Role and mandate of ECDC in detecting emerging health threats

The ECDC founding regulations specifies the mandate of ECDC regarding risk identification and risk assessment. Under this regulation, the Centre shall: 

• Identify and assess emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases; 
• Establish, in cooperation with the Member States, procedures for systematically searching for, collecting, collating and analysing information and data with a view to the identification of emerging health threats which may have mental as well as physical health consequences and which could affect the Community.

Sources of epidemic intelligence information

The sources of epidemic intelligence information include several websites and a large number of web-pages retrieved through specialized search-engines. Additional information is gathered through direct contact with epidemiologists and health authorities in EU and abroad.

List of information sources