The 8th European Civil Protection Forum will take place on June 4–5 at Tour & Taxis in Brussels, Belgium. This Forum is the most important event for the civil protection community, serving as a hub for knowledge exchange, cooperation, and networking among stakeholders involved in European Civil Protection.

Its aim is to address key policy and operational issues, inspire future developments within the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), and create networks and opportunities for collaboration in disaster risk management.

Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

In October 2001, the European Commission established the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Its goal is to strengthen cooperation between EU countries and 10 participating states (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine) in civil protection, in order to improve disaster prevention, preparedness, and response.

When a crisis exceeds a country’s response capacity—within or outside of Europe—it can request assistance through the Mechanism. The Commission plays a key role in coordinating the global disaster response and covers at least 75% of transport and/or operational costs for missions.

A Key Gathering for Civil Protection Professionals

Over the past 15 years, the European Civil Protection Forum has become a major European gathering of professionals and decision-makers in the field. It is held biennially by the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and is expected to attract over 1,000 stakeholders, including government officials, local, national and regional civil protection authorities, first responders, EU institutions, the academic community, and the private sector.

The 7th Forum, under the theme “Towards Faster, Greener, and Smarter Emergency Management”, took place in Brussels on June 28–29, 2022, welcoming a large number of participants involved in shaping and implementing EU civil protection policy.

This Year’s Theme and Opportunities

The 8th European Civil Protection Forum is centered on the theme:

“Shaping a Disaster-Resilient Union: Charting a Path for the Future of European Civil Protection”.

The event will be a valuable opportunity to reflect on what the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) has achieved so far and to generate ideas for future development, innovation, and cooperation.

By participating, you can contribute to shaping the future of disaster response in Europe!

Key Sessions and Topics

During the two-day event, the Forum will feature a wide range of sessions, panel discussions, and participatory workshops. Some of the key and insightful topics include:

• Bridging the gap between local and EU-level response: Regional cooperation in disaster management
• Awareness and communication on wildfire risks in a changing risk landscape
• Civil protection and humanitarian aid: Differences and complementarity
• Knowledge transfer in civil protection exercises
• Governance of disaster risk management: Involvement of national civil protection authorities
• EU disaster resilience goals and the “Early Warning for All” initiative: How do they align?

• Enhancing disaster resilience: Bringing together civil protection and the private sector

Registration

Registrations are now open! You can register for the 8th European Civil Protection Forum 2024 via the following link: 

Registration Page: https://eu.eventscloud.com/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=200273113

Deadline for registration: April 30, 2024.