EFSA and FSAI Serious Cross-Border Threats to Health Crisis Preparedness Training

Abstract

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collaborated with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to plan and run a simulation exercise to rehearse a multi-agency, multi-Member State response under Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on Serious Cross Border Threats to Health (SCBTH). Engaging with EFSA's training contractor, Instinctif Partners, EFSA and FSAI co-developed a 2.5-day preparedness training event, comprising an overview of the Regulation on SCBTH, a role-played, 1.5-day simulation exercise and a half-day debrief session. The event, which was held in person at the Convention Centre, Dublin, also involved multiple participants joining online. In addition to rehearsing the development of a multi-agency joint risk assessment (JRA) in response to a SCBTH, the training also aimed to clarify Member State interaction during such a response. The debrief session elicited much discussion and a number of actions were identified as next steps. This debrief session, alongside the identified actions and participants’ responses to the post-event evaluation survey, demonstrate that the training achieved its objectives. There were fifty-one participants in the training event representing four units of European Commission Directorate General on Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), five EU Agencies and five Member States. Eight facilitators from Instinctif Partners, FSAI and EFSA ensured the smooth and efficient running of the event. This report documents the development, content, conclusions and recommendations of the training event, as well as the participants’ evaluation of it.