Almost two thirds of the EU residents (Special Eurobarometer 511b) are aware of the risk of disasters in the regions they live, outlines a survey distributed by the communication unit of DG ECHO. It also shared with the CRISPRO network some exciting news on the EU’s strengthened civil protection, following the adoption of the proposal for a new UCPM legislation by the European Parliament.
- Upcoming new legislation on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism
The European Parliament voted on 27 April to strengthen the role of the European Union in crisis management through a legislative revision of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. This allows for faster and more effective European solidarity and EU operations in response to large-scale emergencies and disasters that affect several countries at the same time.
- Press release: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1940
- Q&A: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_1941
- Factsheet on UCPM: https://ec.europa.eu/echo/what/civil-protection/mechanism_en
2. Eurobarometer survey on EU Civil Protection
At the end of 2020, the European Commission gathered citizens’ opinions on EU civil protection in the 27 EU Member States. The survey results show clear support for the EU’s role in crisis management, with 84 % of Europeans agreeing that coordinated EU action should be increased to respond more effectively to future disasters and crises. More than 9 in 10 Europeans agree that their country should provide help when a disaster strikes in another EU country that is too big to deal with on their own, a clear sign of support for EU solidarity. The full report, and a specific factsheet on your country are equally available.
- Full report and national factsheets EU27: https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2264
3. Awareness raising campaign on EU Civil Protection
To raise awareness about the EU’s role in supporting countries in Europe and worldwide to manage crises DG ECHO has launched a communication campaign via its corporate channels as well as through tailored advertising in seven target countries (AT, DE, FR, IT, LT, RO, SK). DG ECHO’s campaign uses various examples to visualise how the EU and EU Member States teamed up throughout the past months – displaying how the #EUActsTogether.
- Campaign website: www.europa.eu/actstogether