EU activates civil protection mechanism to respond to fires and disasters

In light of the forest fires that broke out in several European countries this summer, the EU provided rapid and significant coordinated assistance. In July last year and August this year, forest fires broke out in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia and Portugal, prompting the EU to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to organize assistance to these countries.

According to the European Commission, around 556 firefighters from 12 countries are strategically stationed in key locations across Europe, including France, Greece, Portugal and Spain, ready to support local fire brigades in the event of a forest fire.

Civil protection mechanism

The European Commission established the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in 2001 with the aim of strengthening cooperation among European countries in the areas of disaster prevention, preparedness and response.

In the event of an emergency, any country can request assistance through the civil protection mechanism, as assistance from other countries is coordinated through the Brussels-based Emergency Response Coordination Centre.

In addition to the EU countries, Albania, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine participate in the European Protection Mechanism, although these countries are not considered members of the bloc.

For example, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina officially joined the European Civil Protection Mechanism in 2022, marking a milestone on the country’s path to winning EU candidate country status later that same year.

Showing European solidarity

The Greek government appealed to the international community for help after a massive forest fire in northeastern Athens forced thousands of residents to flee their homes earlier this month. Experts said it was the first major fire in the Greek capital.

Greece requested assistance from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on August 12. A European Commission spokesperson said the support provided to Greece includes two aircraft from Italy, two helicopters from France and Serbia, and ground firefighters from the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Romania and Serbia, noting that there are already firefighters from Romania, Malta and Moldova in Greece.

Between August 1 and September 15, Romania deployed dozens of firefighters and special equipment in preparation for fighting the fires in Greece. This is the fourth consecutive year that Bucharest has responded to such a request, and Romanian firefighters have carried out similar missions in France, Slovenia and North Macedonia in recent years.

Mobilizing more support

This summer, the EU also mobilized support personnel to assist in firefighting efforts in Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Portugal, after activating its disaster relief mechanism.

For example, last Wednesday, Portugal requested assistance from the European Civil Protection Mechanism to put out a fire that broke out on Madeira Island. Data from the European Forest Fire Information System showed that the fire covered more than 4,930 hectares. Two Candre firefighting aircraft arrived from Spain last Thursday.

Earlier this month, two aircraft from Romania also arrived in Albania to help isolate and extinguish fires in parts of the country. The Albanian Ministry of Defense announced that Spartan and Hercules aircraft intervened to extinguish fires in the cities of Pogradić and Berat from August 14 to 16.

Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey sent firefighting aircraft to North Macedonia in mid-July to help contain a series of fires that were burning during a severe heatwave in the country. The fires destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest and authorities said there were 12 active fires at the time.

Medical and humanitarian services

While the European Civil Protection Mechanism is activated in times of natural disasters, its assistance can also be called upon in other emergency situations, such as health crises in war zones and humanitarian disasters.

On 24 July, the EU coordinated the rescue of 16 Palestinian children in need of medical care and their families who were transported from Egypt to Spain, with the financial and operational support of the Civil Protection Mechanism, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Palestinian Child Relief Fund, and the Palestinian Authority.

Since the beginning of January, the EU has also supported the WHO Coordination Team for the Gaza Strip Emergency Medical Team in Cairo, deploying 22 EU experts and participating countries of the Civil Protection Mechanism.

• Can help in other emergencies, such as health crises in war zones and humanitarian disasters.

• Assistance from other countries is coordinated through the Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Brussels.