Prevention and preparedness. Helping people in need in Europe and worldwide

Disasters, acts of terrorism, and technological, radiological or environmental accidents can strike anywhere at any time. Awareness-raising, training and preparation are crucial requisites for an efficient response. The European Union, through its Civil Protection Mechanism, supports disaster prevention and preparedness activities throughout Europe. Since 2007, more than 60 prevention and preparedness projects have been co-financed by the EU, focusing on areas where a common European approach is more effective than separate national approaches. Likewise, more than 40 joint exercises have been organised at EU level. They help build trust and common understanding of cooperation and working procedures in civil protection interventions. These projects contribute to a better prevention of disasters and a reduction of risks through various activities: trainings, exercises, studies, public awareness initiatives, and the development of new tools such as early warning and weather forecast systems, to name but a few.