EU in Emergencies

Dual-use items have legitimate civilian uses, but in the wrong hands they can feed weapons programmes. Knowing who the end user is, and what the end use will be, is one of our first lines of defence.   That was the focus of the 5th #EUP2P Dialogue on Export Control Governance in Brussels, which brought together: 1.    25 partner countries 2.    The World Customs Organization, Australia Group, Nuclear Suppliers Group and Wassenaar Arrangement 3.    Industry, research and academia   Together we looked at risk-based assessment, post-shipment verification and data-driven tools, and at how to keep pace with emerging technologies and increasingly sophisticated illicit procurement networks.   The takeaway: no one can do this alone. Cooperation between governments, industry and academia is how we prevent threats from becoming emergencies.   Thank you to all speakers, partners and EU institutions. See you in 2028!   Funded by the European Union and part of the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation programme: https://lnkd.in/eJNWDcXK

The HERA Board meets in Dublin! Member States, #EU agencies and the European Commission come together to strengthen Europe’s health preparedness. Key discussions focus on: 🔹 Lessons learned from #Ebola and #hantavirus outbreaks; 🔹 Medical countermeasures and preparedness roadmaps; 🔹 #EU preparedness priorities. On the margins of the meeting, we also met with Lithuanian Vice-Minister Ignas Rubikas to discuss preparations for the next HERA Board under the Lithuanian Presidency. Thank you to the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026 for hosting us and for the warm welcome. #HealthPreparedness

The EU’s support for Ukraine is multidimensional, reaching different regions and addressing a wide range of needs. Head of the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) Peter M. Wagner 🇪🇺 visited Ukraine. In the east of the country, FPI works with mine action partners such as The HALO Trust to make land liberated by Ukrainian defenders safe for people to live on and farmers to cultivate again. With MAG (Mines Advisory Group), APOPO and Ukrainian Deminers Association, we are supporting the training of demining dogs to become life-savers, using their remarkable sense of smell to detect landmines and other unexploded remnants of war. Together with Chargé d’affaires of Poland in Ukraine, Piotr Łukasiewicz, Peter Wagner opened the Zhyttiesyla Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) centre in Tsarychanka, Dnipropetrovsk region, where veterans, families of service members or any other citizen can find support in difficult life situations or simply someone who listens. A savED educational centre which is currently being expanded with FPI’s support, helps children receive education and company safely during the war. The EU’s support is provided at various levels, including to local administration. In Kharkiv, where we work with partners like UNDP Ukraine to provide essential support, Peter Wagner had the opportunity to discuss our help with the city’s mayor and explore new ideas for further support. In Kyiv, discussions with long-standing partners, such as the State Special Transport Service of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, and the government, focused on long-term resilience tasks such as humanitarian mine action. This is especially important ahead of the Ukraine Mine Action Conference #UMAC2026 which will take place this November in Brussels. We keep supporting Ukraine amid Russia’s intensifying aggression. Preparedness for the upcoming winter is crucial and the EU continues to support Ukraine, helping communities prepare for the challenges ahead. This is #EUForeignPolicy in action!

Arwin Van De Zande, Chief Officer with the Haaglanden Safety Region in The Hague, has dedicated his career to emergency response and public safety. Inspired by his father, who also served with the fire service, he developed an early passion for helping communities prepare for and respond to emergencies: 'We do not focus on national borders, but rather on finding the most effective way to help affected citizens as quickly as possible.' This mindset is at the core of the #EUCivilProtection Mechanism. Through joint preparedness exercises and cross-border cooperation, emergency services across Europe strengthen their ability to respond rapidly and effectively when disasters occur. Preparing today, ready for tomorrow. 👉 Discover Arwin's full story: https://lnkd.in/e3sp8GNQ #ProtectWhatMatters ©️ European Union, 2026

A plate. A cup. A cooking pot. For most of us, these are everyday things. For a family who has lost everything, they can be the first step back to normal. When crisis forces people to leave their lives behind, a hot meal is about more than food. It’s dignity, comfort and a moment together. On #WorldFoodDay, we think of every family cooking and eating in the middle of crisis, and of the humanitarian workers who make sure basic kitchen items reach them. The EU stands with people in need, wherever they are💙 #EUHumanitarianAid #EUSolidarity ©️ European Union, 2026

