics.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a decentralised state. Flexible funding during emergencies is possible : Two National Research Programmes were launched to answer the challenges related to COVID19.
The Netherlands
In The Netherlands, various actors work actively on pandemic preparedness and response.
United Kingdom
In 2023, government funders of health research and related partners across all four nations developed a cross-government research and development framework and governance structure for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
