The One Health concept is a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and plant health, as well as food safety, climate change, and environmental sustainability. By adopting this approach across various 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 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. This 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 scientific advice is integrated, and enable 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