REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Advancing risk management and resilience-building in Europe: First report on the implementation of the union disaster resilience goals Second update on preventing and managing disaster risk in Europe
Date: 2025-09-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU alert system, aid to disaster victims, civil defence, disaster resilience, emergency aid, environmental risk prevention, man-made disaster, natural disaster, public awareness campaign

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 29.9.2025  COM(2025) 561 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Advancing risk management and resilience-building in Europe:    First report on the implementation of the union disaster resilience goals    Second update on preventing and managing disaster risk in Europe     {SWD(2025) 279 final}  
 
 
1.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of 
disaster  risk  management  across  Europe.  It  promotes  a  proactive,  anticipatory  approach  to 
disaster preparedness and resilience, in line with the Union Disaster Resilience Goals (DRGs) 
adopted in 20231, and the recently adopted EU Preparedness Union Strategy2. 

This report examines risk management and resilience-building in the EU from a UCPM 
perspective. It considers developments at both the national and EU levels, focusing on four 
thematic areas: anticipation; preparedness of the population; early warning; and resilience of 
civil protection. It represents a first progress report on the implementation of the DRGs 
pursuant  to  Article  34(2)  and  the  second  progress  report  on  risk  prevention  and 
management under Article 5(1)(g) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU. 

The findings broadly confirm the need for a more proactive, more comprehensive and 
better  integrated  approach  to  resilience  and  preparedness  as  proposed  in  the  EU 
Preparedness Union Strategy. In the area of anticipation, there is a need to further develop 
high-quality  data,  scientific  research,  and  analytical  tools  and  capabilities  to  support  risk-
informed  decision-making. The  comprehensive  EU  risk  and  threats  assessment  planned  for 
2026 will give a further boost to this effort across sectors.  

Enhancing preparedness of the population remains crucial. While progress has been made, 
substantial gaps persist, highlighting the need to further develop communication tools that drive 
behavioural change, foster a culture of preparedness, and ensure inclusive communication that 
involves vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. At EU level, planned actions 
include an EU risk awareness day and new guidelines and a pilot training for national experts 
on risk communication. Synergies with the ProtectEU Internal Security Strategy3 will further 
enhance communication and coordination on risks, threats, and resilience across the EU. 

The  effectiveness  of early  warning  systems  has  been  another  critical  area  of  focus. While 
technological  advancements  like  the  Copernicus  Emergency  Management  Service  and  the 
launch  of  the  Galileo  Emergency  Warning  Satellite  Service  significantly  improve  public 
alerting capacities, organisational and human factors remain central to transforming warnings 
into timely, life-saving actions. Continued work is needed to strengthen alert dissemination, 
contingency planning, and integration of interoperable, multi-hazard early warning systems at 
national and cross-border levels. 

To  build civil  protection  resilience,  the  Commission  and  Member  States  have  undertaken 
initiatives  to  stress-test  emergency  operations  centres  and  improve  investment  planning. 
Sustained investments in both physical infrastructure and operational processes are crucial to 
ensure  the  continuity  of  emergency  services.  Strengthening  financial  resilience  is  also 
important  for  enhancing  the  response  to  and  rapid  recovery  from  unexpected  crises.  Cross-
sectoral  and  cross-border  cooperation  remain  essential  to  whole-of-government  disaster 
resilience. 

The Commission has expanded the UCPM’s capacity-building toolkit to better support civil 
protection  efforts  across  the  EU.  Further  reinforcement  of  this  support  will  be  needed  to 
strengthen disaster risk management and the implementation of the DRGs.  

1 COM(2023) 61 final of 8.2.2023. 
2 JOIN(2025) 130 final of 26.3.2025. 
3 COM/2025/148 final of 1.4.2025. 

1 

 
 
 
 
While  this  report  focuses  primarily  on  developments  within  the  EU,  and  particularly  the 
UCPM, it recognises that the Union's safety and efforts in disaster risk management cannot be 
pursued in isolation. Strengthening resilience in neighbouring regions and working towards a 
broader safety belt around the EU will be essential to reinforce the Union’s preparedness and 
ensure shared security. 

2.  INTRODUCTION 

In recent years, the EU has been confronted with a wide range of disasters, crises, and threats 
which have led to loss of life, increasing damage4, and exposed vulnerabilities in the systems 
that  provide  essential  services. The  UCPM  has  played  a  central  role  in  the  EU’s  collective 
response by providing coordinated emergency assistance to countries in need. At the same time, 
the UCPM has risen to the challenge of an increasingly complex risk landscape by bolstering 
its  response  capabilities  through  the  expansion  of  rescEU5  and  the  strengthening  of  the 
Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC). Efforts have also focused on reinforcing 
disaster risk management and resilience-building, notably through the adoption of the DRGs 
in the area of civil protection in 20236, and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy in 20257 with 
a broader cross-sectoral scope. 

This report examines risk management and resilience-building in the EU, focusing on four 
thematic areas:  

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Anticipation;  
Preparedness of the population;  
Early warning; and  
Resilience of civil protection.  

Two distinct obligations under the UCPM Decision8 will be covered, namely the first progress 
report  on  the  DRGs  pursuant  to  Article 34(2)  and  the  second  progress  report  on  risk 
prevention and management under Article 5(1)(g). 

The report considers developments at both the national and EU levels, while recognising 
certain limitations due to the differing timeframe and scope of available data. National insights 
are  based  on  Member  States’  and  Participating  States’  submissions  under Article  6  of  the 
UCPM Decision, highlighting progress made since the publication of the 2024 Commission’s 
report  on  ‘Preventing  and  managing  disaster  risk  in  Europe’9. The  staff  working  document 
accompanying  this  report  delves  deeper  into  the  findings  of  these  national  insights. 
Developments at the EU level include more recent Commission initiatives aimed at advancing 
the DRGs and supporting risk management under the UCPM. 

