Urgent action is required to improve efforts to prevent hepatitis B and C infections in the EU/EEA and the UK if the region is to meet the 2020 targets for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a serious threat to public health. Significant gaps in the reported data in relation to prevalence and prevention of HBV and HCV in EU/EEA and the UK present a major challenge to monitoring progress towards the targets for elimination of hepatitis.

This operational guidance, developed by ECDC in collaboration with its hepatitis E virus (HEV) expert group, offers options on the implementation or adjustment of HEV surveillance at a national level.