Communication on ‘Strengthening EU Disaster Management: rescEU. Solidarity with Responsibility’

Further information:

This Communication also explains how a more ambitious and comprehensive approach can use the EU's scale to react more efficiently and more effectively, while ensuring that Member States use all the instruments at their disposal to prevent, prepare and respond to disasters. The Commission also adopted a proposal amending a Decision on the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism in order to strengthen it.

+ Proposal for a Decision amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Background information:

The document responds to dramatic numbers in terms of damage caused by natural disasters across the European Union in 2017, from cyclones to hurricanes, floos, forest fires and earthquakes. These events caused the loss of human lives and substantial economic damage.

+ Hurricane Ophelia hits parts of the United Kingdom an Ireland, while forest fires devastates Portugal and Spain
+ Forest fires in France and Italy
+ EU support to aftermath of earthquakes in Italy

The European Commission published on 23 November 2017 a Communication on how the European Union can respond to the challenge of better protecting citizens from natural disasters.