Mission and tasks of the Centre
Article 3
1. In order to enhance the capacity of the Community and the Member States to protect human health through the prevention and control of human disease, the mission of the Centre shall be to identify, assess and communicate current and emerging threats to human health from communicable diseases. In the case of other outbreaks of illness of unknown origin which may spread within or to the Community, the Centre shall act on its own initiative until the source of the outbreak is known. In the case of an outbreak which clearly is not caused by a communicable disease, the Centre shall act only in cooperation with the competent authority upon request from that authority. In pursuing its mission the Centre shall take full account of the responsibilities of the Member States, the Commission and other Community agencies, and of the responsibilities of international organisations active within the field of public health, in order to ensure comprehensiveness, coherence and complementarity of action. 2. Within the field of its mission, the Centre shall: (a) search for, collect, collate, evaluate and disseminate relevant scientific and technical data; (b) provide scientific opinions and scientific and technical assistance including training; (c) provide timely information to the Commission, the Member States, Community agencies and international organisations active within the field of public health; (d) coordinate the European networking of bodies operating in the fields within the Centre’s mission, including networks arising from public health activities supported by the Commission and operating the dedicated surveillance networks; and (e) exchange information, expertise and best practices, and facilitate the development and implementation of joint actions. 3. The Centre, the Commission and the Member States shall cooperate to promote effective coherence between their respective activities.