Created under the 2011 Directive on Patient Rights' in Cross-Border Healthcare, European Reference Networks (ERNs) are cross-border networks bringing together centres of expertise and reference centres of European hospitals to tackle rare or low prevalence and complex diseases and conditions that require highly specialised healthcare. 24 ERNs covering all major rare disease groups were launched in March 2017, including 956 highly specialised healthcare units from 313 hospitals located in 26 countries (25 EU Member States plus Norway).
The European Commission will launch in the coming weeks the first call for new members to join existing 24 ERNs, following the adoption of the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1269 of 26 July 2019 amending Decision 2014/287/EU. The concrete date of the launch of the call will be announced soon.
The process how to become a member of an ERN is defined in the Implementing Acts: a healthcare provider (HCP) wishing to become a member of an ERN will have to pass an assessment process based on the criteria in Delegated Decision (2014/286/EU) Annex II, on the Implementing Decision (2014/287/EU) and on the amendment to the Implementing Decision (2019/1269).
The following three key documents are now available for candidates to prepare their applications for the imminent Call for membership to existing ERNs, and are available at EC website.
If you are interested to apply for ERN-EuroBloodNet membership, please do not hesitate to contact us!