Joint action on comprehensive and sustainable strategic stockpiles of medical countermeasures used in crisis

2026-07-22

This Joint Action (JA Stockpile) will contribute to better preparedness against serious cross-border threats to health, more sustainable stockpiles of medical countermeasures (MCMs), faster distribution, deployment and dispensing of MCMs, better collaboration between Member States, better evidence-base for future proposals on stockpiling of MCMs and thus strengthening of European independence in crisis. The specific objectives are to identify and quantify stockpiles for MCMs, coordinated layered stockpiling system, sustainable stockpile management and improved deployment and usage of MCMs. More specifically this Joint Action will support the implementation of the Common Strategic Approach to Stockpiling by HERA. The project is linked to broader EU policy initiatives, namely the European Health Union, One Health Approach, and the EU Global Health Strategy. In general, the project will support the functioning of the EU governance framework for crisis management, emergency response, stockpiling, and health security. The project consists of nine work packages: coordination, communication and dissemination, evaluation, sustainability, training, identifying and quantifying for MCMs, coordinated layered stockpiling system, sustainable stockpile management and deployment and usage of MCMs in and outside of EU. The project includes altogether 25 countries, 54 organisations (31 competent authorities and 23 affiliated entities), 3 associated partners by own funding, 4 non-EU countries, 26 organisations from 12 low gross national income (GNI) countries). The project is implemented under the EU4Health Programme (2021 – 2027) and coordinated by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The project will closely cooperate with relevant EU and international authorities (e.g. HERA, ECDC, EMA and WHO). To avoid any overlapping of activities the project will build on lessons learnt, recommendations and observations made in previous and on-going projects.

Finland

2026-02-15