4 https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/economic-losses-from-climate-related   
5 https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en  
6 COM(2023) 61 final of 8.2.2023. 
7 JOIN(2025) 130 final of 26.3.2025. 
8 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/1313/2021-01-01/eng  
9 COM(2024) 130 final and SWD(2024) 130 final 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.  ANTICIPATION 

DRG  1  ‘Anticipate’  -  To  improve  risk  assessment,  anticipation,  and  disaster  risk 
management planning. Goal 1, together with its accompanying flagship initiative on scenario 
development, has given new momentum to anticipatory workstreams. It calls for improvement 
in the use of foresight and multi-hazard approaches, the assessment of vulnerabilities, cross-
border and cross-sectoral impacts, and the integration of risk knowledge into prevention and 
preparedness planning. 

3.1.  COMMISSION INITIATIVES  

Two key activities have strengthened anticipatory capability in the period 2023-2024: (i) the 
development of disaster scenarios informing UCPM planning; and (ii) the improvement of risk 
data for transboundary risks. 

3.1.1.  Scenario-building: a new tool to strengthen UCPM preparedness for major disasters 

Launched as a flagship initiative in 2023, the scenario-building exercise produced ten EU-
wide  disaster  scenarios,  developed  in  collaboration  with  national  experts,  Commission 
services, and researchers, drawing on operational, scientific, and thematic policy expertise. The 
scenarios cover 16 natural and human-induced hazards, selected to reflect the breadth of the 
EU’s evolving risk landscape, and explore plausible worst-case events with cross-border and 
cross-sectoral impacts.10  

The analysis yielded a wide range of scenario-specific findings, while also revealing several 
cross-cutting  priority  areas  for  reinforced  action  (see  below  Box  1). The  results  are  used  to 
inform  EU-level  prevention  and preparedness  planning,  including  setting targets  for  UCPM 
response capacities and strengthening coordination between civil protection and other policy 
areas.  Scenario-building  is  envisaged  as  a  continuous  process:  additional  scenarios  may  be 
developed and existing ones revised in response to evolving risks and policy priorities. 

3.1.2.  Building EU-wide risk data for transboundary risk assessment and management 

The  UCPM  has  invested  in  strengthening  the  knowledge  base  needed  for  anticipatory  risk 
management,  including  through  the  Risk  Data  Hub,  developed  within  the  Joint  Research 
Centre’s Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre. 

The Risk Data Hub was established to address the long-standing challenge of fragmented and 
inconsistent risk data at EU level, supporting both disaster risk management and climate change 
adaptation. As a central platform, it provides free access to curated, evidence-based datasets on 
hazards,  exposure,  vulnerability,  and  disaster  damages  and  losses.  Ongoing  efforts  aim  to 
expand  the  volume  and  quality  of  these  datasets,  integrating  hazard  scores,  exposure  of 
population, buildings, critical infrastructure, and multidimensional vulnerability to provide an 
integrated overview of disaster risks and increase public awareness. 

10  The  scenarios  include  severe  nuclear  accident;  extreme  winter  weather  with  a  cyber  component;  extreme 
heatwave; energy crisis within the Union; severe pandemic; armed conflict; terrorist attack; earthquake induced 
tsunami; inland water and coastal pollution; and volcanic eruption. Due to the sensitive nature of their content, 
the scenarios are not publicly available. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Box 1: Lessons from the EU disaster scenario-building:  
five priority areas for reinforced action 
i.  UCPM response capacity: need to further strengthen operational response capabilities, 

including continued development and diversification of the rescEU11 reserve;  

ii.  Cross-sectoral coordination: stronger emphasis needed on an all-hazards approach, cross-
sectoral coordination, and engagement with non-civil protection actors to better prepare 
for complex emergencies; 

iii.  Risk knowledge and communication: need to improve anticipation, risk identification, 

communication, population preparedness, and early warning;  

iv.  Inclusion  of  vulnerable  groups:  prevention,  preparedness  and  response  arrangements 
should  more  systematically  integrate  the  specific  needs  of  vulnerable  groups  and  of 
persons with disabilities;  

v.  Financing: reinforced and more flexible funding mechanisms could help to respond to 

cross-sectoral, long-lasting, and transboundary disasters.  

3.2. 

 NATIONAL INITIATIVES 

Reporting  from  Member  States  and  Participating  States12  related  to  anticipation  shows 
continued  evolution  in  risk  assessment  methodologies,  indicating  progress  in  several  areas. 
While  traditional  single-risk  assessments  remain  the  most  common  approach,  growing 
attention is being paid to all hazard approaches and the examination of compound risks 
and  cascading  effects,  particularly  regarding  critical  infrastructure. Attention  to  emerging 
risks is also increasing, with over one-third of countries now using foresight and anticipation 
methods  in  risk  identification.  Among  these,  Belgium,  Ireland,  and  the  Netherlands  have 
integrated horizon scanning13 into their risk assessment processes.  

Floods, extreme weather, nuclear and radiological accidents, drought, and health-related risks 
(human or animal in origin) continue to be the most frequently reported risks. However, the 
evolving  risk  landscape  has  prompted  the  consideration  of  new  threats  and  scenarios, 
particularly in the security domain. There is a growing awareness of human-induced risks, 
including industrial and nuclear accidents, critical infrastructure disruptions, and cyber-attacks. 
Environmental  and  chemical  risks  have  seen  a  significant  increase  in  reporting  since  2015, 
while transport risks have experienced the sharpest rise since 2020. 

Countries are increasingly assessing the vulnerability of areas, sectors, and populations, and 
quantifying human, economic, and environmental impacts of disasters. Several countries have 
integrated climate change impacts into their risk assessments, considering also the political and 
societal  implications  of  climate  change,  such  as  climate-induced  migration.  This  reflects  a 
growing  understanding  of  the  links  between  disaster  risk  management  and  climate  change 
adaptation, with climate change recognised as a key driver of risk.  

