The EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) was set up in 2013 as a voluntary system to help member states deal with increasingly frequent natural disasters. Since 2019, when rescEU was created, the EU can jointly procure resources to assist countries hit by disasters when national capacity is overstretched.

During the current COVID-19 crisis, the UCPM facilitated the repatriation of over 90,000 EU citizens from all over the world. Over 1.3 million protective masks, along with ventilators, personal protective equipment, therapeutics and other supplies have been procured and deployed through rescEU to support national health services. A new strategic rescEU medical reserve, currently hosted by nine EU countries, allows the EU to react to crises more quickly.&nbsp;

During the April plenary the&nbsp; European Parliament&nbsp; adopted a strengthened EU legal framework for civil protection, in response to the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mechanism aims to ensure the EU and its member states will be better prepared to respond to large-scale disasters, especially when these affect several countries simultaneously. In order to deploy crisis relief more swiftly, the Commission will be able to acquire directly, under specific conditions, the necessary resources via the rescEU reserve. 1.263 billion EUR will be allocated to the Mechanism for 2021-2027, supplemented by 2.056 billion EUR from the EU Recovery Instrument (approximately five times more than the previous seven-year budget).

civil protection mechanism (T)

9th parliamentary term

Civil protection mechanism

Union Civil Protection Mechanism: extracts from the debate (26/04) and from the vote

Civil Protection training

Union Civil Protection Mechanism: opening statements by Nikos ANDROULAKIS (S&D, EL), rapporteur and by Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner

Infoclip: Union Civil Protection Mechanism / RescEU

Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), heart of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. It coordinates the delivery of assistance to disaster stricken countries, such as relief items, expertise, civil protection teams and specialised equipment.

Civil Protection Mechanism RescEU medical stockpile Belgium in Meer

112 call center and rescue services

Trilogue on Protection Mechanism - RescEU statement by Nikos ANDROULAKIS (S&D, EL), rapporteur

Coronavirus - Delivery of medical equipment from RescEU Reserve in ItalyOn 25 April 2020, FFP2 protective masks from the RescEU Reserve were delivered to Milan, Italy, to help Italian medical workers fight the coronavirus (COVID-19). The RescEU Reserve is coordinated and financed by the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism and is hosted by Romania. This series shows the arrival of the masks in Milan and the departure from Italy of the Romanian medical team who has been sent to Lecco for two weeks, also coordinated by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Infoclip: Floods in Belgium

EP Plenary session - Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Union Civil Protection Mechanism: closing statement by Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Research and Innovation - Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Union Civil Protection Mechanism: MEPs debate

A stronger EU response to future crises

Infoclip: EU assistance to Croatia after earthquake

Infoclip: Covid-19 - RescEU delivers face masks to Spain

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Masks delivery to Italy via the rescEU capacity

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Romanian medical team helps Italy

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Arrival of team of Romanian doctors and nurses in Lecco, Italy, to help Italy fight the coronavirus

Infoclip: EU Civil Protection Intervention - Forest fire

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