On February 3rd and 4th, PREZODE held a series of meetings with six Directorate-Generals (DGs) of the European Commission: SANTE, ENV, AGRI, HERA, INTPA, and RTD. DGs oversee critical policy areas, shaping EU regulations, funding programs, and global initiatives.

During these discussions, we presented an overview of PREZODE’s progress since its establishment in 2021. We highlighted how the Initiative unites the scientific community with a wealth of international expertise and positions us to coordinate efforts to prevent the emergence of zoonotic diseases. Our discussions stressed the importance of addressing gaps and reinforcing a One Health approach to ensure a comprehensive and collaborative response.

Belgium’s Commitment to One Health

The PREZODE delegation—Jean-François Soussana, Marisa Peyre, Zeev Noga and Emma Victoria Gomez de Gracia - was joined by Herman Claeys and Peter Demaeght, from the Belgian Government. Their insights demonstrated how Belgium is actively implementing PREZODE’s values and approach at the national level. Their contributions underscored the relevance and applicability of our initiative in a tangible way.

We extend our gratitude to the European Commission DGs for their warm welcome and insightful discussions about potential collaboration in preventing zoonotic diseases, and look forward to building on these discussions and continuing our collaboration for a proactive, One Health approach to zoonotic disease prevention!

Which Directorate-Generals did we meet?

• AGRI - The DG for Agriculture and Rural Development develops and implements EU policies on agriculture, rural development and the common agricultural policy.
• ENV The DG for Environment develops and implements EU environmental policy.
• HERA. The Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, anticipates threats and potential health crises through intelligence gathering and building the necessary response capacities.
• INTPA. The Department for International Partnerships formulates the EU’s international partnership and development policy.
• RTD. This Commission department is responsible for EU policy on research, science and innovation, to help create growth and jobs and tackle our biggest societal challenges.
• SANTE is responsible for EU policy on food safety and health and for monitoring the implementation of related laws.