18/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - As part of the work to improve Member States' preparedness for a human flu pandemic, the European Centre for the Prevention and Control of Disease is holding a number of meetings in Stockholm from 18 to 22 September. Taking part in these meetings will be public health officials from 16 EU countries, plus Norway and Iceland. In order to allow in-depth discussion, the meetings will be organised in small working groups. Other workshops of this kind, bringing together fewer than ten countries, are planned for December. At the centre of the discussions will be the challenges to be met in order to reach the best state of preparedness, and the interoperability of national plans.