Meetings of the ETAGE will be held annually, with special meetings convened as required. Private session/s (only the Members and the Executive Secretary of the ETAGE) may be conducted, if needed. Decisions or recommendations will, as a rule, be taken by consensus.
In addition to attendance of meetings, active participation will be expected from all ETAGE members throughout the year, including participation in ETAGE working groups, video and telephone conferences as a well as interactions via e-mail. Review of documents may be solicited. ETAGE members may be requested to participate as observers in other important Programme meetings.
Representatives of the WHO Regional Office for Europe committees/bodies in the field of immunization (e.g. the Regional ICC, the Regional Certification Committee on polio eradication, the Regional Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization [GAVI] working group) and key partners (CDC, ECDC, UNICEF) will participate as observers. WHO Regional Office may also invite other observers to ETAGE meetings, including representatives of SAGE, national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs), national immunization programme managers (on rotating basis), non-governmental organizations, international professional organizations, technical agencies and, donor organizations. Additional experts may be invited to meetings, as appropriate, to further contribute to specific agenda items.
ETAGE will work with the Programme to develop its priorities of work and meeting agendas.
ETAGE will be kept informed by the Programme (and partner agencies) in implementation of the attainment of objectives at country level and regional level. ETAGE will also be informed of policies and recommendations set by SAGE. WHO Regional Office for Europe, with advice from ETAGE, will determine which policy recommendation issues and information from other advisory groups should be brought to the attention of ETAGE.
ETAGE Working Groups are established as resources intended to increase the effectiveness of ETAGE deliberations by reviewing and providing evidence-based information and options for recommendations together with implications of the various options to be discussed by the ETAGE. These working groups are established on a time limited basis in exceptional situations to help address specific questions identified by ETAGE when the issue is particularly complicated and could not be addressed by existing WHO advisory committees. The need and charge for a working group is discussed and agreed during ETAGE meetings. The purpose, structure and functioning of the Working Groups are described in detail in Annex 4.
ETAGE members will not be remunerated for their participation in ETAGE; however, reasonable expenses such as travel expenses incurred by attendance at ETAGE or related meetings will be compensated by WHO Regional Office for Europe.
ETAGE reports to the Regional Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe (or designee(s)). The ETAGE Chairperson will debrief the Regional Director (or designee) and the Divisional Director responsible from the Programme following each ETAGE meeting.
The Manager of the Programme will function as Executive Secretary for the ETAGE. Other staff may be invited to ETAGE meetings, as appropriate.
A rapporteur for each meeting will be arranged by the Programme in consultation with the ETAGE Chairperson.
Report of the ETAGE meeting will be drafted and circulated among ETAGE members for their comments and endorsement. The final report will be presented to the WHO Regional Director (or designee) for approval and distributed appropriately to interested parties by the Programme, besides being posted on the Programme webpage.
