Health preparedness: EU reference laboratories improve disease surveillance data
On EU Lab Day, the European Commission marks one year of improved coordination on surveillance data thanks to the EU reference laboratories (EURLs). This is part of the Commission’s work to coordinate robust preparedness, early warning and response mechanisms for health crises, as part of a strong European Health Union.
The Commission designated the first nine EURLs for public health in 2024, and a new designation for an EURL for respiratory viruses is planned for early next year. Each EU reference lab is made up of a partnership of leading public health laboratories working together on areas of strategic interest for EU public health, such as antimicrobial resistance or groups of pathogenic bacteria or viruses that share common characteristics (vector-borne, high-risk, etc). Their role is to support national laboratories by offering technical guidance, production of reference materials and diagnostics, coordinating quality assurance activities, and helping strengthen laboratory capacity.
EURLs are selected at the EU level, by the European Commission, for their expertise in a certain topic. When a new health threat emerges, the EURLs can be mobilised to support the response of the European Commission and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EDCD).
To underline the importance of EURLs for cross-border health threat preparedness and response, the European Commission and ECDC discuss the importance of collaboration, standardised laboratory methods and quality data in the latest edition of the ECDC’s EU on Air podcast.
