25th March 2026
On 18 March, Dr Angelos Kassianos took part in the multi‑stakeholder roundtable “Council recommendation on the value of immunisation against respiratory infections: a step towards an EU Respiratory Health Plan?” at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event, hosted by Active Citizenship Network and moderated by journalist Mariam Zaidi, brought together representatives from the European Commission, academia, patient organisations and industry to discuss how a coordinated EU approach can strengthen immunisation against respiratory infections. Dr Kassianos contributed insights from the EU4Health co‑OPERATOR project, emphasising the need for evidence‑based communication strategies, citizen engagement and better support for healthcare professionals to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine uptake across Member States.
The following day, 19 March, the BSiH Lab participated in the second Co‑OPERATOR Policy Lab at the Maastricht University Hub in Brussels, led by Active Citizenship Network (ACN) and CUT with the support of Maastricht University. Dr Kassianos co‑facilitated sessions that translated Co‑OPERATOR research findings into concrete policy options at EU, national and regional levels, using the CFIR framework to analyse barriers and facilitators. Stakeholders co‑designed feasible interventions such as harmonised training for healthcare professionals, EU‑wide and locally tailored communication campaigns, and stronger monitoring of vaccine‑related information environments, with a view to implementation in the next 12–24 months.
