The JA STOCKPILE Joint Action aims to strengthen the European Union’s preparedness for serious cross-border health threats. The project builds on lessons learned from previous public health emergencies and seeks to develop a comprehensive and multi-layered stockpiling system.
The stockpiling concept is continuously assessed and further developed to consider not only the quantity and availability of preparedness stockpiles but also their sustainable management. The objective is to ensure the rapid deployment and effective use of Medical Countermeasures both within the European Union and globally.
Goals
- Strengthen the EU’s preparedness for serious cross-border health threats.
- Develop sustainable and comprehensive stockpiles of Medical Countermeasures (MCM) and accelerate their distribution, deployment, and administration in crisis situations.
- Enhance cooperation between Member States in stockpiling.
- Reinforce the evidence base for future stockpiling proposals.
- Increase the EU's self-reliance in crisis situations.
Implementation
The implementation of the project is based on nine work packages (WPs) that ensure the overall success of the initiative. Coordination (WP1) manages the project and ensures smooth collaboration. The communication work package (WP2) increases visibility, while the evaluation work package (WP3) ensures the project's impact. The sustainability work package (WP4) guarantees the long-term viability of the solutions, and the training work package (WP5) supports capacity building.
The identification and sizing of Medical Countermeasure stockpiles (WP6) develops methods for identifying critical MCMs and estimating quantities under different threat scenarios, compiling the results into a handbook and a decision-making tool for policymakers. The coordinated layered stockpiling model (WP7) establishes an EU-level coordinated stockpiling system that supports Member State cooperation and flexible preparedness.
Sustainable stockpile management (WP8) improves the resilience of stockpiles throughout their lifecycle, including procurement, storage, and recycling, and develops a digital management tool for this purpose. The deployment of Medical Countermeasures within and beyond the EU (WP9) harmonizes legislation and operational procedures, ensures stockpile interoperability, and implements pilot distributions in crisis situations.
Funding
EU4Health programme 2021–2027
Partners
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) acts as the project coordinator.
The project involves 54 organisations from the following countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Austria, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Portugal, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, and Estonia.
The project cooperates closely with EU and international authorities, including the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Contact details
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