RD-ACTION is a new Joint Action consisting of the member states of the European Union for rare diseases, following the two previous Joint Actions - Orphanet Joint Action and EUCERD -, and represents renewed support of the European Commission (EC) to rare diseases, through its Directorate General for Health (DG SANTE).

RD-ACTION has three main objectives:

1. to contribute to the implementation, by member states, the recommendations of the EC Panel in relation to policies on these diseases,
2. to support the development of Orphanet and make it sustainable,
3. to help Member States to introduce the ORPHA code in their health systems to make rare diseases visible.

With a global budget of €8,344,079, this work will last three years (until June 2018), following the logic of coherence and continuity vis-à-vis the previous actions, but aims to go further in terms of concrete implementation and consolidation policies.

More information: European Commission press release, Orphanews