North Macedonia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) on 16 March 2025 after a fire left many victims severely burnt and in urgent need of highly specialised treatment.

Wine production is deeply woven into Europe’s cultural identity and rural economy, but it is also emerging as an unexpected ally in wildfire prevention. When thoughtfully managed, vineyards can help reduce the spread of wildfires and protect Europe’s landscapes, communities and heritage. We share a story from the Directorate General for Agriculture and rural development.

From 16 to 18 June 2025, the European Commission held the AI for Preparedness workshop, gathering experts from public institutions, research, industry, and civil protection to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly enhance disaster risk management (DRM) in line with the EU’s Preparedness Union Strategy (PUS).

In this first in a series of articles on European Commission funding opportunities available on preparedness and disaster risk management, we look at the LIFE Programme calls, which have recently been launched for this year.

The Horizon Europe work programmes have been published; hundreds of millions of euros available for preparedness-focused research.

Sectoral news, stories from the frontlines and events of importance to the civil protection and disaster risk management community.

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.

Impact's And Response Options regarding low Sulphur marine fuel oil Spills.

Early warning Demonstration of pan-European rainfall-induced impact forecasts.

Managing Complex Floods in North Albania through Cross Border Host Nation Support and Joint Cooperation.