SUNSHINE 2nd Simulation Exercise

Key information

Description

SUNSHINE is an EU-funded project coordinated by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). It aims to strengthen disaster resilience across Europe by facilitating the uptake of EU Space Programme data and services - such as Copernicus EMS, Galileo EWSS, SSA, and GOVSATCOM - within civil protection frameworks, supporting the objectives of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

As part of its capacity-building activities, the SUNSHINE project is organising its second Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) on 6 and 7 October 2026 in Brussels, Belgium. The exercise is designed as a practical, scenario-based activity which places participants in a simulated real life crisis environment, enabling them to apply the knowledge acquired during the previous seminars and webinars, in an operational and time-constrained context.

The primary objective of the exercise is to strengthen participants’ ability to effectively use or activate EU Space data and services in support of civil protection decision-making. The exercise complements the training seminars campaign by translating concepts into practice, supporting continuous learning and maximising knowledge retention through engagement with operational tools and procedures.

Throughout the two days, the participants will be required to access official portals, follow established activation procedures, and exploit EU Space-based data and services to support disaster preparedness, response, and coordination activities within two simulated crisis events.

Who Should Attend

The exercise is open to professionals who are already familiar with EU Space services through previous SUNSHINE training activities. Participation in one of the SUNSHINE Training Seminars is a prerequisite for taking part in the Simulation Exercise. The exercise is particularly recommended for professionals from the following groups:

• Civil protection authorities and emergency response coordinators at national, regional, or local level
• Technical emergency teams and first responders
• National Training Coordinators under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

Further Information

For any queries, please contact the SUNSHINE project team via EC-SUNSHINE-SEMINARS@ec.europa.eu.