11 rescEU was established as a strategic reserve of European disaster response capabilities and stockpiles, fully 
funded by the EU. It comprises a fleet of firefighting planes and helicopters, a medical evacuation plane, and 
several essential stockpiles. 
12 Countries participating in the UCPM are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, 
North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. 
13  Horizon  scanning  is  a  foresight  method  to  systematically  detect  early  signs  of  potentially  important 
developments, see also https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/horizon-scanning-tips. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
National reports indicate progress in the collection of disaster loss data, with Spain, Portugal, 
and Hungary mentioning the development of a single national database. Despite the widespread 
acknowledgement of the importance of loss and damage data for risk analysis and planning, 
significant gaps remain, such as the lack of a unified national system for consolidating data and 
limited coverage data collection. 

3.3  WAY FORWARD 

The  EU  Preparedness  Union  Strategy  sets  the  direction  for  future  work,  emphasising  the 
importance of anticipation and an all-hazards approach to preparedness. To achieve this vision, 
it is essential to develop the capacity to foresee, assess, and prepare for a wide range of disaster 
scenarios, focusing on cross-cutting vulnerabilities, compound risks, and cascading effects. 

In  the  coming  years,  continued  investment  in  science,  high-quality  data,  and  analytical 
capabilities will be crucial to generating the knowledge and insights needed to inform decision-
making. The development of EU-wide disaster scenarios has been a significant step forward in 
preparedness  planning  because  it  translates  risk-based  evidence  into  agreed  planning 
assumptions for the UCPM. The comprehensive EU risk assessment planned for 2026 will be 
a  key  tool  for  strengthening  the  evidence  base  for  broader  cross-sectoral  prevention  and 
preparedness. This assessment should offer additional support and evidence to inform national 
risk management efforts and guide strategic investment in resilience across the EU, helping to 
address the persistent gaps in disaster risk and loss data that currently hinder anticipation at 
both national and EU levels.  

In  the  context  of  climate-related  risks,  effective  anticipation  requires  stronger  integration 
between  disaster  risk  management  and  climate  adaptation.  The  EU  Mission  on  Climate 
Adaptation  is  already  generating  knowledge  and  solutions  to  support  this  effort  and  will 
continue  to  facilitate  cooperation  between  climate  and  disaster  risk  actors  at  European, 
national, and regional levels, helping to align short- and medium-term preparedness with long-
term adaptation planning for climate-related hazards. 

Strengthening  anticipatory  capacities  should  also  extend  beyond  the  EU,  particularly  to 
neighbouring  countries  that  are  often  on  the  front  line  of  emerging  risks  and  can  play  an 
important role in buffering negative spillover effects. As many of these partners currently lack 
the risk data and institutional capacities needed for anticipatory preparedness, addressing these 
gaps would also reinforce the EU’s own resilience. 

4.  POPULATION PREPAREDNESS 

DRG 2 ‘Prepare’ - To increase risk awareness and preparedness of the population. Goal 
2  promotes  public  access  to  risk  information,  encourages  the  adoption  of  preparedness 
measures, and fosters a culture of prevention and civic engagement. The goal sets an ambitious 
target: by 2030, 90% of the EU population should be aware of the disaster risks in their region14. 
As of 2024, awareness stood at 67%, highlighting opportunities for progress15. 

14  Commission  Recommendation  on  Union  disaster  resilience  goals,  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023H0215%2801%29&qid=1676531610023. 
15 
https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2977. 

Eurobarometer  Report 

Protection,  Key 

EU  Civil 

Findings, 

Special 

541 

p. 

7, 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
While  public  communication  on  risks  and  preparedness  is  the  responsibility  of  national 
authorities,  the  UCPM  can  support  national  efforts  through  knowledge  exchange,  capacity-
building, and financial assistance for national and cross-border initiatives. 

4.1.  COMMISSION INITIATIVES  

4.1.1.  preparEU flagship initiative 

To advance the DRG 2 ‘Prepare’, the Commission launched the flagship initiative preparEU.  
In  this  context,  a  mapping  of  risk  communication  practices  across  the  EU,  coupled  with 
consultations with Member States and Participating States, identified common needs and areas 
where EU-level action could add value (see Box 2). The process revealed a rich but fragmented 
risk  communication  landscape,  with  numerous  valuable  initiatives  that  are  scattered  and 
difficult to access for peer learning. In response to the identified needs, the Commission has 
developed a capacity-building package which includes: 

•  a  repository  of  good  practices  and  supporting  materials  on  the  Union  Civil  Protection 

Knowledge Network platform16;  

•  an EU training for risk communication professionals;  

•  a community of practice to connect practitioners and facilitate peer learning. 

In 2024, the Commission published a good practice handbook on wildfire risk awareness-
raising17, addressing a critical issue given that 96% of wildfires are caused by human action18. 
The handbook showcases initiatives across the EU and beyond, highlighting key factors that 
contribute  to  awareness-raising,  such  as  developing  targeted  communication  strategies, 
collaboration  across  sectors  and  levels  of  governance,  stakeholder  engagement,  tailoring 
messages to local contexts, securing sustained funding, and connecting science and practice.  

Understanding how people perceive risks and respond to preparedness advice is also key 
to awareness-raising. In this context, the Commission’s Joint Research Centre is conducting 
behavioural studies to understand how individuals interpret and react to risk communication. 
Insights  from  this  work  can  help  improve  the  design  of  public  messages  and  approaches, 
fostering not only increased awareness, but also the implementation of preparedness actions. 

