This report seeks to identify both the strengths and the areas for improvement of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) in the European Union Member States.

This report outlines the development of a competency framework covering key knowledge, skills and attitudes critical for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation.

The purpose and objectives of the meeting is to identify the minimum set of abilities that every field epidemiologist should have, defined by core competencies in various domains.

This document is published with the intent of proposing a comprehensive list of core competencies that should be adopted by infection control and hospital hygiene professionals across Europe.

ECDC, along with a group of experts (core competencies group) has developed a list of suggested core competencies for field epidemiologists working at all the levels from subnational (provinces, districts, regions) to national and supra-national (European and international) in the public health administrations of the EU.

During the first consultation with the EU Member States (MS) on training in field epidemiology, held in 2005 in Stockholm, the development of a list of core competencies for field epidemiologists in the European Union (EU) was identified as a priority.