Infokiri

To: National Focal Points for Food and Water-Borne Diseases - members and alternates; Operational Contact Points for Food and Water-Borne Diseases – microbiology.

Cc: National Coordinators

Dear National Focal Point for FWD,

Based on the 2024 ECDC opinion on the implementation of European reference laboratories (EURLs) for public health including your valuable input, DG SANTE has decided to go ahead with implementation of three EURLs for public health in the fields of food- and water-borne pathogens:

• Food and water-borne bacteria

• Food, water, and vector-borne helminths and protozoa

• Food and water-borne viruses

The corresponding calls for application were published on 30 April 2024 and interested public health laboratories in EU Member States and EEA countries are invited to submit their applications no later than Wednesday 14 August 2024 at 12:00 (noon) Central European Summer Time. 

More information about these calls and instructions on how to apply can be found on the European Commission’s call page: https://health.ec.europa.eu/consultations/eu-reference-laboratories-public-health-2024-calls-applications_en

If you have any general questions or comments on these issues, please send them to us at ECDC.Microbiology@ecdc.europa.eu. Please direct any specific questions about the EURLs to EURL-PH@ecdc.europa.eu.

Best regards,

The ECDC FWD 

 On behalf of the ECDC EURL team