ECDC Virtual Academy (EVA)

The overarching aim of Exercise Blue Triangle was to test the standard operating procedures for the response to a food and waterborne disease threat at an EU level, developed by the ECDC Preparedness and Response Unit together with the Food and Waterborne Disease Horizontal Programme.

The objectives of this exercise were:

1. To test the capacity/co-ordination for early detection and response to a food and waterborne disease (FWD) threat at an EU level.
   
2. To test the functionality of ECDC guidelines for response to a FWD threat (Guiding Principles, in particular, Part II: Food and Waterborne Disease Threats at EU level).
3. Examine how a FWD is detected in the early stages and how subsequent co-ordination and response is managed.
4. To test how the threat assessment is developed from different sources of information. 
5. Test the co-ordination and response with other stakeholders. 
6. Test how ECDC coordinates with Member States and the European Commission in the response to an incident of this nature.
7. Test the capabilities of the European ad hoc response team to produce a timely initial threat assessment.
8. To analyse the existing internal ECDC command, control and communication structure during an EU level FWD outbreak.