PRESS RELEASE

403/494

17 Oct 2023

Kyiv, 18 October 2023

European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative

Strengthening of Front Line Biosafety and Biosecurity Measures in SEEE Region
Project 100 Kickoff Meeting 17 October 2023

This pivotal project aimed at enhancing Biosafety and Biosecurity measures in the South East and Eastern European (SEEE) region officially commenced on October 17th, 2023, with a dynamic kickoff meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in Brussels, Belgium with the participation of the SEEE CBRN CoE Regional Secretariat and the national representatives of Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine. The project, labeled "P100 Strengthening of Front Line Biosafety and Biosecurity Measures in the South East and Eastern European Region," is set to span 36 months and involves a consortium of stakeholders dedicated to advancing front line biosafety and biosecurity measures in the region.

This initiative is born out of the realization that effective management of front-line biosafety and biosecurity measures is of paramount importance. The project's primary goal is to bolster the existing capacities, practices, resources, and regulatory frameworks in the SEEE partner countries, and enhance the national, cross-border, sub-regional and regional cooperation between the participating countries through various technical workshops, exercises and trainings. This will be done with a specific focus on state borders, and customs clearance zones. The expected outcome is the identification of key agencies, assessment of regulations, evaluation of existing capacities, identification of national teams for future training initiatives and conduction of trainings and exercises on the national, sub-regional and regional levels. The project unfolds in two key phases:

Phase I: Baseline Assessment

Under Phase I, the project partners will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing state of biosafety and biosecurity measures. This included the identification of regulatory gaps and the assessment of capabilities in partner countries. The outcome of this phase provides a solid foundation for the subsequent actions.

Phase II: Implementation

Phase II comprises of the following distinct tasks:

1. Development of Procedures and Methodologies: This package focuses on elaborating guidelines and procedures for front-line and supportive personnel of the participating countries involved with and responsible for the front line biosafety and biosecurity measures in their respective countries. It includes collaborating with national experts and trainers to develop comprehensive standard operating procedures for front-line and supportive personnel, covering areas such as hazard detection, personal safety, and more. International best practices are reviewed to ensure alignment.
2. Enhancing National Inter-Agency Cooperation: This phase aims to ensure the national capacity building through the provision of pilot Train the Trainers (TTT) courses, specialized country-specific training programs, and sustainable national training and exercises in Integrated Management of Front-Line Biosafety and Biosecurity measures.
3. Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation and Transfer of Best Practices: this task is focused on establishing and enhancing cross-border, sub-regional, and regional cooperation. Key Activities within this task include the establishment of communication channels, sub-regional and cross-border field exercises, and regional table-top exercises. The emphasis is on the transfer of EU best practices on Integrated Border Security Management, with a specific focus on strengthening of the frontline Biosafety and Biosecurity measures. These activities foster cooperation and knowledge sharing among participating countries and promote the sustainability of CoE projects and the EU CBRN CoE risk mitigation initiative.

The kickoff meeting in Brussels marked the beginning of an ambitious journey towards enhancement of front line bio safety and bio security measures in the SEEE region. The project team is eager to collaborate, learn, and make a tangible difference.

For further information and updates on the "P100 Strengthening of Front Line Biosafety and Biosecurity Measures in SEEE Region" project, please visit http://www.coe-project100.stcu.int or contact Gunay Rzayeva, Project Tam Lader for Project 100 at Gunay.Rzaeva@gmail.com





Downloadable materials

• Press release

Contact Person: Peter Mutovkin