Box 2: The preparEU pilot project - Joining forces for population preparedness. 
Member  States  and  Participating  States  have  been  playing  an  important  role  in  driving  the 
preparEU flagship initiative. National civil protection authorities from Sweden, Norway, Spain 
and Belgium explored how a European dimension could complement and support national risk 
information activities. In a pilot project funded by the EU, the following areas for action were 
identified to improve risk awareness and preparedness in the EU:  
i.   Basics of self-preparedness – guidelines for household preparedness addressing general 

and universal needs;  

ii.  Learning programme for schools – integrating disaster preparedness into school curricula 

to foster a culture of preparedness from an early age; 

iii.  Vulnerable  groups  –  reaching  out  and  engage  vulnerable  groups  (also:  guidelines  to 

support professionals in carrying out inclusive risk communication); 

16 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu 
17 Wildfire risk awareness good practice note.pdf 
18 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5afff469-a62c-11ef-85f0-01aa75ed71a1/language-en   

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
iv.  PreparEU Day(-s)– a proposed annual EU-wide event designed to raise public awareness 

of self-preparedness and risk resilience; 

v.  Web hub for risk communication and preparedness – a proposed online repository to share 
information and tools related to public risk awareness communication across the EU. 
These recommendations will help shape the implementation of the Commission’s actions on 
preparEU flagship initiative and population preparedness. 

4.1.2.  Eurobarometer on population risk awareness and preparedness 

To gain a comprehensive understanding of public risk awareness and preparedness across the 
EU, the Commission conducted the first-ever Eurobarometer survey on this topic, published 
in September 202419. The survey explored various aspects of risk awareness and preparedness, 
including  perceived  risks,  information  sources,  and  willingness  to  engage  in  preparedness 
activities. 

Key findings from the survey reveal that many Europeans lack awareness and preparedness 
for disasters. Roughly half of respondents do not feel well prepared for local risks and around 
two thirds of respondents feel that they need more information to be able to prepare for disasters 
or  emergencies.  Preparedness  levels  are  limited,  with  about  half  of  respondents  feeling 
unprepared for disasters, and vary significantly depending on factors such as country, income, 
education, and urban-rural setting. 

The  survey  highlights  areas  for  improvement,  including  low  community  engagement  and 
limited  resilience  to  critical  services’  disruptions.  However,  it  also  reveals  a  strong  trust  in 
emergency  services  and  a  desire  for  information  on  disaster  preparedness,  presenting  an 
opportunity to build on these strengths and improve overall risk awareness and preparedness. 

4.2.  NATIONAL INITIATIVES 

Data  from  Member  States  and  Participating  States  underscore  the  importance  of  public 
communication  on  risks  and  preparedness,  with  countries  advancing  in  a  wide  range  of 
activities.  

More countries are now making risk information accessible to the public, with 23 countries 
publishing the results of their risk assessments on official websites and using these findings to 
support preparedness efforts. For example, Finland and Montenegro use the public results of 
risk assessments to inform training and preparedness exercises. Denmark and Ireland conduct 
surveys on citizens’ perception of risks and preparedness. 

Member  States  and  Participating  States  have  implemented  new  approaches  to  risk 
communication  and  awareness-raising,  such  as  didactic  games  and  the  organisation  of  a 
national civil protection day or week. While websites and the internet remain the top reported 
communication  channels,  risk  awareness  campaigns  and  the  use  of  printed  materials  have 
doubled compared to 2020. Nordic countries have launched public awareness initiatives such 
as campaigns on home preparedness, educational resources, and informative brochures to boost 
societal preparedness for emergencies and potential conflicts. 

19 https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3228  

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
National  risk  awareness  and  communication  activities  are  targeted  to  specific  groups, 
including vulnerable populations, seasonal residents, and older persons. Students and young 
people  are  often  the  primary  target  for  these  initiatives.  For  instance,  Czechia  has  a 
comprehensive school programme teaching pupils how to call emergency numbers, behave in 
dangerous situations, and understand protection and siren signals. Activities to promote safe 
behaviours in daily life and emergencies are also organised for senior citizens and persons with 
disabilities, like Austria’s Children and Senior Safety Olympiads.  

4.3.  Way Forward 

Despite  progress,  significant  gaps  in  public  risk  awareness  and  preparedness  remain, 
underlining  the  need  for  more  effective  and  inclusive  communication  strategies.  Too  many 
citizens feel under-informed or under-prepared for disasters, as indicated by the findings of the 
Eurobarometer,  while  national  authorities  face  challenges  in  measuring  the  impact  of 
communication initiatives and translating information into behavioural change. Evidence also 
points to the need for greater inclusion of vulnerable groups (such as students, pupils and young 
people,  persons  with  disabilities,  older  persons  and  immigrants)  in  communication  and 
preparedness efforts.  

To  address  these  gaps,  a  more  proactive,  inclusive,  and  participatory  approach  is  needed, 
investing  in  education,  engaging  communities  and  citizens,  building  trust,  and  promoting 
intergenerational, resilience-centred preparedness. The EU Preparedness Union Strategy will 
support  this  shift  through  its  whole-of-society  approach,  aiming  to  foster  a  culture  of 
preparedness  and  resilience  across  the  EU.  Synergies  with  the  ProtectEU  Internal  Security 
Strategy will help strengthen communication on diverse risks and threats, supporting coherent 
public messaging and fostering more versatile population preparedness across the EU.  

The preparEU initiative will play a key role in advancing the vision of the EU Preparedness 
Union Strategy, including through actions to promote a minimum of 72-hour self-sufficiency 
of population in emergencies and crises. To support national authorities on risk communication, 
the EU will develop guidelines, launch a pilot training in late 2025, and organise an annual EU 
Preparedness Day. Further actions will include promoting preparedness through education and 
youth programmes and generating new research to inform policy and practice.  

