The Robert Koch Institute is involved in many different ways on the European and international level, for instance in committee work of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EU Directorate General Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO); through reference laboratories of the WHO; in connection with outbreak investigations and many research co-operations. This ensures the technical exchange of contents and methodologies in respect of knowledge as well as the development of co-operations and networks. Moreover, synergies can be tapped and the efficiency can be increased through international co-operation.

DEGS nutrition questionnaires for scientists: In cooperation with the Max Rubner Institute, the RKI investigated how valid levels of consumption in the German population aged between 18 and 79 could be measured using the newly developed DEGS1 nutrition questionnaire.