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Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) associated with public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) and response pose major challenges to the scientific community and civil society because a multistakeholder and interdisciplinary methodology is needed to foster public engagement. In 2017, within “Action plan on Science in Society related issues in Epidemics and Total pandemics”, twenty-three initiatives in eleven cities—Athens, Brussels, Bucharest, Dublin, Geneva, Haifa, Lyon, Milan, Oslo, Rome, and Sofia—represented effective opportunities for Mobilization and Mutual Learning on RRI issues in the matter of PHEP with different community-level groups. These experiences show that to effectively address a discourse on RRI-related issues in PHEP it is necessary to engage the local population and stakeholders, which is challenging because of needed competencies and resources. Under coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we are proven that such a diversified multistakeholder engagement on RRI related to PHEP locally needs further elaboration and practical development.

Epidemics and pandemics are natural events recurring over the time: their impact can be appropriately minimised but most countries only rely on emergency response. The European Decision 1082/2013 on serious cross-border threats to health is innovative in recognising risk communication as an essential tool in coping with public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC). The Decision serves as proper context for the EU-funded ASSET (Action plan in Science in Society in Epidemics and Total pandemics) research project that aims to create the blueprint for a better response to PHEIC, through improved forms of dialogue and better cooperation at different levels on Science-in-Society (SiS) issues (governance, engagement, ethics, gender, science education, open access). A Mobilization and Mutual Learning (MML) approach was developed through the ASSET Strategic and Action Plans toward different targets and relevant stakeholders. An integrated participatory approach needs to be recognized into the national plans for preparedness and response.