One Health

Actualizat:

12 Noiembrie 2025

3 minute de citire

One Health integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems is defined by the World Health Organisation as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.

EFSA – together with other EU agencies and institutions – plays a vital role in advancing the One Health approach and supports its implementation in Europe. This framework is essential for tackling global health challenges like zoonotic A term given to diseases and infections that can be transmitted between animals and humans diseases, antimicrobial resistance The ability of microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi) to survive exposure to antimicrobials. This phenomenon, driven largely by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial agents (e.g. antibiotics, fungicides used as plant protection agents, etc), makes infections harder to treat and poses a significant threat to public health. (AMR), foodborne illnesses, and climate change. By promoting transdisciplinary collaboration, One Health bridges knowledge, data, and expertise from various disciplines and sectors.

Through the One Health approach, we aim to overcome regulatory barriers, recognising the intrinsic link between the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment.

Milestones

2025
July
The Lancet One Health Commission: harnessing our interconnectedness for equitable, sustainable, and healthy socioecological systems
Scientific article on “Scientific cooperation among Europe's One Health agencies”
February
First virtual issue of EFSA Journal on One Health
January
Publication of “Coordinated One Health investigation and management of outbreaks in humans and animals caused by zoonotic avian influenza viruses” (EFSA Journal) adopting a One Health outbreak-investigation perspective for zoonotic avian influenza.
2024
May
Joint framework for action published by five EU agencies: By implementing this strategy across sectors, the EU and its Member States aim to better prevent, detect, and respond to health threats while reducing societal costs and environmental pressures. A cross-agency task force is working around five key objectives: coordination, capacity building, research, communication and stakeholder engagement, and joint activities.
Video statement – One Health in action: How EU agencies are tackling environmental and public health together
2023
November
Cross-agency knowledge for One Health action, 5 One Health EU agencies express their joint commitment as EU agencies to fully support the One Health agenda in Europe.
March
Establishment of an internal EFSA One Health taskforce.
2022
June
ONE – Health, Environment, Society – EFSA Conference 2022, a four-day event organised by EFSA: in cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the European Environment Agency (EEA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
2021
June
EFSA’s Strategy for 2023–2027: The commitment to the One Health framework is reaffirmed, with a focus on integrating climate change considerations and enhancing resilience against emerging global threats.
February
COVID-19 and One Health: During the COVID-19 pandemic An epidemic that becomes very widespread and affects a region, continent or the whole world, EFSA contributes to understanding the zoonotic origins of the virus, highlighting the importance of One Health strategies in preventing future pandemics.
2018
Guidance on identifying endocrine disruptors: EFSA and ECHA publish their guidance on how to identify substances with endocrine disrupting properties in pesticides and biocides
2017
EFSA's AMR Abbreviation of “antimicrobial resistance” (see “antimicrobial resistance”). risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation mandate: At the request of the European Commission, EFSA expands its role in assessing the risks of AMR across food-producing animals, food, and the environment.
2013
Tackling antimicrobial resistance: EFSA's focus on AMR intensifies with the publication of its first assessments on the impact of veterinary antibiotic use and its implications for human health.
2010
First EFSA-ECDC joint report on zoonoses: In this pivotal report, the two agencies provide comprehensive data on the spread of zoonotic pathogens within the EU.

EFSA's role

EFSA plays a central role in advancing the One Health concept by focusing on evidence-based risk assessments that bridge human, animal, and environmental health, in collaboration with its partner agencies.

Key activities include:

Risk assessments: EFSA conducts comprehensive risk assessments on zoonoses, foodborne pathogens, and environmental factors that could affect human health. These assessments help policymakers design measures to protect both public and animal health.
Monitoring and data collection: EFSA works closely with national food safety authorities, veterinary services, and environmental agencies to gather data on emerging risks. This helps in the early identification and management of threats.
Coordination and collaboration: In close cooperation with ECDC and EMA, EFSA promotes interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches to health challenges like antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic diseases.
Scientific advice: EFSA provides independent scientific advice to EU policymakers, ensuring that regulations and guidelines are grounded in the latest research and reflect the principles of One Health.
Communication: Communication activities play a vital role in supporting EFSA’s One Health approach by raising awareness, fostering collaboration, and ensuring transparency in risk assessment. Clear and accessible communication helps bridge the gap between researchers, policymakers, and the public, enabling informed decision-making on issues like zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety.

EU framework

The European Union has long recognised the importance of the One Health approach, and its regulatory framework is designed to address health issues through a coordinated strategy.

The EU One Health action plan against AMR: Launched in 2017, the EU Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance is a cornerstone of the One Health initiative. EFSA contributes significantly to this action plan by providing scientific opinions and risk assessments that guide policies related to antibiotic use in animals and food safety practices.

Regulation (EU) 2016/429 – Animal health law: This regulation lays the groundwork for controlling diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. EFSA’s work in monitoring zoonotic pathogens and providing risk assessments supports the implementation of this legislation.

European Green Deal & Farm to Fork Strategy: The EU's Green Deal, together with its Farm to Fork Strategy, promotes sustainability in the food chain and highlights the role of One Health in ensuring food security, food safety, and the protection of biodiversity A term used to describe the variety of living organisms existing in a specific environment. EFSA contributes by analysing the impacts of agricultural practices on animal and environmental health.

Global collaborations: The EU actively participates in global One Health efforts, including the work of the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). EFSA’s scientific contributions often inform EU positions in these international forums.

One Health governance in the European Union: According to this report by the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the European Commission, strong scientific evidence supports the One Health approach in policymaking across health systems, food safety, zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and the environment.

For more information, please see:

Links to EU health and environment agencies:

Links to EFSA Podcast episodes on One Health:

Links to EFSA profiles on LinkedIn and Bluesky: