The National Centre of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (NCIPD) is a leading national health institution in Bulgaria specialized in research and practical activities in the field of communicable disease surveillance, prevention and control. The NCIPD is responsible at national level for the epidemiological surveillance, microbiology, training and scientific advice. In 2011 NCIPD was appointed by the Ministry of Health to serve as a National Coordinating Competent body, working with the ECDC. The scope of the principal activities of the Department of Epidemiology and Communicable Disease Surveillance, which is involved in ASSET comprises: research, postgraduate training, infectious disease surveillance, development and evaluation of new programmes for surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases.