Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/253 of 13 February 2017 laying down procedures for the notification of alerts as part of the early warning and response system established in relation to serious cross-border threats to health and for the information exchange, consultation and coordination of responses to such threats pursuant to Decision No 1082/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance. )

EWRS competent authorities

Article 1

1.   The Commission shall grant to the EWRS competent authorities, designated in accordance with Article 15(1)(b) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU, access to the early warning and response system established pursuant to Article 8 of Decision No 1082/2013/EU. 2.   Member States shall ensure that effective communication channels are established between the EWRS competent authorities and any other relevant competent authorities within their jurisdiction in order to promptly identify serious cross-border threats to health fulfilling the criteria laid down in Article 9(1) and (2) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU.

Alert notifications in the EWRS

Article 2

1.   Where a Member State or the Commission becomes aware of the emergence or development of a serious cross-border threat to health within the meaning of Article 9(1) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU, it shall introduce the alert referred to in that Article without delay and in any event no later than 24 hours from when it first became aware of the threat. 2.   The Member State or the Commission may inform the Health Security Committee (‘HSC’) of the introduction of an alert. 3.   The notification obligation referred to in paragraph 1, shall not affect the notification obligation laid down in Article 9(2) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU. 4.   The fact that not all relevant information, as indicated in Article 9(3) of that Decision, may be available shall not delay the notification of an alert. 5.   The alert referred to in paragraph 1 shall specify how the criteria laid down in Article 9(1) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU are fulfilled. 6.   Where, following an alert notification, a Member State or the Commission wishes to communicate available relevant information for coordination purposes pursuant to Article 9(3) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU, it shall use the ad hoc functionality of the EWRS to post a ‘comment’ in reply to the initial notification message.

Other Union rapid alert and information systems

Article 3

1.   The alert notification referred to in Article 2(1) shall specify whether the threat identified has previously been notified through other alert or information systems at Union level or under the Euratom Treaty. 2.   Where a serious cross-border threat to health is communicated through more than one Union alert or information system, the Commission shall indicate through the EWRS the lead system for the specific type of information exchange. 3.   For the purposes of this Article, other alert and information systems at Union level or under the Euratom Treaty shall include the systems set out in the Annex.

Coordination of national responses to serious cross-border threats to health

Article 4

1.   Where a request for consultation is made under Article 11(1)(a) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU for the purposes of coordinating the response to a serious cross-border threat to health, the Commission shall arrange for the consultation to be held within the HSC within 2 working days of the request depending on the urgency related to the severity of that threat. 2.   The Commission shall inform the HSC of the request and make available to the HSC any information relevant to the threat in addition to that already communicated through the EWRS. 3.   Member States shall also provide in writing any available information relevant to the threat, in addition to that already communicated through the EWRS including public health measures, or other measures, that have been taken or are intended to be taken. 4.   The HSC shall examine all the information available relating to the particular threat, including alert notifications, risk assessments, and other information communicated by Member States or the Commission either through the EWRS or the HSC, including information about public health measures that have been taken or are intended to be taken. Such an examination shall be concluded without delay. 5.   Members States when considering or taking public health measures to combat serious cross-border threats to health shall take account of the outcome of examination carried out within the framework of the consultation of the HSC.

Risk and crisis communication

Article 5

1.   Following a request for consultation under Article 11(1)(b) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU, Member States shall consult each other within the HSC and develop and suggest the content and form of risk and crisis communications to be provided by the Member States to the general public and/or to healthcare professionals. Member States may adapt the communications according to their needs and circumstances. 2.   Member States that have already conveyed risk and crisis communications relating to a serious cross-border threat to health shall inform the HSC and the Commission, in writing, of the content of such communications.

Deactivation of the alert notification

Article 6

Where the conditions which justified the introduction of an alert pursuant to Article 9(1) of Decision No 1082/2013/EU cease to exist, the alert shall be deactivated by the Member State that introduced the alert, or by the Commission in the event that the alert was introduced by the Commission. Deactivation of an alert shall only take place after all the Member States concerned by the alert have agreed to such deactivation.

Repeal of Decision 2000/57/EC

Article 7

1.   Decision 2000/57/EC is repealed. 2.   References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as references to this Decision.

Entry into force

Article 8

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

ANNEXSupplementary provisions

ANNEX Non-exhaustive list of alert and Information Systems at union level to be progressively linked with EWRS This Annex lists rapid alert and information systems which are currently in place at Union level or under the Euratom Treaty and which may be relevant for receiving alerts of and information on events which are or may pose a serious cross border threat to health: — Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS), to register and document the situation of important infectious animal diseases; — Commission's cross sectoral warning system (ARGUS), a Commission internal Rapid Alert System allowing all Commission Directorate-Generals to share key information in the event of an emergency/crisis and to enable internal coordination; — Common Emergency Communication and Information System (CECIS), for civil protection and marine pollution accidents; — European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange (ECURIE), to notify counter-measures to protect against the effects of a radiological or nuclear accident; — Major Accident Reporting System (EMARS), to facilitate the exchange of lessons learned from accidents and near misses involving dangerous substances in order to improve chemical accident prevention and mitigation of potential consequences; — European Notification System for Plant Health Interceptions (EUROPHYT), dealing with interceptions for plant health reasons of consignments of plants and plant products imported into the Union or being traded within the Union; — Rapid Alert for Blood and Blood Components (RAB), for the exchange of information to prevent or contain cross-border incidents linked to blood transfusions; — Rapid Alert System for Non-food Dangerous Products (RAPEX), for the exchange of information on products posing a risk to health and safety of consumers; — Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) platform, for the notification of risks to human health deriving from food or feed; — Rapid Alert for Tissues and Cells (RATC) platform for the exchange of information and measures related to human tissues or cells transferred across borders for patients; — European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction (Reitox), to collect and report information on the drug phenomenon across Europe.