The EUnetHTA Joint Action 1 (2010-2012) has been set up to put into practice an effective and sustainable HTA collaboration in Europe that brings added value at the European, national and regional level by:

• facilitating the efficient use of HTA in countries across Europe
• supporting long-term strategic planning for the development of HTA providing an access point for expert advice on HTA across Europe, thus providing a gateway to European HTA agencies and producers
• creating sustainable systems for knowledge sharing and provision of tools to assist the production of HTA in European countries
• providing an access point for communication with European umbrella stakeholder organisations to encourage HTAs to systematically cover a wide range of perspectives
• developing alliances with contributing fields of research to support a stronger and broader evidence base for HTA.

Following the EUnetHTA JA1, a 2nd Joint Action has started in October 2012 and will run its activities until September 2015. Similar to the 1st one, stakeholders’ involvement will be ensured by a Stakeholder Forum in EUnetHTA JA2.

This 2nd Joint Action will feed in the creation of a permanent network on HTA (end of 2013 – early 2014) as stated in the Directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare. The article 15 of the Directive sets up a voluntary network connecting national authorities and bodies responsible for HTA appointed by the Member States. The purpose of the HTA network shall be to support and facilitate cooperation and exchange of scientific information among Member States. Although the network will consist of Member State representatives, the Directive also specifies that stakeholders should be involved and consulted on the network’s activities.

It is COCIR’s intention, through the expertise of its membership to engage and work with the EUnetHTA JA2 and future permanent network to support the development of a unified European approach to Health Technology Assessment.