EU in Emergencies

August was a difficult month for Europe and we all know why. According to the latest update from the Copernicus EU Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS), this year’s wildfire season has already surpassed 2017 and is now the worst on record, with 988,527 hectares* burned. From the many activations supported by Copernicus, Spain was among the largest. More than 250,000 hectares were affected, and 66 maps across 17 areas of interest were produced to help the Spanish Ministry of Interior monitor and manage the emergency. We are currently contributing to the assessment of other major crises worldwide, including the recent floods in Pakistan and the earthquake in Afghanistan. #CopernicusEmergency #EUCivilProtection #EUSolidarity

The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG #HERA) held today its ninth #InfoDay in Nicosia, bringing together over 100 participants to explore new opportunities for collaboration and funding in #healthemergency #preparedness.   The event reinforced DG HERA’s commitment to dialogue and coordinated action for health crisis preparedness in #EU.   🤝 Participants included Natasa Anastasiadou - Clinical Laboratory Scientist A' Medical and Public Health Services Ministry of Health, Cyprus, who underlined DG HERA’s role as a key of the EU health framework. She highlighted that "DG HERA is a vital initiative that strengthens our collective ability to anticipate, prevent, and respond to health emergencies, ensuring no Member State is left behind”.   📢 Also Ms Anastasiadou emphasised that “effective collaboration and shared knowledge are essential to building a resilient health system capable of facing future crises”.   With previous editions of the HERA Info Days held in Paris, Berlin, Budapest, Warsaw, Rome, Copenhagen, Tallinn and Dublin the initiative has gained momentum as a key platform for fostering partnerships and advancing #healthresilience in the EU.   Looking forward to seeing you at the next #HERAInfoDay in Madrid!

For 15 years, the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative has helped partner countries tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks. What began in 2010 is now the world’s largest voluntary global network for CBRN risk mitigation, uniting more than 60 countries across four continents. By translating policy into action, the initiative strengthens resilience, protects communities, and inspires cooperation beyond national borders. Its impact? · In Burundi, training and new legislation have led to the country’s first nuclear safety law, new regulatory authorities, and growing regional leadership on CBRN safety. · In Cambodia, multi-agency teams were created to secure mass events, run full-scale simulations, and integrate CBRN response into national security planning. · In Lao PDR, renewed engagement with the Biological Weapons Convention has paved the way for international reporting, regional cooperation, and improved chemical incident response. · In Malawi, a new National Action Plan has strengthened institutions, enhanced detection systems, and enabled cross-border drills with Zambia. As new threats emerge, from synthetic biology to climate-driven disease, the EU and its partners continue to show that shared knowledge means shared security. Read more about the anniversary of the Centres of Excellence Initiative: https://europa.eu/!xWDNdP #EUForeignPolicy

What happens when rivers around the world start carrying less water? In 2024, we saw it firsthand: droughts got worse, floods hit unevenly, and the water cycle showed real stress. Check some of the key findings from the American Meteorological Society State of the Climate 2024. #CopernicusEmergency #Droughts #Floods

📢 Journalists, join us on a media trip to Bangladesh from 16–21 November 2025! Bangladesh hosts over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar. Most live in the overcrowded camps of Cox’s Bazar, heavily reliant on international aid for survival. During the trip, you will: 🔹 Witness the situation in Cox’s Bazar first-hand 🔹 See how the EU supports humanitarian aid – from food security and health to education, protection, shelter, WASH, and disaster preparedness 🔹 Engage with affected communities and EU partners working on the ground 👉 Apply now for this unique opportunity to report on one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises: https://europa.eu/!HFWrwg Deadline: 7 September 2025, 17:00 CET © European Union, 2024

A new record has been set: we are witnessing the worst season ever recorded by the EU Forest Fires Information System in terms of burnt area. While the devastation is unprecedented, the increase in burnt areas has begun to slow compared with previous weeks. Copernicus maps have helped raise situational awareness on the exact location and extent of the fires. Civil protection crews and rescEU aircraft have provided support on the frontlines. Solidarity matters more than ever. #CopernicusEmergency #EUCivilProtection #EUSolidarity #Wildfires

Maritime coordination saves lives. Backed by the EU, agencies across the Indo-Pacific rely on each other to tackle shared crises at sea using the Indo-Pacific Information Sharing platform (IORIS), a neutral, secure and user-friendly digital environment designed to enhance maritime coordination and communication. Launched in 2018 by the EU-funded CRIMARIO II, IORIS currently has over 2,000 users across 50 countries in East Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. 🌏 Its impact? ·      More than 130 vessels accompanied in the Red Sea ·      8 joint search & rescue (SAR) operations, saving over 60 lives ·      4 piracy incidents addressed ·      2 pollution incidents managed The EU and its partners are making seas safer, together.

The emergence of #mpox in Africa prompted a swift and decisive response from the European Commission.   💉 #TeamEurope was instrumental in the procurement and coordination of #mpox vaccine donations from the #EU to the most affected countries.   Since summer 2024, when the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization declared this emergency, and thanks to collaboration between UNICEF Supply, DG #HERA, and DG #ECHO, more than 288,000 doses have been delivered to six countries: DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Angola, and Sierra Leone 🌍.   These efforts are crucial in stopping the #mpox outbreak and protecting vulnerable populations.   ✈️ 📦 We are also grateful to Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain for their donations and joint commitment to this emergency.   Together, we demonstrate the strength of #EUsolidarity in times of crisis.

Heroes on 4 paws 🐾 Search and rescue dogs save lives when disasters strike. With a sense of smell far beyond machines, they locate people trapped under rubble, snow, or underground. It’s not breed, but character that counts — focus, drive, and trust with their handlers. Together, they work, train, and live side by side for nearly a decade, ready to go where others can’t. We honour these extraordinary four-legged heroes. 🧡 © European Union, 2025

With EU funding, the OSCE’s Young Women for Peace (YW4P) Central Asia project is giving young women in Central Asia and Afghanistan the tools, networks, and visibility to lead. By supporting initiatives like #YW4P, the EU helps ensure that youth and women’s voices are not only heard but shape the future of peace and security. #EUForeignPolicy