BE READY

Creating a European partnership in research and innovation for pandemic preparedness

Last updated on 23 January 2025

Main points

  • ANRS MIE is coordinating the preparation of the European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness as part of the BE READY project.
  • This project has led to the development of a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for pandemic preparedness and the drafting of a proposal for a European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness.
  • Today, BE READY PLUS aims to prepare the implementation of the Partnership, including future joint calls for proposals at European level, and the establishment of a research ecosystem ready to be activated in the event of an epidemic, including a European network of clinical research sites.

Creating a European research and innovation area

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of planning and investing in research and innovation in infectious diseases with epidemic risk, long before a health crisis occurs. BE READY uilding a European Strategic Research and innovation Area in Direct Synergy with other EU and International Initiatives for Pandemic Preparedness) builds a European Partnership on Pandemic Preparedness. This partnership enhance the EU’s capacity to predict and respond to emerging health threats by better coordinating funding for research and innovation at the European level.

BE READY will establish guidelines for common research objectives through an agreed Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). The partnership will be able to leverage existing pandemic preparedness networks and will work in synergy with the European Commission (notably through the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation DG RTD, and the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority HERA), in close collaboration with the ECDC, the EMA, and other relevant international and European actors.

To build this ambitious partnership, BE READY (launched on June 1, 2022 for a duration of three years) relies on the expertise of 26 public health organizations, ministries (of science, education, health, innovation, or environment), and research agencies from 16 countries, to ensure a cross-cutting and interdisciplinary One Health and Global Health approach.

As part of this initiative, the ANRS MIE is specifically responsible for the overall coordination of the consortium and for defining the strategic research and innovation agenda.

Find out more about BE READY

The six main objectives of BE READY

  • Engage with all prospective partners of the expected future Partnership to support alignment on its scope, common objectives, governance and ways of working/operationalisation.
  • Elaborate an innovative and visionary Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for pandemic preparedness ensuring a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary Global Health and One Health approach.
  • Consolidate the future European Partnership on Pandemic Preparedness.
  • Ensure complementarities, coordination and collaboration with the European Commission (especially with DG-RTD, DG-SANTE and HERA).
  • Involve relevant stakeholders and initiatives in the area of pandemic preparedness, ensuring collaboration and coordination, and avoiding duplication (e.g. GloPID-R, WHO R&D blueprint, ACT-Accelerator, G7/G20 Health WGs, etc).

Raise awareness of the importance of increased pandemic preparedness both outside and during epidemic/pandemic episodes

The ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases (MIE) is responsible for supporting, coordinating and funding the national research community focused on emerging infectious diseases. Drawing on interdisciplinary research and adopting a One Health approach, ANRS MIE has a unique capacity to contribute to preparedness and response to emerging infectious diseases. Involvement in the Be Ready CSA as coordinator is a key element of the agency’s European and global strategy to promote coordination in preparedness and response strategy, in order to limit the effects of emerging epidemic events.”

Pr Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Director of ANRS MIE

BE READY PLUS

31
public health organizations
21
countries
6
main objectives

BE READY PLUS

BE READY PLUS is an initiative funded by Horizon Europe to strengthen Europe’s pandemic preparedness.

This one-year project builds on the success of the initial BE READY initiative and aims to broaden the participation of EU Member States and associated countries:

  • It now includes 5 additional countries, bringing the total to 21.
  • The number of partners has also increased, with 31 organisations and public institutions now involved.

ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases is responsible for the overall coordination of the consortium.

Objective

BE READY PLUS establishes the operational framework for the future European partnership dedicated to pandemic preparedness, ensuring an efficient start-up and paving the way for future developments.

In particular, the key objectives of BE READY PLUS add to those of the existing BE READY consortium:

  • Preparing for the launch of joint transnational calls: putting in place the infrastructure needed to rapidly fund relevant collaborative research.
  • Strengthening research networks: setting up networks of clinical study sites ready to respond rapidly, in liaison with basic and pre-clinical research infrastructures.

For more information on BE READY PLUS https://beready4pandemics.eu/index.php/be-ready-plus