EU-WISH Advances Hands-On Training for AMR Wastewater Surveillance in Europe

From 2 to 4 June 2026, the EU-WISH consortium organised its second Capacity Building Workshop in Riga, Latvia, dedicated to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in wastewater.

Hosted by the Valsts zinātniskais institūts BIOR, the workshop brought together 21 participants and 6 trainers from 18 European countries for an intensive programme focused on practical laboratory training and peer-to-peer exchange.

Designed as a hands-on learning experience, the workshop enabled participants to work directly with two complementary AMR detection approaches in wastewater surveillance. One group followed a molecular workflow guided by experts from Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze – UNIMIB and the National Public Health Organization (Greece), while a second group explored culture-based methodologies under the supervision of RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.

Beyond the technical sessions, the workshop created valuable opportunities for participants to compare national practices, discuss methodological challenges, and exchange practical experience from their respective institutions and countries.

The event also reflected the growing importance of wastewater surveillance in the European public health landscape, particularly in the context of the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and the increasing need for harmonised AMR monitoring capacities across Europe.

A dedicated session allowed participants to collectively follow the European Water Association (EWA)/IDEXX webinar on “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) & the UWWTD Recast: Urban Wastewater Surveillance in Practice”, further enriching the discussions held during the week.

EU-WISH warmly thanks the BIOR teams for hosting the workshop and providing technical and logistical support throughout the event, as well as the Latvian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) for their coordination and support.

Through initiatives such as this workshop, EU-WISH continues to strengthen collaboration, expertise and preparedness for future public health challenges linked to AMR and wastewater surveillance in Europe.