Emergency Task Force (ETF)
The Emergency Task Force (ETF) is an advisory and support body that handles regulatory activities in preparation for and during a public-health emergency, such as a pandemic.
HumanInnovation
Updated on 17 November 2025:
- 'Also on this topic' section - linked to the new page on 'Scientific advice for public health emergencies and threats'
- 'Responsibilities' section - included information on ETF's scientific advice related to clinical trial applications for medicines used in declared or potential public health emergencies and threats
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) established the ETF in accordance with the Regulation on EMA's Reinforced Role (Regulation (EU) 2022/123).
The ETF took over the activities of the COVID-19 EMA Pandemic Task Force that EMA convened in March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regulation made the group permanent and entrusted it with an important role in crisis preparedness.
For more information about EMA working parties and groups, see:
Responsibilities
Select the expandable panels below to learn about ETF's responsibilities in preparation for and during a public health emergency:
The ETF provides scientific advice to developers of medicines that could address a declared or potential public health emergency.
It includes advice on clinical trials and related ethical aspects.
This aims to facilitate development of medicines for use in declared or potential public health emergencies.
The ETF also provides scientific advice on medicines targeting selected pathogens and threats with the potential to cause a public health emergency.
For more information, see:
The ETF reviews the scientific data on medicines under its remit.
This includes data requested from medicine developers.
The ETF engages in early dialogue, also referred to as preliminary discussions, with developers of medicines under its remit.
In doing so, the ETF provides developers feedback on how to best develop their medicines.
The ETF offers scientific support to facilitate clinical trials in the EU for the most promising medicines.
It does so in collaboration with the Clinical Trials Coordination Group (CTCG) operating under the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA).
For more information, see:
The ETF supports the work of EMA's scientific committees that evaluate marketing authorisation applications for medicines under the ETF's remit.
It also support safety monitoring for these medicines.
For more information, see:
The ETF provides scientific recommendations on the use of medicines under its remit prior to their authorisation.
It does so in liaison with EMA's scientific committees, working parties and scientific advisory groups.
Related medicines can include those already authorised for a different indication.
For information about EMA's committees, working parties and other groups, see:
The ETF is supporting EMA to make the best use of real-world evidence to help prepare for and respond to crises.
This includes evidence generated through:
- EMA's Vaccine Monitoring Platform;
- healthcare databases across the EU - via DARWIN EU.
For more information, see:
The ETF is cooperating closely with EMA stakeholders and with European and international organisations.
Work plan and rules of procedure
The ETF's three-year work plan and rules of procedure are available below.
The list of pathogens and threats under the ETF's remit is available in Annex 1 of the work plan.
Superseded documents
Select the expandable panel below to access the previous versions of the ETF's rules of procedure, available as superseded documents:
Composition
The ETF is composed of the following experts:
- Representatives of EMA's committees and working parties, including its Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party (PCWP) and Healthcare Professionals’ Working Party (HCPWP)
- Representatives of EMA
- Representatives of the Clinical Trials Coordination and Advisory Group (CTAG)
- Clinical-trial experts from the national competent authorities
The experts are nominated by the entities they represent based on their expertise.
The European Commission established the CTAG in accordance with Article 85 of the Clinical Trials Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 536/2014).
The Emergency Task Force is co-chaired by an EMA representative and by the chair or co-chair of the CHMP.
EMA's Management Board adopts the ETF’s composition in preparation for and in response to public-health emergencies.
EMA updated the ETF’s composition in July 2025 to replace departing members.
More information on the ETF's composition is available below:
Previous revisions and superseded documents
EMA previously revised the ETF's composition:
- in March 2025, to reflect the expansion of the ETF’s activities to include antimicrobial resistance (AMR), among other updates;
- in July 2023, to reflect a shift in focus from emergency operations to preparedness activities, following the end of public health emergencies with Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Mpox;
- in September 2022, to deal with mpox as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Select the expandable panel below to access the previous revisions of ETF's composition, available as superseded documents:
Co-chairs and members
The current co-chairs are:
• Marco Cavaleri, EMA's Head of Public Health Threats
• Bruno Sepodes, chair of the CHMP
Below (in alphabetical order of surname) are the current members of the Task Force. The members' CVs and declarations of interests are available in the European expert list.