EFSA workshop tests crisis preparedness in Baltic States
EFSA facilitated a workshop on crisis preparedness for the Baltic countries in Riga, Latvia, from 15 to 17 March 2016. The training session aimed to improve collaboration between EFSA and Member States as well as EU sister agencies. The 40 participants from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Poland, the European Commission, and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) learned about tracing methodologies, rapid assessment and crisis communications, using a fictitious scenario of a foodborne outbreak.
EFSA’s recently published crisis communication guidelines proved to be a crucial supporting tool as the training incorporated urgent media and social media activities. Participants agreed that the workshop helped identify important lessons to be learned for improved preparedness and collaboration.