The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) which is a new EU executive agency will be established in the Stockholm region in early 2005.
The European Commission (EC) is tasked, according to Article 18 of the founding Regulation (851/2004/EC), to designate three non-voting representatives and their alternates to the Advisory Forum of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), which together will have to correspond to the wide range of relevant stakeholders with an EU calling. Member State experts will also be part of the management structure of the ECDC.
The main tasks of the ECDC are :
– Epidemiological surveillance and networking of laboratories
– Early warning and Response
– Scientific Opinions
– Technical Assistance and Communication
The EC plans to launch the nomination of Advisory Forum members for the ECDC in the autumn 2004. The EU Health Policy Forum meeting on the 11th October[[Please note that this date has been postponed twice, the 11th October 2004 is the final date for this meeting.]] will provide a platform to inform EC’s partners on the progress made in establishing the ECDC and to discuss the representation of stakeholders and potentially criteria for the selection for membership in the Advisory Forum.
EPHA has already contacted DG SANCO to indicate interest in being a civil society representative on the Advisory Forum, with particular reference to the ECDC objective of effectively communicating information in an accessible way for the public.
Any member organisation that is interested in nominating a representative should contact the EPHA Secretariat.
Based on the EC’s current planning, the first meeting of the Advisory Forum could take place as early as the 1st quarter of 2005.