ECDC launches ECDC Accession Support Action for EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries
ECDC launches new Accession Support Action for EU candidate countries to strengthen communicable disease capacities to implement EU acquis in surveillance, public health emergency preparedness, and advance One Health responses against antimicrobial resistance, 2026–2029.
On 5 January 2026, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) signed a new contribution agreement with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) to implement the ECDC Accession Support Action with beneficiaries of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI), i.e. Moldova and Ukraine.
ECDC will support partner countries in strengthening their capacities to implement the EU acquis in the areas of communicable disease surveillance, public health emergency preparedness, and One Health approaches to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The funding will be provided under the EU Contribution Agreement No. 700004344.
To officially launch this new phase of cooperation, an online meeting with National ECDC Correspondents from the beneficiary countries was held on 26 January 2026. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine attended.
During the meeting, ECDC presented the objectives of the new Accession Support Action and provided an overview of the activities planned for the coming years. The work plan for 2026 was discussed and clarified with all project beneficiaries to ensure coordinated implementation.
Ahead of the meeting, beneficiary countries were invited to sign Letters of Intent, confirming their interest and commitment to jointly implement activities under the programme during 2026–2029.
