The European Commission has opened a call for Affiliated Partners within the European Reference Networks. This is an opportunity for healthcare centres in countries without full ERN coverage to join ERN eUROGEN and participate in its work to improve care for patients with rare and complex uro-recto-genital conditions.
Who can apply?
ERN eUROGEN currently has no full members or affiliated partners in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Romania, or Slovakia.
Centres in these countries are therefore encouraged to apply.
What are Affiliated Partners?
Affiliated Partners are healthcare providers designated by their Member State to collaborate with one or more European Reference Networks. They operate in countries where the ERN does not yet have a member centre, allowing these countries to benefit from the network’s expertise and resources.
Affiliated Partners take one of two forms:
- Associated National Centres are healthcare providers with specialised expertise that aligns with the network’s thematic domain. They focus primarily on providing healthcare directly related to the activities and services of the specific network.
- National Coordination Hubs are institutions with the capacity and knowledge to link the national healthcare system to one or more European Reference Networks. They do not require specific medical expertise in rare diseases; instead, they act as interfaces between national healthcare systems and the networks.
Each eligible country may submit up to three Affiliated Partner applications for each missing ERN.
Why become an Affiliated Partner of ERN eUROGEN?
Affiliated Partners gain access to a network of international experts and resources, including:
- Cross-border clinical collaboration through the ERN Clinical Patient Management System (CPMS 2.0), which allows centres to discuss complex cases with expert panels across Europe. This supports diagnosis, treatment planning, and continuity of care, including transition from paediatric to adult services.
- Participation in the ERN eUROGEN patient registry, which collects long-term outcomes over 15–20 years. This strengthens the evidence base, allows comparison of care across centres, and supports research and innovation.
- Access to clinical practice guidelines, clinical decision support tools, and patient information resources developed and regularly updated by the network.
- Training and education opportunities through webinars, courses, and educational materials that support specialist development and continuous learning.
Timeline and application process
Interested healthcare providers should contact their National Competent Authority in good time. The National Competent Authority is responsible for coordinating applications at the national level and submitting them to the European Commission.
Key dates:
- Deadline for submission: 1 September 2026, 23:59 CEST
- Eligibility check: September 2026
- ERN Coordinator assessment: October 2026 to January 2027
- Board of Member States vote: March 2027
- Signed bilateral cooperation agreements: April 2027
More information
Full details of the call, including technical annexes, designation letter templates, the bilateral cooperation agreement template, and frequently asked questions, are available on the European Commission’s dedicated page.
Download the Commission’s information webinar slides (30 March 2026) for further details on the scope, procedures, and timeline.
For questions about ERN eUROGEN specifically, contact eurogen@uroweb.org