💉 What if Europe needed to produce vaccines quickly during a health emergency? #EUFAB helps Europe prepare for that possibility by reserving vaccine manufacturing capacity that can be activated in the event of a public health emergency. This means that manufacturing capacity can be kept available in advance, so production can start more quickly if a future crisis requires it. EU FAB is implemented by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). 🤝 Want to learn more about the role of industry in Europe’s health security? Join us at #HERAIndustryDays, on 23–24 November in Brussels: https://lnkd.in/eu4Sz9Ub

Four Training Seminars, three Technical Webinars, two Simulation Exercises, and more than 300 professionals trained on #EUSpace services. Last week in Brussels, the EU-funded #SUNSHINE project completed its capacity building programme with its second and final Simulation Exercise. Over two days, participants worked through a realistic crisis scenario in a structured, time-paced environment. At each stage, they decided which #EUSpace data and services to use or activate, and how the resulting information could support emergency response and coordination. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service featured in the scenario alongside Galileo’s Emergency Warning Satellite Service, Space Situational Awareness, and GOVSATCOM. Practising how and when to request these services helps national authorities make full use of them when a real emergency strikes. Since January 2025, SUNSHINE built a community of practitioners who know how and when to call on EU Space-based services. Their knowledge now returns with them to national civil protection authorities, strengthening Europe’s preparedness for future emergencies. More on the exercise: https://lnkd.in/d_24Mgxe

Today’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction reminds us that preparing together for cross-border incidents is in itself a way to reduce disaster risks. Our job is often to think about the worst-case scenario: for example, a football match in a stadium packed with people becomes the scene of a chemical and radiological incident. That's exactly what more than 400 emergency responders, role-players and exercise controllers rehearsed in April at Dynamo Stadium in Samarkand, Uzbekistan thanks to the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Programme https://lnkd.in/eJNWDcXK. Over three days, intersectoral teams worked through the moments that matter most: • Detecting hazardous materials • Managing casualties and decontamination • Securing the scene and coordinating evacuation • Countering misinformation as events unfold The goal wasn't just to test procedures. It was to build the trust and coordination between agencies that save lives when every second counts. Reducing disaster risk isn't only about responding well. It's about the year of planning, the shared training and the partnerships that make a strong response possible before a crisis ever begins. The European Union CBRN Risk Mitigation Programme facilitates the collaboration between EU Member States and Countries worldwide to strengthen global prevention and preparedness to CBRN events.  From planning to practice, this is #EUForeignPolicy in action: strengthening national and regional resilience to CBRN risks.

What is IDDRR? It’s the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction! 🌍⁣ ⁣ The world faces many challenges - from climate change and natural hazards to cybersecurity and conflicts.⁣ ⁣ Preparedness isn’t about fear; it’s about awareness and resilience. ⁣ ⁣ Being aware and prepared helps communities respond effectively when unexpected events occur.⁣ ⁣ The EU works with countries and communities across Europe to strengthen preparedness, cooperation, and response - because together, we are stronger 💙⁣ ⁣ #EUSolidarity #PreparednessSavesLives ⁣ ⁣ © European Union, 2025

#Preparedness is built before a crisis starts, through stronger systems, sustained investment and partnerships that are ready to act. Two intense days at the World Health Summit in Berlin have reinforced this message. On Day 1, our discussions ranged from tackling #dengue and improving access to medical countermeasures, to strengthening health systems, supporting #Ukraine and reinforcing #Europe’s role in global health. Today the focus moved from resilience in a “polycrisis” and early warning, to the ongoing #Ebola response and the future of vaccine preparedness. Three priorities stand out: 🔎 Anticipate earlier. Better surveillance, genomics, wastewater monitoring and new technologies such as AI can help us detect threats sooner and act faster. 🏭 Maintain the capacity to respond. Resilient supply chains, manufacturing capacity and access to medical countermeasures need to be built before demand suddenly surges. 🤝 Invest in partnerships before emergencies happen. Our cooperation with World Health Organization, CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) and other global partners shows why trusted cooperation, sustained research and predictable investment are essential to turn preparedness into protection. At #WHS2026, one message came through clearly: preparedness is a strategic investment in our collective security, prosperity and resilience.