Response to an alleged bio-attack – capacity to support national responses through the European Union Dr. Christiane Hoehn Office of the EU representative on non-proliferation and disarmament Madrid 17 June 2010 1
Content 1) CBRN Action Plan 2) Threat analysis and early warning 3) Crisis response 4) Health security 2
EU CBRN Action Plan • Adopted in November 2009 • Increased attention to CBRN issues , devastating consequences recognized • Open process : Private sector involved in developing recommendations and to be consulted for implementation/further policy development • Building on existing practices/instruments • Primary MS responsibility to protect population but EU solidarity, EU supportive role 3
EU CBRN Action Plan • All-hazards approach • Goals : Reduce threat and possible consequences of incident • CBRN Advisory Group for implementation: MS experts and where appropriate private sector, bio sub-group • COM to launch CBRN Resilience Programme: pool civil protection activities of the plan 4
EU CBRN Action Plan • Prevention: EU list of high risk CBRN materials, strengthening security of materials and facilities, enhance control, culture, reporting of incidents, transport security • Detection: scenario-based, establish testing and certification schemes, minimum detection standards, awareness-raising, training • Preparedness and response : emergency planning, counter-measure capacity, information flows, criminal investigations • Improve training, info exchange, communication, research, strengthen knowledge in MS 5
Threat analysis and early warning • 2008 EUROPOL tasked to create CBRN database– CBRN terrorism-related events and CBRN products and materials • SITCEN : Regular analysis of proliferation risks, intelligence input from MS, round the clock monitoring of incidents, alerts to MS, can set up emergency teams • Special early warning system in health sector, including European Centre for Disease Control (also epidemiological surveillance) 6
Crisis response • Political coordination: EU Emergency and Crisis Coordination Arrangements (CCA) - supports overall political coordination - information exchange - web-site - 2010 exercise: bio-attack – testing arrangements to ensure quick and adequate crisis response/information flows and identifying policy gaps • EU Mechanism for Civil Protection: Monitoring and Information Center : to pool immediate civil protection and medical assistance in Member States – inside and outside EU (information, coordination, communication), e.g. the mobilisation of pre-registered CBRN modules, to countries affected by major emergencies • Health sector : emergency and other mechanisms linking Health Ministries of the Member States and DG SANCO, daily during H1N1, e.g. early warning and response system for communicable diseases. 7
Health security Health security and pandemic preparedness planning remain primarily a Member State competence – policy decisions are for Member States – but it is necessary to strengthen coordination, information-sharing and communication EU Programme of Cooperation in Preparedness and Response to Biological and Chemical Agent Attacks (2001) Objectives: 1) Mechanism for information exchange , consultation and co- ordination 2) Capability for inventory, surveillance, detection/diagnosis and identification 3) Medicines’ stocks and health services database / stand-by facilities for provision of medicines, other medical resources and health care specialists 4) Binding rules / guidance, 5) Links with third countries and international organisations (e.g. EU Membership in the G 7 Global Health Security Initiative). 8
EU Health Security Committee • Created by EU Health Ministers in 2001 • Mandate : Decision-making on preparedness planning and crisis response management in health emergencies; includes since 2007 CBRN, pandemic influenca • Composition : High level representatives of the EU Health Ministers and the European Commission. EU Network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases • in operation since 1999 • Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) • Network Committee: regulatory Comittee • Amended in 2007/08 : implementation of WHO International Health Regulations European Centre for Disease Control (operational since 2005): • response system, • scientific opinions, • technical assistance, • preparedness for new health threats 9
EU Health Security Programme: Achievements • Rapid Alert System for Biological and Chemical Attacks and Threats; • Lists of biological and chemical agents that might be used for terrorist attacks; • Platform for laboratory cooperation ; • Clinical guidelines for case recognition and management (twelve adopted and published); • European Medicines Evaluation Agency’s guidance on medicines and vaccines for treatment; e.g. on the use of antidotes to agents of chemical terrorism • Improved inter-operability of emergency plans ; • Modelling of outbreaks and sharing of data for simulations ; • Directory of experts for interventions-assistance • EU wide exercises to test communication systems and preparedness planning • Preparedness and response planning . 10
Preparedness and Response Planning • Information management (surveillance, monitoring, intelligence, sampling, detection, diagnosis, analysis, correlation, identification) • Communications (systems, procedures, command and control, obligations for information and consultation, media, expert groups, public) • Scientific advice (procurement, setting criteria and triggers for actions, determine actions / resources and ways to implement them) • Cross-sector preparedness 11
Emergency preparedness • Training – Regional training workshops with public health experts from Member States – Joint training workshops of public health and law enforcement experts • Exercises – Regular exercises with Member States, candidate and EEA/EFTA countries, and international partners • European Commission will organise a communication exercise of the G7 Global Health Security Initiative in 2010 – Plan to establish an exercise repository 12
Emergency preparedness: Biological agents • Influenza pandemic preparedness and response planning – update planned in the light of recent epidemiological threats and new IHR • Biological incident response and environmental sampling – EU guidance – Regional workshops planned 13
Related activities • Safety of the Food Chain: Rapid Alert System; general plan for food / feed crisis management in the EU • Animal health: Survey / control of animal diseases of major health importance in the EU; identification of the source of an outbreak of disease; national contingency plans; OIE reporting; EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. • Security research funded by the EU – development of technology to track, trace, identify and neutralise CBRN explosives • EU biosafety legislation • EU norms in bio-safety : CEN voluntary laboratory standards and standards for medical devices 14
Conclusion • Important topic for EU, increased attention: EU has done some effort, we will have to do more (keep pace with potential threat!). • Added value of EU: - Bio-threats have more cross-border impact than many other threats – hence coordination is key to success. - Platform for political and practical coordination and information exchange, - Strengthening capacities - Assistance in case of attack / outbreak • Implementation key, many measures remain to be developed – adapting response to the challenges 15
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