European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

The EU Health Security Initiative (2020-2025)

Better Preparedness Today Saves Lives Tomorrow

Strengthening health security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions through regional cooperation

The EU Initiative on Health Security

The COVID-19 pandemic claimed over 6.9 million lives and disrupted economies, education, and societies worldwide, exposing vulnerabilities in public health systems and showing how quickly threats can cross borders.

6.9
million lives lost worldwide (WHO)
500
million confirmed cases accross all regions
$
12
trillion economic loss globally (2020–2024) (IMF estimates)

As part of the EU’s efforts to address the challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent health emergencies, the EU Initiative on Health Security was established to:

  • Strengthen regional collaboration
  • Enhance public health systems
  • Improve preparedness
  • Coordinated responses to future cross-border health threats

Through the Initiative, ECDC’s regional collaboration was enhanced and extended to neighbouring countries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, supporting a more coordinated approach to communicable disease threats.

Protecting health requires collaboration, coordination, and a strong regional and global response.

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professionals reached through capacity building events
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training, workshops, conferences and train-the-trainers events organised

Our goals

    Build a skilled and connected workforce (The Mediterranean and Black Sea Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training - MediPIET)

    Advancing field epidemiology training, promoting knowledge exchange, and deepening trust among EU candidate, potential candidate, and neighbourhood partner countries.

    Boost regional preparedness and response

    Strengthening cross-border collaboration, institutional capacity, and emergency coordination to address health threats effectively.

    Strengthen regional cooperation for long-term resilience

    Supporting lasting partnerships and systems to enhance health security and safeguard public health into the future.

Our focus

Workforce capacity-building

Workforce capacity-building

Training epidemiologists, developing digital tools, and sharing knowledge across partner countries.

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Workforce capacity-building

  • A two-year “learning by doing” advanced training (FETP)
  • Training of trainers & alumni network
  • Regional collaboration & knowledge exchange
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Epidemic intelligence & preparedness

Epidemic intelligence & preparedness

Strengthening detection, risk assessment, and emergency response to communicable diseases.

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Epidemic intelligence & preparedness

  • Capacity strengthening in epidemic intelligence, risk assessment, and response
  • Enhanced preparedness planning for communicable disease threats
  • Regional cooperation and tailored support to partner countries
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Integration & networking

Integration & networking

Linking partner countries with ECDC systems and sharing public health knowledge.

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Integration & networking

  • Fosters collaboration between EU and neighbouring countries
  • Supports expert exchanges on key public health challenges
  • Strengthens cross-border trust and long-term resilience
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Who's involved?

From the Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood to EU Enlargement countries, the initiative spanned 21 nations working side by side for stronger health security.

Funded with €9 million by the European Commission the initiative helped partner countries strengthen systems, share best practices, and protect people’s health.

Southern Neighbourhood

Algeria flagAlgeriaEgypt flagEgyptIsrael flagIsraelJordan flagJordanLebanon flagLebanonLibya flagLibyaMorocco flagMoroccoPalestine* flagPalestine*Tunisia flagTunisia

Eastern Neighbourhood

Armenia flagArmeniaAzerbaijan flagAzerbaijanGeorgia flagGeorgiaMoldova flagMoldovaUkraine flagUkraine

EU Enlargement

Albania flagAlbaniaBosnia and Herzegovina flagBosnia and HerzegovinaKosovo** flagKosovo**Montenegro flagMontenegroNorth Macedonia flagNorth MacedoniaSerbia flagSerbiaTürkiye flagTürkiye

Stronger together

Pillar 1

Workforce capacity-building

  • Developed new generations of trained field epidemiologists ready to respond to cross-border health threats.
  • Strengthened regional networks to ensure coordinated action during outbreaks.
  • Aligned national capacities more closely with EU health-security systems and standards.
  • Enhanced cooperation across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea to build a resilient public-health workforce.
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MediPIET fellows graduated
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junior and mid-career professionals trained
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senior experts trained in Training of Trainer activities
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outbreaks investigated
Pillar 2

Epidemic intelligence & preparedness

  • Strengthened capacities for early-warning and epidemic intelligence to enable quicker detection of health threats.
  • Enhanced preparedness planning and outbreak simulation exercises to improve emergency preparedness and response.
  • Expanded risk assessment and forecasting skills to support evidence-based public-health action.
  • Fostered collaboration and information exchange to strengthen regional epidemic preparedness.
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training events and workshops
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bilateral meetings and workshops
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professionals trained and engaged
Pillar 3

