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The Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT) is coordinating with the Italian National Blood Centre (CNS) the Joint Action 'VISTART" (EU Grant Agreement n. 676969), which has received funding from the European Union's Health Programme (2014-2020). CNT is also the leader of the Joint Action's Work Package 10 aimed at providing technical support and guidance to European tissue- and cell-competent authorities and to tissue establishments across the European Union in the implementation of the Single European Code (SEC). A consortium of three organizations, built by CNT, the International Council for Commonality in Blood Banking Automation (ICCBBA) and Artman Technologies under the European Commission funded service contract 'Eurocet128' (www.eurocet128. eu), already built the European Tissue Establishment and Tissue and Cell Product Compendia between 2011 and 2014 in order to provide European Member States with a tool which would grant traceability of tissues and cells at human transplant purpose across the European Union. The two compendia are available on an online platform hosted and managed by the European Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the last years, there have been increasing concerns about the safety and traceability of human tissues and cells in Europe. In order to regulate this part of medical practice, the European Commission issued 3 directives between 2004 and 2006 and endorsed EUROCET to support member states in fulfilling some of their obligations. Methods: EUROCET created a connection with the European Union (EU) Competent Authorities (CAs) and set up a website where lists of the CAs, the authorized Tissue Establishments (TEs) and the activity data are published and updated. Moreover, EUROCET is involved within the Vigilance and Surveillance of Substances of Human Origin (SOHO V&S) project, aiming to support the EU member states in the establishment of vigilance and surveillance systems for tissues and cells. EUROCET is also working with EU stakeholders to develop a common coding system concerning donation and products. Results: There are 33 countries in EUROCET and 57 CAs. 3,974 TEs are recorded: 1,108 for tissues, 1,480 for haematopoietic progenitor cells and 1,386 for assisted reproduction. On the website, it is possible to find the 2010 activity data report. Conclusion: Based on its cooperation with the CAs, EUROCET represents them in the European network. Nowadays, the EU member states can rely on a web portal and database in order to put the tissue and cell directives into practice. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]