Nederlander Max Sprenger leidt Raad van Bestuur van Europees agentschap voor epidemieën (en)

The process of starting up the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) began in earnest in Stockholm this week. Following an official Start up Event on 27 September (see MEMO/04/224) the inaugural meeting of the Centre's Management Board, held on 28 September, took a number of important decisions. It elected Dr. Marc Sprenger, Director-General of the National Institute for Health and Environment (RIVM) in the Netherlands, as Chairman of the ECDC's Management Board. Dr. Meni Malliori, Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Athens and a former Member of the European Parliament, was elected as Deputy Chair. The Management Board is responsible for devising the ECDC's work programme, approving its budget and overseeing its management. Dr. Sprenger and Dr. Malliori will work closely with the Centre's Director, once he or she is appointed, to ensure the new agency is built up smoothly and efficiently. The aim is to have a Director and staff for the ECDC in place and operational in Stockholm by May 2005. The mission of this new EU agency is to strengthen Europe's defences against infectious diseases, such as SARS, influenza and HIV-AIDS, by networking the knowledge in Member States' disease control agencies and facilitating co-operation between them.

David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, welcomed the election of Dr Sprenger and Dr Malliori: "I congratulate the new chairpersons. Their vision to drive the ECDC will be vital. Their knowledge and judgement will be of huge value to the ECDC and I wish them well for their job."

Speaking about his appointment as Chairman, Dr. Sprenger said: "The ECDC's has a vital mission: ensuring Europe's citizens are better protected against disease. To achieve this we need to establish its credibility and influence vis-à-vis Europe's politicians and decision-makers - as well as trust vis-à-vis civil society and the general public. We must ensure there are top quality, independent, experts in the Centre's staff and in its networks. I am determined to do all I can to build the ECDC's reputation for scientific credibility, honesty and openness.

Dr. Meni Malliori said: "Health is the top priority for European citizens and needs to be pursued above all other interests. Protecting citizens from infectious disease is of huge importance and must be the initial focus of the ECDC. In the longer term, though, I would like to see the Centre play a role in promoting all aspects of physical and mental wellbeing - for example driving back obesity and helping address problems such as suicide and depression."

The Management Board held an initial discussion on the Centre's work programme for 2005 and on its budget and financial rules. It also took decisions on the following:

• Rules of procedure of the Management Board
• Rules on public access to documents produced by the ECDC
• The official acronym for the Centre: this will be ECDC

Next steps

The next meeting of the Management Board is scheduled to take place on 13 and 14 December in Stockholm. The main item for decision at this meeting will be the appointment of a Director for the ECDC, on the basis of a shortlist of candidates proposed by the European Commission. The post of Director was advertised in the EU's Official Journal and in the media in August and early September.

Further information available from:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_overview/strategy/ecdc/ecdc_en.htm