Networking & knowledge sharing

  • Shared knowledge and experience to strengthen surveillance, prevention, and response capacities.
  • Built lasting cross-border networks to improve preparedness and public health cooperation between the EU and neighbouring regions.
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exchange visits
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experts from EU and European Neighourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries involved
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topics covered, including food & waterborne outbreaks, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Turning collaboration into action

From tackling infodemics to confronting climate-related health challenges, these workshops showcase how regional collaboration is driving real imporvements in health security across the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.

Workshop strengthens readiness for climate-sensitive infectious disease threats

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Experts from Egypt and other Southern Neighbourhood Policy countries assessed how climate change is shifting infectious disease risks. They worked on tools and strategies, such as early warning systems, vulnerability assessments and green health practices, strengthening the region’s capacity for prevention, detection and response to climate-related health threats.

ECDC workshop strengthens infodemic management capacity

Djerba, Tunisia
This workshop strengthened infodemic management capacities in the North African region, equipping public health professionals with practical tools to counter misinformation and safeguard trust in national authorities during health crises.

ECDC and Egypt organise a landmark conference on the progress towards hepatitis C elimination

Cairo, Egypt
By promoting cross-regional exchange and advancing evidence-based strategies to eliminate hepatitis C, this conference made a tangible contribution to the EU Initiative on Health Security’s mission to strengthen preparedness and response to shared health threats in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood region.

COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Studies in Lebanon, Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia

Fellows conducted vaccine effectiveness studies for COVID-19, providing real-time data that informed national vaccination strategies. These studies based on standardised WHO protocols, have directly impacted national vaccination policies, helping shape effective immunization programs during the pandemic.

Evaluation of vaccine-preventable disease surveillance in Armenia, Georgia, Palestine, Kosovo and Albania

Fellows conducted a comprehensive evaluation of their national surveillance systems, including surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections, acute flaccid paralysis, COVID-19 and hepatitis B. These evaluations enabled improvements to the respective systems and provided better evidence to inform vaccination policies.

Setting up frontline Field Epidemiology Training (FETP) programmes in Georgia, Lebanon, Libya and Tunisia

Fellows supported the establishment of frontline, three-month Field Epidemiology Training Programmes (FETPs) in their respective countries and served as mentors to participating field workers. Through this approach, MediPIET has contributed to building national capacity for detecting and responding to emerging public health emergencies.

Workshop builds capacity for epidemic intelligence & public-health risk assessment

Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Public-health professionals from Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia met with experts from ECDC and partner institutions to bolster skills in detecting, assessing and responding to emerging health threats. They engaged in hands-on training with ECDC-methodologies for epidemic intelligence and rapid risk assessment, and fostered regional cooperation to strengthen cross-border readiness.

Study visit on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and infection prevention and control (IPC)

Stockholm, Sweden
Health experts from Egypt, Georgia and Tunisia joined ECDC specialists to exchange practices on antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention and control, enhancing cross-country collaboration and capacity to address AMR threats.

ECDC, Cyprus and Egypt strengthen collaborative ties in HIV prevention and control

Cairo, Egypt
ECDC, together with Cyprus and Egypt, joined forces to enhance HIV prevention and control efforts through knowledge exchange and joint initiatives, reinforcing regional capacity and partnership in addressing HIV.
See Work Programme 2025

"The MediPIET fellowship played a crucial role in shaping my skills and experience, which have been instrumental in my work on the digitalisation initiative in Albania."

Jonilda Sulopublic health professional, Albania

"The MediPIET experience has given me the opportunity to collaborate with national and regional stakeholders, learning from their invaluable expertise, building lasting professional relationships, and reaffirming my commitment to improving public health in Tunisia."

Ines Cherifmedical doctor, Tunisia

"As well as gaining practical skills in epidemic intelligence, I’ve learned to analyse health data to make informed decisions that could influence public health. I look forward to applying these skills to my work in Palestine."

Subhi AlshaerMediPIET fellow, Palestine*
Watch testimonials from fellows and experts ›

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*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.