BE READY

A brief history: the development of BE READY

Three development phases, corresponding to three complementary submissions to the European Commission’s calls for projects, followed one another to lead to the creation and implementation of BE READY.

• From 2022 to 2025, an initial preparatory phase took place, encompassing the BE READY and BE READY PLUS components. This phase enabled the development and implementation of, among other things:
  • The Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for pandemic preparedness;
  • The official proposal for a European partnership for pandemic preparedness;
  • The framework for future joint calls for projects planned at the European level.
• This preparatory phase enabled the start of the operational phase in 2026: BE READY NOW. This new 10-year phase aims to effectively implement the partnership, including:
  • The launch of calls for joint projects, with the first edition starting in January 2026.
  • The establishment of a research ecosystem ready to be activated in the event of an epidemic, encompassing a European network of clinical research sites.

The role of ANRS MIE

Within the framework of BE READY, ANRS Emerging infectious diseases is specifically responsible for the general coordination of the consortium and for defining the strategic research and innovation agenda.

The main objectives of BE READY

The overall objective of BE READY is to improve Europe’s capacity to anticipate and respond to new threats related to infectious diseases. The ambition is to enable Europe to move from planning to action, better equipped, better connected, and ready to respond quickly to future health threats.

To this end, the partnership seeks to improve the coordination of research and innovation funding at European, national, and regional levels, in line with the common objectives set out in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) on pandemic preparedness.

It also strengthens the research system needed in the event of a health emergency, including networks of sites and infrastructure for clinical research, to ensure a rapid and effective research response.

This work is carried out in close collaboration with the broader European health security system to ensure a rapid and coordinated response.

The main objectives of BE READY are to:

• Engage all partners to align with the scope, objectives, governance, and working and operationalization methods of the project;
• Develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for pandemic preparedness, using a cross-cutting and interdisciplinary “One Health” and “Global Health” approach;
• Ensure complementarity, coordination, and collaboration with key European institutions, such as the European Commission (notably DG-RTD, DG-SANTE, and HERA);
• Involve relevant stakeholders and initiatives in the field of pandemic preparedness, ensuring collaboration and coordination;
• Raise awareness of the importance of increased pandemic preparedness outside and during epidemic/pandemic episodes;
• Prepare for the launch of joint transnational calls, setting up the necessary infrastructure to rapidly fund relevant collaborative research;
• Strengthen research networks with the establishment of networks of clinical trial sites ready to respond quickly, in conjunction with basic and preclinical research infrastructures.

BE READY news

BE READY’s first joint transnational call in January 2026

In January 2026, BE READY will launch its first joint transnational call (JTC) for the scientific community. This call represents a first step in the implementation of the partnership’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).

The call will support innovative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative multinational research projects focused on:

• understanding the pandemic potential of emerging pathogens;
• studying host-pathogen interactions and disease mechanisms;
• developing or disseminating new medical countermeasures tailored to pandemic preparedness needs.

Partnership Launch Ceremony – February 17, 2026, Paris

The European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness BE READY is organizing an official opening ceremony on February 17, 2026, in Paris.

This high-level event will bring together 200 participants from 27 partner countries, including members of the BE READY consortium, representatives of the European Commission, national ministries, research funding agencies, public health authorities, and the World Health Organization.

The event will present BE READY’s vision for the next decade and highlight Europe’s shared commitment to strengthening pandemic preparedness and response capacities. Discussions will highlight the Partnership’s role within the broader European health security framework, its synergies with the European Commission, and its contribution to a global pandemic preparedness architecture.

This public event will officially present the Partnership, building on the work initiated under the previous BE READY and BE READY PLUS projects (2022-2025).