BE READY – Building a European Strategic Research and Innovation Area for Pandemic Preparedness

BE READY (Building a European strategic Research and innovation Area in Direct Synergy with EU and international initiatives for pandemic preparedness) is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) funded under Horizon Europe. The project started on 1^st of June 2022 for a duration of 36 months.

The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed and further highlighted the importance of planning and investing in research and innovation well before a health crisis occurs.

The main goal of BE READY is to build a consolidated European Research and Innovation Area that provides the foundation for a candidate European partnership for pandemic preparedness. The project improves the EU’s ability to predict and respond to emerging health threats by better coordinating research and innovation funding at the EU, national, and regional levels, working toward common objectives and an agreed Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).

The partnership is expected to build on existing pandemic preparedness networks and work in synergy with the Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA), in close collaboration with ECDC, EMA, and other relevant European and international actors.

BE READY brings together 25 organizations from 16 countries, including public health organizations, ministries (Science, University, Health, Innovation, Environment), and research institutions, ensuring a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary Global Health and One Health approach.

BE READY focuses on 6 core objectives:

• ENGAGE prospective partners to align on scope, objectives, governance and opearationalisations
• ELABORATE a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for pandemic preparedness
• CONSOLIDATE the future European partnership on pandemic preparedness
• ENSURE complementarity, coordination and collaboration with HERA and other key European institutions
• INVOLVE relevant stakeholders and initiatives to coordinate efforts and avoid duplication at national and international levels
• RAISE AWARENESS on the importance of pandemic preparedness outside and during epidemic and pandemic episodes

BE READY is structured into 3 core pillars, each comprising dedicated Work Packages (WPs):

• Pillar 1: Building the Partnership
  • WP1: Management and Secretariat
  • WP2: Development of Partnership Proposal
• Pillar 2: Developing the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)
  • WP3: Research and Health
  • WP4: Health & Bio-Tech Research and Innovation
• Pillar 3: Synergies and Engagement
  • WP5: Cooperation with the European Commission & HERA
  • WP6: Synergies and EU-International Alignment
  • WP7: Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication

BE READY brings together a network of 24 leading organizations across 15 countries, ensuring a comprehensive and collaborative approach to pandemic preparedness.

BE READY Partners

• ANRS | Emerging Infectious Diseases/INSERM (France)
• Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (Spain)
• Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca (MUR) (Italy)
• Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (Italy)
• Ministero della Salute (IT MOH) (Italy)
• Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) (Italy)
• Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH (AGES) (Austria)
• Department Economy, Science and Innovation of the Flemish Government / Vlaamse Gewest (VLO EWI) (Belgium)
• Service Public Fédéral Santé Publique, Sécurité de la Chaine Alimentaire et Environnement (SPF Santé) (Belgium)
• Statens Serum Institut (SSI) (Denmark)
• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR), on behalf of Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) (Germany)
• Nemzeti Kutatasi Fejlesztesi es Innovacios Hivatal (NKFIH) (Hungary)
• Université du Luxembourg (uni.Lu) (Luxembourg)
• Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS) (Luxembourg)
• Folkehelseinstituttet (NIPH) (Norway)
• Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego Pzh – Panstwowy Instytut Badawczy (NIZP-PZH) (Poland)
• Instituto Nacional De Saude Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) (Portugal)
• Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (AICIB) (Portugal)
• Swedish Research Council (Sweden)
• The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) (Netherlands)
• National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) (Netherlands)
• Université d’Anvers (UANTWERPEN) (Belgium)
• Inserm Transfert (IT) (France)
• United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) (United Kingdom)
• Sweden’s Innovation Agency (Vinnova) (Sweden)

• Developing a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for pandemic preparedness
• Establishing governance and operational frameworks for future research coordination
• Strengthening synergies between EU institutions, national authorities, and international partners
• Laying the foundation for the European partnership for pandemic preparedness.
• BE READY PLUS will build upon these efforts, expanding participation, enhancing collaboration, and advancing pandemic preparedness strategies across Europe

As BE READY concludes in May 2025, it laid the groundwork for BE READY PLUS by providing key outcomes and a strong foundation for future European pandemic preparedness efforts.

The BE READY website was deactivated at the end of April 2025. Key elements such as the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Observatory, and News updates have been integrated into the BE READY PLUS website to ensure continuity and accessibility of essential resources.

For more information about BE READY and how to get involved, please contact us: info@beready4pandemics.eu