There may also be a need to better prepare citizens to provide basic health support in crisis 
situations,  including  war  scenarios,  through  initiatives  such  as  first  aid  training  kits  or  the 
establishment of a citizen health reserve. 

Enhancing the preparedness of populations in the EU’s closest neighbourhood, particularly the 
Mediterranean, will also be important for the EU’s own preparedness, as insufficient resilience 
abroad can lead to increased displacement pressures and  other spillover effects that directly 
impact the Union. 

5.  EARLY WARNING  

DRG 3 ‘Alert’ – To enhance early warning. Building on Goal 3, both the Commission and 
Member States have made additional efforts within their respective competences to enhance 
forecasting, detection, and public alerting capabilities – an essential element of anticipatory 
risk management. 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Widely recognised as one of the most effective tools for saving lives and reducing disaster-
related losses20, early warning systems (EWS) are central to both national and international 
preparedness efforts. Notably, the United Nations has been promoting action towards inclusive, 
multi-hazard EWS through its flagship initiative Early Warnings for All21. 

In  the  EU,  responsibility  for  early  warning  and  public  alerts  lies  primarily  with  national 
authorities.  The  UCPM  plays  a  complementary  role  by  developing  transnational  tools, 
strengthening the situational awareness capabilities of the ERCC, and providing technical and 
financial assistance for national early warning capabilities.  

5.1.  COMMISSION INITIATIVES 

The Commission has developed a broad range of early warning and information systems 
(see Box 3) that can also be leveraged by Member States’ public authorities to complement 
their  national  tools. Among  these,  the  initiatives  outlined  below  significantly  contribute  to 
supporting civil protection and disaster risk management. 

Box 3: Early Warning and Information Systems  

i.  A catalogue  of 27 EU-level  systems covering various types of hazards  accessible to 
national civil protection authorities, supporting risk monitoring and decision-making;  
ii.  The Global Situation System (GSS), a single platform that combines data from various 
EU-level early warning and information systems, strengthening the ERCC’s capability to 
track  evolving  threats  and  anticipate  potential  critical  impacts.  The  platform  is  also 
available to national civil protection authorities; 

iii.  The  Copernicus  Emergency  Management  Service  (CEMS),  which  provides  early 
warning services on floods, wildfires, and droughts, creating maps in support of response, 
recovery, and preventive interventions, and generating exposure data to help identify areas 
and assets at risk;  

iv.  The  European  Natural  Hazard  Scientific  Partnership  (ENHSP),  a  scientific 
collaboration providing the ERCC with real-time, expert monitoring on wildfire conditions 
across Europe during the wildfire season. To share this benefit with Member States and 
Participating States, the ERCC has launched a programme allowing national authorities to 
request  early assessments from  ENHSP  and,  from  the European Anthropogenic Hazard 
Scientific  Partnership  (EAHSP)  in  relation  to  radiological  and  nuclear  hazards,  for 
impending emergencies. 

The Commission is working on new initiatives, including the development of an AI-engineered 
tool under the AI For Public Good Initiative. Integrated into the Global Wildfire Information 
System, the tool will rely on AI algorithms to model fire danger forecasts, detect fire events, 
and predict fire behaviour.  

Another major upcoming advancement is the Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service, 
which will provide a satellite-based alerting channel to reach people in remote or less connected 
areas,  even  when  terrestrial  networks  are  unavailable. This  added  layer  of  redundancy  will 
strengthen the resilience of public warning systems, showcasing  the added value of the EU 

20  For  example:  https://wmo.int/topics/early-warning-system;  https://www.undrr.org/implementing-sendai-
framework/sendai-framework-action/early-warnings-for-all. 
21 https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/early-warnings-for-all    

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Space  Programme  in  supporting  civil  protection  and  disaster  risk  management.  With  pilot 
testing ongoing in several Member States, the service is expected to be operational by early 
2026. 

The UCPM is also supporting national and international initiatives on early warning, such 
as  UNESCO’s  Intergovernmental  Oceanographic  Commission’s  CoastWAVE  initiative22, 
aiming  to  prepare  coastal  communities  in  the  North-Eastern  Atlantic  and  Mediterranean 
regions for tsunamis and other coastal hazards. Relying on close collaboration between national 
and local emergency authorities, scientists, and coastal communities, the initiative has already 
supported communities in Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco. 

The EU has made significant progress in public alerting through Article 110 of the European 
Electronic Communications Code (Directive (EU) 2018/1972), which requires Member States 
to enable warnings to be sent directly to individuals’ mobile phones in emergency situations. 
Most countries have already implemented this, with some still finalising the process. 

5.2. 

NATIONAL INITIATIVES 

Data from Member States and Participating States point to a more widespread use of EWS. 
Available information on methodologies and infrastructure for hazard monitoring, detection, 
and forecasting capabilities, however, remains limited. 

Compared to 2020, a greater number of countries report having EWS in place for early 
hazard detection for all key risks, with extreme weather, nuclear and radiological risks, and 
floods being the most reported. Countries have also reported on EWS for risks such as pollution 
and mass migration, which were not previously reported, indicating a gradual expansion in the 
coverage of EWS.  

The  connections  between  EWS  at  the  European  and  global  levels  are  also  becoming  more 
established, with a higher number of countries than in 2020 indicating that their national system 
is connected to EWS at the European or global level. Only less than ten countries, however, 
mention  cross-border  cooperation  arrangements  on  EWS,  which  suggests  there  are 
opportunities for improvement. Some countries indicate using donors’ support to expand their 
public alert systems, strengthening public warning capabilities. 

5.3.  Way Forward 

While technology and risk knowledge provide the foundation, effective early warning relies 
heavily on organisational and human factors. Continued efforts will be needed to ensure that 
early warning signals are followed by timely and inclusive alerts to the population, contingency 
plans, and informed individual responses. At EU level, and as outlined in the EU Preparedness 
Union Strategy, priorities include further enhancing CEMS, promoting its use and integration 
into national systems, and advancing multi-hazard, interoperable solutions.  

