Organisation of an inter-sectoral table top exercise on a foodborne outbreak crisis towards improving preparedness and strengthening capacity to coordinate response

The objective is to prepare, hold and evaluate an intersectorial table top exercise on outbreak coordination and crisis response involving public health and food safety authorities, as well as crisis coordinators. This foodborne crisis simulation exercise is expected to contribute to:

a) improving preparedness and response planning for food crisis situations through testing procedures in place at national (contingency plans) and EU level (the crisis general plan),

b) ensuring coherence, interoperability and coordination between the local, national and EU level,

c) ensuring interaction between Member States and with international partners concerned by using the appropriate channels, such as the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), the Early Warning Response System (EWRS) and the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN),

d) guaranteeing coordination of risk communication at local, national and EU level and

e) improving preparedness to communication.