Such partnership should contribute to building a coherent European Research Area (ERA), enabling Member States, Associated Countries and the European Commission to rapidly and jointly support research and innovation in pandemic preparedness. Aligned around a multi-annual Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda with common objectives for research and innovation in pandemic preparedness, the prospective partners will define research needs in the medium- to long-term.

Τhe Partnership will primarily focus on epidemics/pandemics preparedness, although its scope may be revised to include further health threats that would be in scope of the activities of the future HERA.

Proposals should include all of the following activities:

• Perform the preparatory groundwork to inform an innovative and visionary Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for pandemic preparedness;
• Actively engage with all prospective partners of the expected future Partnership to support alignment on its scope, common objectives, governance and ways of working/operationalisation;
• Actively engage with relevant stakeholders and initiatives in the area of pandemic preparedness, ensuring collaboration and coordination, and avoiding duplication;
• Implement strong communication and dissemination activities on the purpose, foreseen activities and outputs of the expected future European partnership for pandemic preparedness, both outside and during epidemic/pandemic episodes.
• Establish coordination and collaboration with relevant initiatives related to pandemic preparedness such as the future HERA to ensure complementarity and avoid overlaps.
• As relevant, apply a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary One Health approach.
• Communication activities at EU level and in Member States and Associated Countries to raise and maintain awareness of the importance of increased pandemic preparedness.

The proposal selected for funding is expected to engage with other relevant research and innovation initiatives (see p. 80 from work programme).