The ERCC will continue to develop and refine its situational awareness capabilities. While the 
new GSS platform represents a major step forward, there is scope for further improvements by 
incorporating sectoral monitoring to provide near real-time insights into disruptions of critical 

22 https://tsunami.ioc.unesco.org/en/articles/coastwave 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
services,  such  as  energy,  transport,  or  healthcare,  to  support  a  more  comprehensive  and 
anticipatory situational awareness23. 

As  effective  early  warning  also  relies  on  strong  organisational  and  human  factors,  raising 
population awareness and preparedness will be essential to turning early warnings into life-
saving  action.  The  launch  of  the  Galileo  Emergency  Warning  Satellite  Service  in  2026  is 
expected  to  significantly  enhance  public  alerting  capabilities,  expanding  the  reach  and 
redundancy of the system. 

To ensure the effectiveness of EWS, continued efforts will be needed to strengthen underlying 
processes, promote inclusivity, advance multi-hazard approaches, and strengthen cross-border 
integration of EWS. The EU Preparedness Union Strategy will guide these efforts, prioritising 
the  development  and  use  of  EU-level  tools  and  expanding  the  ERCC’s  cross-sectoral 
monitoring capabilities to support more comprehensive situational awareness. 

This know-how, along with the necessary systems and capacities, could also be shared with 
authorities  in  the  EU’s  closest  neighbourhood  to  build  not  only  their  capabilities  but  also 
synergies and interoperability. 

6.  RESILIENCE OF CIVIL PROTECTION  

DRG 4 ‘Respond’ focuses on enhancing the UCPM response capacity. To stay ahead of the 
growing complexity of the risk landscape and advance preparedness, the UCPM is focusing on 
developing  emergency  response  capacities,  such  as  specialised  equipment  and  teams,  and 
related capabilities. These efforts are reflected in the Commission’s recently adopted Capacity 
Progress Report and the corresponding Staff Working Document24.  

DRG 5 ‘Secure’ aims to enhance the resilience of civil protection, aligning with EU and NATO 
frameworks  for  building  resilience  in  vital  societal  functions,  such  as  the  EU  Directive  on 
Critical Entities Resilience (EU 2022/2557)25 and NATO’s resilience baseline requirements. It 
promotes 
improving  business  continuity,  enhancing  cross-sectoral  and  cross-border 
coordination,  risk  communication  and  information  management,  and  partnerships  with  the 
private  sector,  civil  society  and  volunteer  organisations.  It  also  promotes  post-disaster 
evaluation and learning to improve preparedness, response, and prevention. 

6.1. COMMISSION INITIATIVES 

6.1.1. Flagship initiative on stress-testing emergency operation centres 

To  improve  the  business  continuity  of  emergency  operations  within  the  UCPM,  the 
Commission  launched  a  flagship  initiative  with  two  main  components:  (i)  stress-testing  the 
ERCC’s  business  continuity  and  (ii)  supporting  national  contact  points  in  their  own  tests 
through a voluntary methodology and exchange of experiences. The exercise assesses critical 
business continuity elements, such as identifying essential functions, facilities and equipment, 

23 COM(2025)286, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0286  
24 SWD/2025/146 final (pages 23-44), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52025SC0146   
25 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2557/oj/eng  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
human resources and coordination, communication workflows, and the execution of drills and 
exercises. 

So far, ten countries and the ERCC have conducted stress tests, sharing their approaches 
and lessons learned. The initiative has helped to raise awareness of business continuity and to 
identify  areas  for  improvement.  It  has  continued  in  2025  with  workshops  for  sharing 
experiences  from  national  exercises  and  the  development  of  non-binding  guidelines  on 
business  continuity within the UCPM. To ensure  continuous exchanges  on 24/7  operational 
continuity in disruptive events, the Commission will establish a dedicated expert group. The 
lessons  learned  from  this  initiative  can  inform  the  work  on  ensuring  the  continuity  of  vital 
societal functions under the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. 

6.1.2. Testing preparedness and coordination in complex crises 

In 2024, the ERCC led the large-scale exercise ‘EU Integrated Resolve 2024 – Parallel and 
Coordinated Exercise (EU IR24 – PACE)’ to test EU-level preparedness for complex, hybrid 
crises.  The  exercise  tested  UCPM  and  ERCC  functions,  evaluating  their  performance  in  a 
complex  crisis  requiring  cross-sectoral,  cross-border,  and  civil-military  coordination.  It 
involved  over  900  participants  among  planners  and  training  audience  from  Commission 
services, the European External Action Service, EU agencies, the Council, 24 Member States, 
Norway, the United States, and NATO.  

The same year, the UCPM responded to a joint request from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to 
assess their preparedness for and response to mass evacuations. A team of 20 experts from 
Member States evaluated national mass evacuation procedures, regional cooperation, public 
preparedness,  and the UCPM’s role in such scenarios, providing recommendations on areas 
such as planning, emergency shelter, medical evacuation and chemical, biological, radiological 
and  nuclear  risk  mitigation  (CBRN)  strategies.  While  carrying  out  this  work,  the  experts 
engaged with representatives of state and municipal institutions as well as non-governmental 
organisations.  

6.1.3. Drawing lessons from UCPM activations for prevention, preparedness, and response  

The  UCPM’s  established  Lessons  Learned  Programme  (LLP)  allows  Member  States  and 
Participating States to reflect on experiences related to UCPM activations, identifying areas for 
improvement in response, preparedness, and prevention. In addition to general LLP meetings, 
dedicated  meetings  focus  on  specific  topics,  such  as  wildfires,  floods,  response  to  large 
earthquakes,  or  consular  evacuations,  covering  prevention,  preparedness,  and  response 
activities. These meetings have led to measures such as advance positioning of firefighters and 
enhancing  Europe’s readiness to  combat wildfires, including  through an increase of rescEU 
aerial forest fire fighting capacities.  

