ECDC marks its 20-year anniversary with key milestones and future perspectives in a changing landscape

The event highlights the Agency’s achievements over the past two decades and will feature discussions on the future of public health in Europe and ECDC’s role in promoting health security.

‘Health security is a cornerstone of Europe’s future’, says ECDC Director, Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner. ‘Investing in public health saves lives, strengthens our economies, and builds trust in our societies, continues Dr Rendi-Wagner.

In addition to ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner, speakers at the event include:

• Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare
• Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management
• Jakob Forssmed, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Sweden
• Petter Iversen, Brigadier General, Chair for the Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services at NATO
• Marion Koopmans, Professor, Scientific Director of the Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Centre at Erasmus Medical Centre
• Henrik Ullum, Professor, Chief Executive Officer, Statens Serum Institut, Denmark

ECDC was created in 2005 following the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. The Agency reports on over 60 infectious diseases, on antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections in the EU. It assesses risks, coordinates epidemic response, and provides a surveillance hub for EU countries. The Agency also increasingly cooperates with partners across the globe. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-23, ECDC’s mandate was extended to strengthen its role in crisis preparedness and to support EU countries directly.

‘Since ECDC was established in 2005, the context in which we operate has profoundly changed. Now is the time to build on our achievements and to move forward. The next 20 years will demand even more of us all - more collaboration, more innovation and more resilience to be better prepared for future health emergencies and to ultimately keep 450 million people in Europe safe, says ECDC Director, Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner.

Today’s event is a milestone for the Agency. Over 450 guests will attend the event in Stockholm where ECDC has been hosted since its establishment.

A recording of the event will be made available on the ECDC website.