After four iterations of the Knowledge for Action in Prevention and Preparedness (KAPP) call for proposals for prevention and preparedness projects, DG ECHO has decided to press pause on the call for a year, in order to prepare future improvements.

At the ninth European Civil Protection Forum, Commissioner Hadja Lahbib presented four medals recognising long-standing commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people rarely call emergency services, because responders cannot communicate with them. MC-ASSIST, built by firefighters in Calvados, gives responders 20 signs and a tablet app.

Population preparedness: new guidelines published By Knowledge Network – Staff memberPublished on 3 November 2026 New preparedness guidelines published for Member States and UCPM participating states on risk communication, 72 hours self sufficiency, school curricula and disability inclusive preparedness.

On 29 October 2026, the European Commission adopted a Recommendation on operational continuity and stress-testing guidelines for national contact points within the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

As Europe faces increasingly complex disasters, DG ECHO’s A4 Unit – rescEU Assets Team – has published ‘rescEU: Preparing Europe for Increasingly Complex Disasters’, a new publication showcasing Europe’s strategic reserve of emergency response capacities and its role in strengthening collective preparedness and response.

The Knowledge Network Capacity Development pillar aims to connect, promote and strengthen capacity development initiatives relevant to civil protection and disaster management.

Through the Knowledge Network, the scientific community and operational stakeholders in disaster management have a new space to connect and share knowledge.

The exercise programme of the Knowledge Network offers a variety of civil protection exercises to enhance prevention, preparedness and disaster response.

CROSSFLOOD: Full-scale Exercise Cross Border Flood Response Exercise in a Post Conflict Environment.

This project aims to increase the resilience and preparedness of the industrial facilities of the Marmara Region.

Preparedness and Prevention for Cross-border Wildfire Resilience in Kosovo, Montenegro, and Albania.