Where Member States and Participating States have repeatedly activated  the UCPM for the 
same type of disasters, the Commission has conducted thorough analyses of the circumstances 
and actions to enhance prevention and preparedness, pursuant to Article 6(4) of the UCPM 
Decision.  The  Commission  actively  engages  with  national  authorities  in  dialogues  to 
strengthen prevention and preparedness measures, offering EU support for this process. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.2. NATIONAL INITIATIVES 

Civil  protection  authorities  have  engaged  in  wider  cross-sectoral  cooperation,  a  trend 
accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries report having permanent structures 
to coordinate efforts among different sectors, administrative levels, and stakeholders. National 
risk assessments, for example, have long been based on cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder 
approaches. However, national reports and peer reviews continue to highlight the need for 
further improvement in integrated approaches to planning  and implementation. While 
many countries consult with the private sector, especially critical infrastructure operators, these 
exchanges are often ad hoc in nature. 

Regarding cross-border cooperation, Member States and Participating States report a variety 
of bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements with neighbouring countries, as well 
as regional and international organisations. Notable examples of good practices include the 
Nordic, Benelux,  and Baltic Sea regions, where  established cooperation structures  facilitate 
crisis coordination, risk information exchange, mutual assistance and joint exercises.  

While the resilience of civil protection relies on adequate and flexible financing to enable 
rapid emergency response and sustained investment, national information on funding sources 
and allocation is lacking. Whereas most Member States and Participating States report having 
arrangements  for  flexible  allocation  of  funds  in  urgent  need,  only  a  few  countries  operate 
dedicated  disaster  reserve  funds,  which  –  unlike  general  contingency  reserves  –  are 
specifically earmarked for disaster response, offering greater predictability and faster access to 
funding. 

Countries report on a variety of financial instruments and funding sources available to finance 
civil  protection  investments,  mostly  from  public  sources.  Very  few  countries  provide 
information on investment priorities and the allocation of funds to prevention and preparedness 
activities.  EU  funding  plays  a  complementary  role  in  addressing  investment  gaps  and 
supporting  national  efforts  to  strengthen  civil  protection  systems.  However,  civil  protection 
authorities continue to experience difficulties in accessing these resources due to administrative 
capacity constraints and limited familiarity with funding rules.  

6.3. Way Forward 

Stress-testing the business continuity of emergency operations centres has shown promise, and 
similar exercises should be expanded to identify areas for improvement and facilitate mutual 
learning. Investing in the resilience of physical assets and operational processes will also be 
crucial to ensuring the continuity of civil protection services. 

Financial resilience is also essential, and adequate, flexible, and sustained funding at all levels 
will be necessary to support effective preparedness and operations. There has been progress in 
building  resilience  through  cross-border  and  cross-sectoral  partnerships,  but  more  work  is 
needed to overcome legal and administrative barriers to joint civil protection action. Tools like 
BridgeforEU26  can  help  facilitate  cooperation,  and  strategic  disaster  risk  management 
frameworks can enable more coordinated, whole-of-government approaches. 

The EU Preparedness Union Strategy will play a key role in guiding action on system-wide 
resilience across relevant policy areas under a whole-of-government approach, including the 

26 COM(2023) 790 final of 12.12.2023. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
development of minimum preparedness criteria for essential services. Difficulties in accessing 
funding sources from other policy areas will need to be addressed more systematically through 
improved capacity-building and best-practice exchange among services and countries with a 
view  to  a  more  integrated  approach  to  strengthening  disaster  and  crisis  resilience  and 
preparedness.  

The UCPM has taken steps to address these barriers through awareness-raising, assistance for 
project development, and tools to support investment planning. These efforts will need to be 
scaled up to match the growing demand. 

7.  SCALING  SUPPORT  FOR  NATIONAL  EFFORTS:  THE  EVOLVING  CAPACITY  BUILDING 

TOOLKIT  

The Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (UCPKN) has become the go-to hub for 
the civil protection community since its launch in 2021, enabling stakeholders to connect and 
share expertise, increasing the level of preparedness of UCPM emergency response operations. 
Through its web-platform, newsletter, and events, the UCPKN keeps the community informed 
about the implementation of the DRGs and related topics. The network’s online Knowledge 
Library27,  launched  in  2024,  provides  a  repository  of  resources  on  DRGs  and  disaster  risk 
management, while interactive discussion groups28, such as the one on risk communication, 
enable practitioners to exchange ideas and best practices. 

The  Commission  has  expanded  the  UCPM’s  capacity-building  toolkit  to  better  support 
civil protection efforts in disaster risk prevention, preparedness, and resilience-building. The 
toolkit is aligned with UCPM strategic priorities and DRGs, and includes: 

I.  UCPM  grants  for  Disaster  Resilience:  ‘Technical  Assistance  for  Disaster  Risk 
Management’ (Track 1)29, focusing on single-country projects, and ‘Knowledge for Action 
in  Prevention  and  Preparedness’  (KAPP)30,  supporting  multi-country  cooperation 
initiatives; 

II.  Technical Assistance Financing Facility (TAFF)31, introduced in 2024 to offer expertise 
in  disaster  risk  management  provided  by  the  World  Bank  and  the  Global  Facility  for 
Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). 

65 projects from various countries received support under Track1, KAPP, and TAFF in 2023-
2024, with a total EU contribution of EUR 43 million. All DRGs have been addressed through 
these projects. 

