The ninth Modules Table-Top Exercise of the EU MODEX Cycle 12 took place from 1st to 5th June 2026 in Belgium. The scenario was floods in the capital, Brussels. A total of 25 participants (17 Modules Key Personnel, 6 EUCPT, and 2 TAST) took part in the exercise.
The ninth Modules Table-Top Exercise (ModTTX9) took place from 1st to 5th June 2026 in Brussels, Belgium. It was conducted at the Brussels-Capital Region Government office, “Safe.Brussels” and emphasized a flood scenario in Brussels.
There were 25 participants from 11 different countries comprising of nine Modules Key Personnel teams, an EUCP Team including a TAST who took part in this exercise. Including Exercise Control (EXCON), coach/trainers, role players and support staff, about 89 persons were involved in the exercise. It was hosted by the Federal Public Service Home Affairs – Directorate-General for Civil Protection of Belgium (DGCP-BE), in cooperation with the rest of the consortium, formed of the Escola Nacional de Bombeiros (ENB-PT), the Germany Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW-DE), the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (URSZR-SI), and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia (MUP).
The Modules present were EMT type 1 from Spain (two modules), Poland, and Lithuania; Light USAR from Lithuania; Medium USAR from Spain and Bulgaria; Heavy USAR from Algeria; and Cultural Heritage Protection from France. The EUCPT consisted of six members and was supported by a TAST from Finland.
The exercise scenario was extreme rainfall in Brussels and the surrounding provinces. Due to severe levels of rainfall, several major rivers overflowed, causing flooding and damage to buildings, road networks, emergency service facilities and heritage sites. The floods strength was similar to the 2021 floods that occurred in Belgium. There were mass casualties and missing persons due to the affected areas being highly urbanised and densely populated parts of Brussels. The most severely affected areas were central Brussels, Ixelles, Anderlecht and Vorst. Due to the large-scale damage to highly urban areas, the local authorities quickly became overwhelmed with the situation and decide to request assistance from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The redeployment took place in the neighbouring province of Walloon Brabant, raising new questions, engaging the participants' sending organisations and creating new opportunities for cooperation.
As the exercise took place in the capital, it received significant coverage from national media outlets. There were several VIP visits, for example: Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management and Commissioner for Equality; Sophie Lavaux, Governor for Crisis Management in the Brussels-Capital Region and Director general safe.brussels; and Bernard Quintin, Minister for Security and the Interior.
