Seventy years on it is as relevant today, with an estimated one billion cases of influenza annually, of which 3-5 million are severe, causing between 290 000 and 650 000 deaths, 3 and even more so given the constant pandemic threat from recent novel zoonotic influenza infections. The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS formerly known as the Global Influenza Surveillance Network) evolved as an integrated scientific and technical global collaboration to fulfil the objectives and activities of the Global Influenza Programme (GIP), 2 initiated in 1947 as one of the initial programmes of the newly established World Health Organisation (WHO). 1 2 A COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED GLOBAL SYSTEM From the Berlin Declaration of the G20 Health Ministers, May 2017. In regard to sample and data sharing, we recognize the importance of the WHO global influenza surveillance and response system (GISRS) and Pandemic influenza preparedness (PIP) framework, as well as the global initiative on sharing all influenza data (GISAID).