SHARP Conference - preparedness and International Health Regulations
On 19-20 June 2023, the SHARP Joint Action Final Conference took place in Helsinki. Dr. Andrea Ammon opened the conference together with Stefan Schreck from DG SANTE and Outi Kuivasniemi from the Finnish Health Ministry via a recorded message.
Andrea outlined that, under the new mandate, ECDC's main focus would be to strengthen and enhance collaborative partnerships at all levels and support building stronger and more resilient public health systems in Europe.
SHARP stands for Strengthened International Health Regulations and Preparedness in the EU, and is co-founded by the Health Programme of the European Union. The conference was coordinated by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
The SHARP Joint Action was established before the pandemic, to improve the EU health security framework under Decision 1082 on serious cross-border threats to health, and to close the gaps that had been identified already before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of SHARP Joint Action has been to strengthen preparedness in the EU against serious cross-border threats to health with a duration of 4 years (April 2019 – March 2023, including 12 months non-cost extension).
In total, 30 countries have been represented in the Joint Action – 24 EU Member States, three EEA/EFTA Members and three European neighbouring countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova and Serbia). Post Brexit, the UK remained involved under a memorandum of understanding.
