Europeans continue to show very strong support for a coordinated European approach to disaster preparedness and response, according to the latest Special Eurobarometer on EU Civil Protection published today by the European Commission.
As Europe faces growing risks and increasingly complex natural hazards and human-induced disasters, nine in ten Europeans think it is important that the EU helps coordinate disaster response both within its territories and other countries, while 94% agree that Member States should support one another when a disaster overwhelms a country's ability to cope on its own.
Bolstering this view, 91% of respondents agree that the coordinated EU action should be strengthened even further to deal more effectively with disasters and crises in the future. Support also extends beyond the EU's borders: 91% of respondents believe European assistance should be provided to countries outside the EU facing major disasters. Overall, the findings underline the importance Europeans continue to give to solidarity, preparedness and collective action in the face of disasters that know no borders and increasingly require shared solutions.
A better prepared Union
'As the threat level climbs, so must Europe's preparedness'. That was a central message of President von der Leyen's State of the Union address . Our citizens, our Member States, and our businesses need the right tools both to anticipate and prevent crises and to react swiftly when they hit.
This is why preparedness is at the heart of the Commission's agenda. The Preparedness Union Strategy , adopted in March 2025, translated the Niinistö report into a concrete action plan with 63 actions, based on an all-hazards, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
And when an emergency hits, any country can request assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism . An activation of the Mechanism triggers the Emergency Response Coordination Centre to mobilise assistance or expertise from European countries. Operating 24/7, the Centre ensures rapid deployment of emergency support and acts as a coordination hub between all EU Member States, 10 additional participating states, the affected country, and civil protection and humanitarian aid experts. It has already been activated more than 900 times by 160 countries.
Shaping preparedness together with citizens
Preparedness is a collective responsibility. Public authorities, media, education, training and cultural institutions, youth and civil society organisations, social partners, businesses, local networks and communities, and citizens, from an early age, all play a vital role.
The Commission is actively engaging with citizens to ensure their views and experiences help shape EU policies. The European Citizens' Panel on Population Preparedness, held earlier in 2026, brought together 150 citizens from across the EU and resulted in 20 recommendations aiming to strengthen preparedness across Europe. Covering areas such as crisis communication, inclusion, self-sufficiency, volunteering and preparedness education, these citizen recommendations will be presented at the upcoming European Civil Protection Forum on 3-4 November and will help inform the Commission's follow-up work under the Preparedness Union Strategy.
In parallel, the Commission is bringing preparedness closer to citizens through its ' We Act as One' campaign, showing that preparedness begins long before emergencies make the headlines. The campaign highlights the work that takes place before disasters strike, from joint training and sharing expertise to ensuring Europe has the capacity to respond together when emergencies occur.
