Europe Embraces Interconnected Health Approach through One Health Framework

The concept of One Health recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and plant health as well as food safety, climate crisis, and environmental sustainability. By adopting this approach across different sectors, the EU and its Member States can better prepare for and respond to health threats. This proactive approach can help reduce the impact and cost of health threats and even prevent them from arising in the first place. Additionally, it can help alleviate human pressures on the environment and protect important societal needs like food security and access to clean air and water.

To implement this approach, a cross-agency task force will be established to work on a joint framework for action from 2024-2026. The task force will focus on strategic coordination, research coordination, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and joint inter-agency activities. The goal is to strengthen the evidence base for One Health, ensure that scientific advice is integrated, and allow the agencies to speak with a unified voice on the One Health agenda in Europe.

In November 2023, five EU agencies providing scientific advice on environmental, public health