The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed and further highlighted the importance of planning and investing in research and innovation well before a health crisis occurs. For this purpose, the main goal of BE READY is to build a consolidated European Research and Innovation Area that provides the foundation of the candidate European partnership for pandemic preparedness so to improve the EU's preparedness to predict and respond to emerging health threats by better coordinating funding for research and innovation at EU, national (and regional) level towards common objectives and an agreed Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. The Partnership is expected to build on existing pandemic preparedness networks, and work in synergy with the Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA), in close collaboration with ECDC, EMA and other relevant international and European actors. BE READY is composed by 24 organisations from 15 countries with complementary expertise and policy area ranging from Public Health Organisations, Ministries (of Science, University, Health, Innovation or Environment) and Research Performing Organisations that ensures a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary Global Health and One Health approach.

The I-MOVE+ Consortium includes European Union (EU) Public Health Institutes, SME and Universities. It aims at measuring and comparing the effectiveness (VE) and impact (VI) of influenza and Pneumococcal vaccines and vaccination strategies a in the elderly population in Europe. The goal is to develop a sustainable platform of primary care practices, hospitals and laboratory networks that share validated methods to evaluate post marketing vaccine performances. The objectives are to identify, pilot test, and disseminate in EU the best study designs to measure, on a real time basis, VE (direct effect) and the VI of vaccination programmes (indirect and overall effect) against laboratory confirmed cases of influenza (types/subtypes) and pneumococcal disease (serotypes), and clinical outcomes. Cost effectiveness analysis will be conducted. Results will allow to understand factors affecting specific VE, the duration of protection of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, the interaction between vaccines, the role of repeated vaccinations, the occurrence of serotype replacement (pneumococcus); identify vaccine types and brands with low VE; guide the decision of the WHO committees on vaccine strain selection (influenza); provide robust benefit indicators (VE and VI) and cost benefit and effectiveness results; guide vaccination strategies (schedules, doses, boosters). This EU member state collaboration will respond to questions that require studies based on large sample sizes and sharing of expertise that cannot be achieved by one country alone. It will allow the best methods to be used and results to benefit to all EU countries whatever their current public health achievements. Results will be shared with international partners.