Memo: Questions and Answers on European Civil Protection Mechanism

The European Civil Protection Mechanism was established in 2001 to support the mobilisation of emergency assistance in the event of major disasters.

EU and neighbouring countries are periodically affected by natural and man-made disasters. The primary responsibility for dealing with the immediate effects of a disaster lies with the country where it has occurred. Nevertheless, when the scale of the emergency overwhelms national response capabilities, a disaster-stricken country can benefit from civil protection means or teams in other EU countries. This also applies to countries outside the EU – any country in the world can call on the European Civil Protection Mechanism for assistance.

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