The European Commission is launching a new call for expressions of interest under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) peer review programme, offering national and regional authorities an opportunity to assess and strengthen their disaster risk management and civil protection systems.
With several peer review slots available for the 2026–2027 period, this is your chance to enhance resilience.
A peer review of disaster risk management and civil protection systems provides a country or region the opportunity to reflect on its readiness to cope with disasters caused by natural hazards and human-induced events, while identifying ways to enhance its prevention and preparedness policies and practices. It also facilitates the sharing of good practice at the European level.
Explore lessons learnt and good practices from past UCPM peer reviews and check the video on UCPM Peer Review Programme Lessons Learnt meeting held on 14 November 2024.
National authorities from:
Although national governments typically initiate peer review requests, subnational authorities, particularly from federal states, are strongly encouraged to apply. In 2025, a UCPM Peer Review was carried out in Germany for the Land of Brandenburg and proved very useful for the Land, as well as other German entities indirectly. This is a good example how a successful peer review can be undertaken at subnational level.
Successful applications from subnational entities must include a letter of support from their national government (national civil protection authority), ensuring alignment with broader strategies.
Regions applying for a peer review can receive customised support to ensure a smooth process. This includes interpretation services during the on-site mission and translation of the final report into the national language.
For further guidance on conducting an effective peer review, including key principles, roles, workflow, and essential tools, please consult the Peer Review Programme Guidelines.
For additional details on the methodology applied in UCPM peer reviews, please refer to the Factsheet (download below) and visit the peer review webpage. Key documents include: the Disaster Risk Management Peer Review Assessment Framework (DRM PRAF), updated in 2025, and the wildfire version of the PRAF (Wildfire PRAF).
Countries and subnational entities interested in a peer review are invited to send an expression of interest to ECHO-CP-PEER-REVIEW@ec.europa.eu. If you have any question or clarification, please contact us at the same email.
The Knowledge Network editorial team is here to share the news and stories of the Knowledge Network community. We'd love to hear your news, events and personal stories about your life in civil protection and disaster risk management. If you've got a story to share, please contact us.
Sectors
Thematic series