Infectious diseases can quickly escalate into health crises with global impact, exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and more recent outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1 and the spread of Mpox. These events have highlighted the close link between environment, human and animal interactions in a One Health context while underscoring the importance of international cooperation in research and development. During these crises, it became evident across Europe that although research efforts were quickly launched, they were not coordinated leading to a fragmented research landscape.
The European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness (BE READY Partnership) aims to establish a European research and innovation ecosystem that is optimally prepared for future health crises caused by infectious diseases. This ecosystem will be capable of responding swiftly and efficiently to such crises and will be fully integrated into the broader European institutional framework for health security.