EU agencies meet in Parma to discuss One Health research coordination in the EU/EEA

The framework of the Cross-agency One Health Task Force includes a strategic goal to develop a One Health research agenda. To address this goal, the agencies discussed how to support One Health research in the EU. This effort aligns with the European Parliament's resolution to promote public scientific research to better understand the connections between human, animal, plant, and environmental health. 

Workshop participants also shared best practice for One Health research coordination, reviewed agency engagement with ongoing EU funded research projects, and discussed partnerships and actions to address One Health. The workshop also included methods to identify research gaps to inform future research action and ensure it addresses stakeholder needs.

The Cross-agency One Health Task Force

One Health is a multi-sectoral approach that aims to balance and optimise the health of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment, recognising their interconnection.

In order to deliver cross-agency knowledge for One Health Action, a Cross-agency One Health Task Force has been set up by ECDC, EFSA, EMA, EEA and ECHA focused on topics related to environmental protection, public health, and food safety.

The vision of the task force is to enable EU agencies to successfully contribute to the implementation of the One Health approach in Europe, thereby making the EU and its Member States better able to prevent and respond to health threats. In order to achieve this vision, the task force will work towards a more permanent and established form of transdisciplinary cooperation between themselves by upholding the four principles of coordination, collaboration, communication and capacity building.