III.  UCPM  Peer  Review  Programme  has  continued  to  offer  national  and  regional  civil 
protection authorities the opportunity to receive an independent assessment of their disaster 
risk management systems from peers in other countries throughout its 2022-2024 iteration. 
The programme has been updated to include a new methodology tailored to wildfire risk 

27 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/knowledge-library  
28 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/groups  
29 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/technical-assistance-disaster-risk-management-call-
proposals-track1  
30 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/knowledge-action-prevention-preparedness-call-
proposals-kapp  
31 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/technical-assistance-financing-facility-taff  

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
management, which has been applied in reviews of wildfire risk management in Greece32, 
Italy33, and the Germany’s Land of Brandenburg34, demonstrating the adaptability of the 
approach to national and regional contexts. 

A  2024  workshop35,  attended  by  representatives  from  the  reviewed  countries  and  peers-
reviewers, underscored the peer review programme’s value in facilitating knowledge sharing 
and  driving  improvements. The  enhancements  made  during  the  2022-2024  cycle,  including 
refinements  to  the  process,  analytical  framework,  and  reform  promotion,  were  widely 
recognised and appreciated. 

In 2024, the UCPM also conducted four prevention and preparedness missions in Czechia 
on wildfire risk management, in Chile on forest fires, in Ukraine on CBRN, and in Estonia, 
Latvia and Lithuania on mass evacuation. 

The  comprehensive  UCPM  training  programme  has  contributed  to  preparing  experts  and 
improve capacities to respond to various types of disasters. In 2023, the programme was revised 
to  strengthen  the  individual  competences  of  experts  and  personnel,  coordination,  and 
interoperability of response capacities involved in international deployments. Thirty exercises 
(EU MODEX and Full-scale exercises) were conducted based on specific scenarios, including 
earthquakes,  medical  emergencies,  forest  fires,  floods,  and  CBRN.  These  activities  have 
contributed to increasing the EU’s collective level of preparedness to address the consequences 
of disasters. 

7.1.  Way Forward 

The UCPM’s support tools have undergone significant developments, offering a wider range 
of options that are aligned with the DRGS while also allowing for customisation to meet the 
unique needs of national and regional authorities. The UCPKN has been further developed to 
facilitate access to good practices, research, and mutual learning. 

In the coming years, the general peer review assessment framework (PRAF) will be updated, 
which  will  ensure  its  continued  relevance  and  effectiveness.  Further,  six  peer  reviews  are 
scheduled to take place between 2025 and 2027, starting with Kosovo*36and Czechia, which 
will  provide  valuable  opportunities  for  mutual  learning  and  exchange  of  best  practices.  By 
continuing to evolve and improve the support tools, the Commission as well as Member States 
and Participating States will be better equipped to reinforce risk management and resilience-
building. 

32https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/document/download/a7be6df5-6e70-4397-ae7e-
53f5d74374da_en?filename=EL%20Peer%20Review_final%20report.pdf  
33https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/document/download/10fe9a6f-869e-4fa6-923e-
d4bdc8400129_en?filename=peer%20review%20wildfires%20italy_final%20report%202024.pdf  
34https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/system/files/2025-07/wildfire-peer-review-lb_final-
report-june-2025_en.pdf 
35 https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/news/ucpm-peer-review-programme-lessons-learnt-and-
next-steps  
*36This designation is without prejudice  to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ 
Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8.  CONCLUSIONS 

Disaster risk management in the EU has significantly improved in the last years through the 
strengthening  of  the  EU’s  civil  protection  system,  demonstrating  its  ability  to  adapt  to  the 
growing demands of a rapidly changing risk landscape. Similarly, national reporting under the 
UCPM  Decision  reflects  continued  progress  in  risk  management  at  the  national  level.  The 
expansion of the UCPM’s response capacity and capability, combined with a greater emphasis 
on proactive risk management and resilience-building, has positioned the EU to better address 
increasingly complex disasters.  

The adoption of the DRGs in 2023 marked a  major milestone, providing a shared direction 
across five key areas of civil protection: improving anticipation, population preparedness, early 
warning,  response  capacity,  and  the  resilience  of  civil  protection.  The  dedicated  flagship 
initiatives that have followed have successfully translated these priorities into concrete action, 
engaging  national  civil  protection  authorities  and  other  partners  in  a  collaborative  effort  to 
increase EU resilience. 

The  UCPM’s  progress  is  not  only  relevant  as  a  sectoral  development  but  also  informs  the 
broader strategic effort to strengthen EU preparedness. The EU Preparedness Union Strategy, 
with  its  comprehensive  vision  for  EU  preparedness,  outlines  actions  to  better  anticipate, 
prevent, and respond to a wide range of risks and threats, as well as to raise awareness and 
communicate to the public and engage with citizens. The close alignment between the UCPM’s 
work and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy’s vision presents a unique opportunity for the 
EU  to  leverage  the  UCPM’s  strengths  and  expertise  to  drive  progress  in  preparedness  and 
resilience-building. 

The UCPM has demonstrated its value as a key component of the EU’s civil protection system. 
Its continued development, particularly through the further implementation of the DRGs and 
continued development of its capacity-building tools under the UCPKN, will provide essential 
contributions to the broader scope and ambition of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy.  

Looking ahead, and amid a rapidly evolving risk landscape, further efforts remain essential. 
Strengthening  Europe’s  resilience  will  require  sustained  commitment  and  collective  action 
from the EU as a whole, its Member States, and civil society. A comprehensive, risk-informed 
approach  is  crucial  to  reduce  vulnerabilities  and  guide  strategic  investments  in  the  EU 
capabilities needed to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, and recover from future crises. 

Cooperation  on  preparedness  must  also  extend  beyond  the  Union  to  the  immediate 
neighbourhood.  Enhancing  resilience  in  these  regions  will  contribute  to  shared  security, 
ultimately reinforcing the EU’s own resilience. 

16