A Conference on European Reference Networks (ERNs) was held on 23rd June 2014 in Brussels to discuss the organisation of specialised networks across the EU and examine the next steps of the deployment process, in preparation of the forthcoming call for European Reference Networks in 2015.

The conference gathered 340 participants from 29 countries who represented national public health authorities, as well as experts who coordinated past collaborative networks, financially supported by DG Research or DG Public Health, and patient organisation representatives. Also Professor Adriana Ceci, President of the Gianni Benzi Pharmacological Research Foundation, joined the conference, considering her qualified and long-standing expertise in the leadership of Networks of Excellence in the field of Health .
The establishment of ERNs lays in accordance with Directive 2011/24/EU on patients’ rights to cross-border healthcare. Regardless of the region, the network should be entitled to provide highly specialised, affordable, high-quality and cost-effective care. The purpose of this action is not necessarily to create new care centres but to link existing ones, and/or recognise existing networks, that will work as permanent platforms at European level.

The expected benefits to patients and healthcare systems are improvements in:

•services delivery,

•working systems,

•patient pathways for the treatment,

•clinical tools,

•earlier adoption of scientific evidence.

Two European Commission documents, published in March 2014, represent the milestones of the ERNs:  the Delegated Decision, listing criteria and conditions that healthcare providers and the ERNs should fulfil, and the Implementing Decision, containing criteria for establishing and evaluating ERNs, including the exchange and dissemination of information.