Pandemic & CBRNe Preparedness: Innovation, Standards, Situational Awareness. PEERS & ONELAB Joint Final Conference

We all know that preparedness is the cornerstone of effective crisis management. Sustaining properly equipped, protected, and trained teams in extended operations throughout an emergency requires more than reactive efforts — it demands deliberate planning, continuous training, and the right tools.

Ask Yourself:

•          What is the current state of your crisis preparedness?
•        Are you ready for full-scale, society-wide operations with minimal notice?
•        Do your exercises reflect the hard lessons of recent global emergencies (e.g., COVID-19)?
•        Are your teams connected to the latest standards, technologies, and networks?

These are not just theoretical questions — they form the foundation of “Pandemic & CBRNe Preparedness: Innovation, Standards, Situational Awareness”, the joint final conference of PEERS and ONELAB, two Horizon Europe projects that have worked over the past three years to transform crisis preparedness and response in Europe and beyond. The event will take place on 8 and 9 September 2025.

The conference will be held in a hybrid format, welcoming participants in person, while also providing a live-streamed option via YouTube with limited interactivity for remote attendees. As on-site capacity is modest, we kindly recommend early registration for those wishing to attend in person.

Over two days, starting on 8 September at 12:30 p.m. CET, the event will offer:

• Technology demonstrations of Rapid Response Mobile Laboratories (i.e., modular, scalable systems for fast deployment to support real-time disease detection and outbreak response) and the CBRNe Knowledge Hub (i.e., a centralised repository of information enhancing the resilience of communities and infrastructures against CBRNe threats through better planning and preparedness) developed by the two projects;
• Round table discussions with policymakers, practitioners, and researchers on pandemic and CBRNe preparedness, as well as future standardisation needs to enhance interoperability in CBRNe crisis preparedness and response.
• Launch of core resources developed by the two projects, including: a Pandemic Testing Playbook (i.e., a strategic guide offering coordinated action plans across all levels of command); a next-generation concept of operation (CONOPS) for mobile pandemic monitoring operations; a CBRNe Information Group (i.e., a well-informed and knowledgeable group of people available to serve CBRNe professional stakeholders to enhance CBRNe preparedness and response);
• Exploitation and sustainability strategies beyond EU funding;
• Networking opportunities for building future collaborations across domains.

A detailed agenda will be published soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars - and make sure your organisation is ready to participate in shaping Europe's future crisis response. Stay tuned!

About PEERS

Launched in November 2022, PEERS is a 36-month Horizon Europe project aiming to advance and reinforce the European Union’s operational safety and security policies through the development of a practitioner-driven ecosystem focused on pre-normative / standardisation processes and supporting tools (the so-called “CBRNe Knowledge Hub”). The CBRNe Knowledge Hub supports the effective strengthening of preparedness and response in the field of CBRNe through a set of a hierarchy of information including official standards at the top but also providing sign-posts to common but less assured guidance notes, standard operational procedures and current research initiatives. Data available on the CBRNe Knowledge Hub are further complemented by gamification and e-Learning support tools encouraging solid user engagement, strengthening interactions activities, and furthering user training skills based on situational awareness. PEERS primarily targets assisting Europe's CBRNe practitioners, European research policymaking as well as other stakeholders including the research community and national standardisation bodies.

About ONELAB

ONELAB, also launched in 2022, is dedicated to advancing global pandemic preparedness. At the heart of the project is the development of Rapid Response Mobile Laboratories (RRMLs) which are modular, scalable systems designed for fast deployment in diverse settings to support real-time disease detection and outbreak response. These mobile labs integrate cutting-edge diagnostics with satellite-enabled GIS technologies to enhance situational awareness and decision-making in crisis contexts. ONELAB goes beyond technology by developing semi-autonomous biomarker discovery workflows and building a global expert network to define operational standards. Key outputs are a next-generation concept of operation (CONOPS) for mobile pandemic monitoring operations and the Pandemic Testing Playbook, a strategic guide offering coordinated action plans across all levels of command. The project also conducted cross-national research on mass community testing in European countries and Japan, including public perception studies, aiming to an increasing trust, transparency, and engagement.

Dedicated in its efforts to promote project sustainability, EMBRACE will be present in the PEERS & ONELAB Joint Final Conference to gain insights from the completion of the two project and to present the way forward.