TABLE 3. Criteria for country validation of the achievement of the regional hepatitis B control targets, according to the Hepatitis B Regional Working Group, European Technical Advisory Group of Experts — World Health Organization European Region.

Area of assessment*	Criteria	Comment
Routine hepatitis B immunization coverage	≥90% coverage for infants with ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine (according to national immunization schedule)	For countries that implement universal hepatitis B vaccination; in each of the last 3 years
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus	≥90% coverage with timely hepatitis B birth dose vaccination	For countries that implement universal newborn vaccination; in each of the last 3 years
	≥90% coverage with hepatitis B screening in pregnant women and ≥90% coverage with postexposure prophylaxis in infants born to infected mothers†	For countries that implement selective hepatitis B birth dose policy; in each of the last 3 years, if the data are routinely collected; one time, if based on a special assessment
HBsAg seroprevalence	≤0.5% HBsAg prevalence in cohorts eligible for vaccination	Required for countries with high and intermediate pre-vaccine endemicity of hepatitis B§
	≤0.5% HBsAg prevalence among pregnant women	Alternative criterion acceptable only for countries with historically low endemicity of hepatitis B

Abbreviation: HBsAg = Hepatitis B surface antigen.

* For a country to receive validation, the applicable criteria should be met in all three areas.

^† Includes administration of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, followed by ≥2 additional doses (according to national schedule); coverage targets apply to birth dose and HepB3.

^§ Hepatitis B endemicity levels based on the prevalence of HBsAg: low (<2.0%), intermediate (2.0%–7.9%), and high (>8.0%).