Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - One Health EJP (Promoting One Health in Europe through joint actions on foodborne zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance and emerging microbiological hazards.)

Teaser

What is the problem/issue being addressed?The One Health EJP is a policy driven research network addressing issues relating to needs identified in the food safety area. - Need to strengthen the links between human health, animal health and environmental aspects: a \'One Health\'...

Summary

What is the problem/issue being addressed?
The One Health EJP is a policy driven research network addressing issues relating to needs identified in the food safety area.
- Need to strengthen the links between human health, animal health and environmental aspects: a \'One Health\' approach
- Need to further integrate surveillance and response capacities, preventive approaches, detection systems as well as preparedness and response to disease outbreaks
- Need to strengthen collaboration between national public mission organisations, across the Med-Vet interface, through joint projects aimed at research and integration, and through joint training activities.
- Need to foster interaction between European, national authorities and stakeholders
- Need to update policy makers on these achievements and, built on this knowledge, to take appropriate action

Why is it important for society?
The integrated health approach, known as ‘One Health’, is based on strengthening collaboration between human health, animal health and environmental management. It focuses on developing surveillance and response capacities, strengthening early-warning and detection systems; reinforcing the capacities of public health and veterinary authorities as regards prevention, preparedness and response to disease outbreaks; evaluating the social and economic impact of diseases; promoting inter-sector collaboration for the health of the livestock, wildlife and ecosystems concerned; research on the conditions under which diseases emerge and spread. Thus, coordination between the different health systems, which are generally run separately, must enable economies of scale by encouraging synergies, and guarantee improved health security. Particular attention is paid to the communication of risks at all levels of action.

What are the overall objectives?
The overall objective of the One Health EJP is to develop a European network of research institutes, mainly with reference laboratory functions, integrating medical, veterinary and food scientists in the field of food and feed safety in order to improve research on the prevention and control of mainly foodborne zoonoses, while taking into account the public health concerns of consumers and other stakeholders throughout the food chain.

Work performed

The Coordination (WP1)
The coordinator set in place all procedures for the One Health EJP, especially the management structure such as the PMC (Programme Managers Committee), the POC (Programme Owners Committee), the SSB (Scientific Steering Board), the ESAB (External Scientific Advisory Board), the Stakeholders Committee, and organized a kick-off meeting. A website was built for collaboration and exchange of information internally.

The communication actions are managed in this WP1 also. A strategy for communication has been set up and will be updated according to ongoing needs. The communication team works closely with the team responsible for organising the Annual Scientific Meetings.

The Strategic Research Agenda (WP2)
After expert consultation an updated version of the strategic research agenda has been drafted. The interfaces with the EU funded projects has been defined and the priority topics of EFSA and ECDC taken into consideration. A set of priority topics has been established, in preparation of the internal Call 2 (launched at the end of 2018).

The Joint Research Projects (WP3)
A set of eleven Joint Research Projects has been launched, previously selected. The first year has been dedicated to start the JRP. A second call with a total budget amounting €41.5M was launched in December 2018.

This WP is also responsible for the organisation of the Annual Scientific Meetings. The first one will be held in Dublin in May (22 to 24 of May).

The Joint integrative Projects (WP4)
Two Joint Integrative Projects have been launched. The first year has been dedicated to the start of these integrative initiatives. These integrative projects are the basis for a scale up by introduction of new partners.
This WP also organizes integrative missions in order to reach out to other EJP partners that are not involved in the ongoing JIP but that are willing to take on the integrative outcome of these projects. It also facilitates interaction between JRP:s, JIP:s and initiatives of strategic importance through so called cogwheel workshops. Two were arranged during the reporting period, with EU-funded projects COMPARE and EFFORT. Finally, the WP developed the general Data Management Plan and oversees the drafting of the individual DMP of each of the ongoing projects.

Science to policy activities (WP5)
This WP has established an active dialogue with ECDC and EFSA, the Key EU stakeholders of the One Health EJP. The needs of these stakeholders were identified and taken into account in the strategic priorities defined in WP2. WP5 will also function as a channel for the One Health EJP to disseminate new scientific data to the stakeholders. Two Stakeholders Committee meetings were held.

Education & Training (WP6)
The main activities in the first year were related to the allocation of the PhD studentship and selection of the PhD students. The modalities of selection of the students have been clarified and the interaction with the Joint Research Projects defined. The WP6 also set up all the selection and evaluation processes for the Short-term missions, CPD modules, Satellite workshops and the Summer School. The aim of WP6 was starting to create a community of interest in particular by setting up new generation of scientists in the One Health area.

Sustainability (WP7)
The first year has been dedicated to explore the putative options for the long term (Sustainability) in collaboration with the Programme Owners.

Final results

Consistent with the “Prevent-Detect-Respond” concept, integrative activities will feed the approach of evidence based risk assessment and therefore risk management by the competent authorities. The key mission for the One Health EJP is to strengthen this trans-sectoral capacity nationally, since this is they key to strengthening the overall EU capacity.
Intensive collaboration between the most relevant partners in Europe in the field of foodborne zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance will also contribute to help to reduce unnecessarily duplication of work on these topics.

It is of importance to efficiently organize knowledge dissemination to the appropriate stakeholders (ECDC, EFSA, DG AGRI, DG Santé, the national authorities and beyond); these tasks were and will be taken forward by WP2 (Strategic Research Agenda), WP5 (Science to Policy) and WP6 (Education & Training)

The EJP aims at enhancing harmonization, alignment and integration of activities in these domains, but this process may not be finalised at the end of the 5-year programme. To ensure that the integrative activities will last beyond the lifespan of the One Health EJP, a specific WP (WP7) is dedicated to creating significant long-term capacity building and alignment among all EJP partners.

Website & more info

More info: https://onehealthejp.eu/.