Scope (2021-2026)

Objectives and Outcome

The taskforce objectives are to:

• Increase the mutual understanding of TATFAR partners’ (Canada, EU, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States) activities and programs relating to the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance
• Contribute to an effective global dialogue and uptake of best practices
• Provide opportunities for shared learning
• Promote information exchange, coordination and cooperation between Canada, EU, Norway, United Kingdom (U.K), and the United States (U.S.)

The outcome of the work of the taskforce includes technical and scientific statements or suggestions and neither represent nor impose a formal or binding position on the part of the TATFAR partners.

The work of the taskforce builds on work done by TATFAR from 2011 to 2020 and reflects the contributions of the institutions and the individuals who have contributed to the success of the first three TATFAR periods. In the coming period the taskforce will continue to be outward-looking, advocating the work of TATAFAR to a wider audience.

Key Areas

The work of the taskforce is guided by the four key areas:

1. Appropriate antimicrobial use in human and veterinary medicine
2. Surveillance and prevention of AMR
3. Strategies to improve financial incentives, access, research, and development of antimicrobial drugs, diagnostics, and alternatives
4. Cross-cutting actions to improve awareness and disseminate information from TATFAR

Composition and Structure of the Taskforce

Partners

TATFAR is a joint collaboration between the EU and the U.S., Canada (as of 2009), Norway (as of 2015), and the United Kingdom (as of 2021). TATFAR is co-chaired under the leadership of the EU and U.S.

Institutional Members and Representatives

The taskforce and its working groups include representatives of the civil service and/or other public bodies of Canada, the EU, Norway, U.K. and U.S. The representatives shall have a general overview on health-related issues or a specific knowledge on AMR in one of the four key areas.

Representatives from member institutions will:

• Participate in biannual TATFAR meetings
• Identify implementers for TATFAR work
• Review and approve TATFAR outputs including, but not limited to, changes to actions for collaboration, progress reports and meeting minutes

At the start of the third implementation period (2021-2026) the taskforce will consist of representatives from member institutions, Council of the European Union (represented by the Trio Presidency as ex-officio members), and the secretariat. The member institutions and the number of representatives of the institutions may be varied by agreement of TATFAR.

The European Union will be represented by the Council of the European Union, represented by the current presidency on behalf of the Trio Presidency as an ex-officio member, to keep the Council regularly informed of progress, as well as the following European Commission agencies and organizations:

• EC-Directorate-General for the Environment (DG ENV)
• EC-Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)
• EC-Directorate-General for Joint Research Center (DG JRC)
• EC-Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD)
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
• European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Canada will be represented by the following member agencies and organizations:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Safety (AAFC)
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• Health Canada (HC)
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

Norway will be represented by the following member agencies and organizations:

• Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)
• Norwegian National Veterinary Institute (NVI)

The United Kingdom will be represented by the following member agencies and organizations:

• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
• Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Prescribing, Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (APRHAI)
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)
• Devolved Administrations (of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) (DA)
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• Environment Agency (EA)
• Food Standards Agency (FSA)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI)
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
• Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)

The United States will be represented by the following agencies or offices of the Department of Health and Human Services:

• Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID/NIH)
• Office of Global Affairs (OGA)
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Co-Chairs

The taskforce is co-chaired by the Director of the European Commission Public Health Directorate and the U.S. Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs.

The co-chairs will lead (or assign a delegate to lead) TATFAR meetings, and review and approve TATFAR output.

Secretariat

A secretariat deals with the administrative aspects of organizing and running the day-to-day arrangements of the taskforce. CDC has maintained this role since January of 2014; however, the location and role of the secretariat may be changed by TATFAR.

While CDC serves in the lead role as secretariat, other representatives that serve as points of contact for the member governments and assist with the coordination of taskforce activities will fall under the title of secretariat and will be referred to as TATFAR coordinators.

The secretariat will:

• Communicate regularly with TATFAR coordinators to facilitate the execution of TATFAR goals and milestones
• Schedule and prepare agendas of semi-annual TATFAR meetings and working group meetings
• Draft minutes or meeting summaries for TATFAR and working group meetings as appropriate
• Maintain a spreadsheet to track progress on actions
• Maintain the TATFAR website
• Coordinate communications
• Facilitate TATFAR correspondence
• Maintain and facilitate the drafting of TATFAR documents and reports
• Coordinate outward-facing activities

Implementers

The TATFAR member representatives will identify technical experts (or implementers) to work on actions for collaboration. Contributions to TATFAR work may be made by organizations and individuals who are not institutional members of TATFAR; overall responsibility for the work, however, must remain with TATFAR institutions.

Implementer leads will:

• Facilitate implementation of actions
• Collate progress reports from all implementers no less than semi-annually and for external purposes as agreed by the co-chairs

Implementers will:

• Participate in working group meetings and collaborate on the implementation of actions
• Report, for internal purposes, on the progress for each action no less than semi-annually and for external purposes as agreed by the co-chairs

Operating Procedures

The taskforce is co-chaired by the Director of the European Commission Public Heath Directorate and U.S. Director of the Pandemics and Emerging Threats Office, Office of Global Affairs, Health and Human Services. The full membership of the taskforce will hold meetings no less than every six months by teleconference or video conference with one in-person meeting midway through this implementation period of five years. The taskforce will review its progress annually and increase visibility by posting progress to its website.

Actions for Collaboration

Ongoing Actions:

Implementers for each action will establish their own schedules for meetings and correspondence. Implementers will report on the progress for TATFAR work no less than semi-annually.

Retiring Actions:

A working group may propose to retire an action if progress is stalled, or work has been completed. The co-leads for the action will present a proposal for the retirement, including justification, to the full TATFAR membership. This may be done via email or at an all-member TATFAR meeting.

New Actions:

TATFAR member representatives may propose new actions for collaboration at any time during the implementation period. The member(s) will be responsible for drafting the action and presenting it to the full TATFAR membership at an all-member meeting.

The proposal for a new action shall include:

• The Key Focus Area under which the action will be included
• The area of collaboration
• A brief statement describing the issue
• Description of work
• Proposed leads and implementers
• Proposed timeline and milestones for the implementation of the work

TATFAR will review proposals for new actions for action. In some cases, TATFAR may require more information before the proposed action can be approved.

Consultation, External Interaction, and Workshops

The members of the taskforce will seek, where appropriate, to obtain input from the public, interested experts, likeminded groups, and other stakeholders, in accordance with each members’ respective process for obtaining public comment, on the specific activities within the framework of the Declaration where member collaboration can be most fruitful. As feasible, meetings to which public participation is invited will be conducted.  Where possible, TATFAR will exchange information on progress with corresponding initiatives run by other international organizations working in the same area.