Text · Opinion parliamentary committee
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response, and repealing Decision No 1313/2013/EU (Union Civil Protection Mechanism)
Full title
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response, and repealing Decision No 1313/2013/EU (Union Civil Protection Mechanism)
Document SEDE-AD-785116 · COM(2025)0548 – C100174/2025 – 2025/0223(COD)
- Kind
- Opinion parliamentary committee SEDE-AD-785116
- Date
- 30 June 2026
- Committee
- Committee on Security and Defence
- Rapporteur
- Reinis Pozņaks
- Dossier
- 2025-0223
More facts (3)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Subject matter
- SANT, PCIV
- Reference
- COM(2025)0548 – C100174/2025 – 2025/0223(COD)
In short
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The Committee on Security and Defence proposes amendments to the proposed regulation on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and health emergency preparedness. It adds civil-military cooperation, hybrid and armed-attack scenarios, critical infrastructure protection, dual-use capacities and support for volunteers and civil society. The amendments require Member States to include armed aggression and hybrid threats in national risk assessments, and set up civil-military preparedness arrangements, joint exercises and a Union civil-military exercise. They add rescEU capacities for emergency communications and critical infrastructure rapid assessment, and rules on dual-use military capacities, counter-drone measures and sheltering standards. They also strengthen the role of volunteers, civil society and local communities, and require support for population preparedness, including the initial 72 hours after a disaster.
Position. The Committee on Security and Defence proposes amendments to the lead committees' text. It wants the Mechanism to cover armed aggression and hybrid threats, to build civil-military preparedness and dual-use capacities, to protect critical infrastructure and space assets, and to support volunteers and civil society.
Key points
- Adds conventional and hybrid warfare to the disasters covered, and includes education and care facilities such as schools and shelters in the protection scope.
- States that Union-level structures, including the Hub, should support national capacities and not centralise crisis-management competences, which remain with Member States.
- Adds crises caused by attacks on Member States to the medical countermeasures recital, and proposes a component stockpile access mechanism for certified SMEs.
- Requires support for volunteers and civil society responders, including legal protection, insurance, recognition of qualifications, training, equipment and exemptions on working time constraints for volunteer firefighters and military reservists.
- Adds hybrid threats such as cyber-attacks, sabotage, disinformation, unmanned aerial systems and CBRN incidents to the Mechanism's preparedness tasks, with attention to energy, transport, space and communication systems.
- Calls for a regulatory framework allowing state security bodies to procure and operate Counter-Unmanned Aerial systems, and for Defensive Drone Zones with radar, optical tracking and interception capabilities.
- Requires civil-military preparedness arrangements, including a Union-level framework, joint exercises, standardised operating procedures and integration of dual-use military capabilities into national plans and the European Civil Protection Pool.
- Requires national risk assessments and risk management plans to include scenarios of armed aggression and hybrid threats, covering continuity of essential civilian services, mass casualty management, evacuation and civil support to military forces.
- Adds rescEU capacities for emergency communications infrastructure deployable within 12 hours, and a critical infrastructure rapid assessment and recovery capability with expert teams deployed within 24 hours.
- Requires Member States to pre-authorise cross-border movement of civil protection assets, personnel and vehicles during disaster response, with standardised templates supported by the ERCC.
- Provides that where the Council establishes a Member State is a victim of armed aggression under Article 42(7) TEU, the Mechanism is deemed activated without a formal request, and all relevant rescEU capacities are made available.
- Requires the Commission to protect EU classified information, set up a secured exchange system, and ensure geographic equity in pre-positioning medical countermeasures, including for islands and outermost regions.
Who is affected
- Member States, which must include armed aggression and hybrid threats in risk assessments and set up cross-border pre-authorisation arrangements.
- Civil protection and military authorities, which must cooperate through joint exercises, standardised procedures and dual-use capacity mapping.
- Volunteers, volunteer firefighters and military reservists, who would receive legal protection, insurance, training and working time exemptions.
- SMEs and dual-use companies, for which entry barriers to grants and actions would be lowered by removing non-critical security requirements.
- Border regions, islands, outermost regions and rural or remote areas, whose specific vulnerabilities must be taken into account.
Figures and deadlines
- 72 hours: the period for which households, communities and local support networks should maintain essential needs and basic self-protection after a disaster.
- 31 December 2028: deadline for Member States to make a summary available to the Commission, and at least once every 3 years thereafter.
- 12 hours: deployment time for rescEU emergency communications infrastructure after a request for assistance.
- 24 hours: deployment time for multidisciplinary expert teams assessing critical infrastructure damage.
- Every two years: review and update of the confidential registry of dual-use military capacities.
- Every three years: adoption and review of civil-military preparedness arrangements.
- Up to 100%: level of Union financing for response under the Union Mechanism.
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The Committee on Security and Defence submits the following to the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety and the Committee on Public Health, as the committees responsible:
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (6) The protection to be ensured under the Union Mechanism should cover people, the environment and property, including housing, critical infrastructure, such as energy and transport or space infrastructure, and cultural heritage, against all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters. Reference to natural and human-induced disasters should be understood as referring to the consequences of all natural and human-induced hazards. This should include acts of terrorism, technological, radiological or environmental disasters, climate change, marine and inland water pollution, water supply disruptions and water resilience, hydrogeological instability, health emergencies, and other undefined hybrid disasters or emergencies, occurring inside or outside the Union. Those disasters require cross-sectoral coordination in situations where other Union crisis management mechanisms are also applied. | (6) The protection to be ensured under the Union Mechanism should cover people, the environment and property, including housing, critical infrastructure, such as energy and transport or space infrastructure, education and care facilities, including schools and shelters, and cultural heritage, against all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters. Reference to natural and human-induced disasters should be understood as referring to the consequences of all natural and human-induced hazards. This should include acts of conventional warfare, hybrid warfare, terrorism, technological, radiological or environmental disasters, climate change, marine and inland water pollution, water supply disruptions and water resilience, hydrogeological instability, health emergencies, and other undefined hybrid disasters or emergencies, occurring inside or outside the Union. Those disasters require cross-sectoral coordination in situations where other Union crisis management mechanisms are also applied. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7) The Union Mechanism should promote solidarity between the Member States through practical cooperation and coordination, without prejudice to the Member States’ primary responsibility to protect people, the environment and property, including cultural heritage, on their territory against all disasters and to provide their disaster-management systems with sufficient capabilities to enable them to prevent, and cope adequately and in a consistent manner with, disasters of a nature and magnitude that can reasonably be expected and prepared for. | (7) The Union Mechanism should promote solidarity between the Member States through practical cooperation and coordination, while fully respecting the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, without prejudice to the Member States’ primary responsibility to protect people, the environment and property, including cultural heritage, on their territory against all disasters and to provide their disaster-management systems with sufficient capabilities to enable them to prevent, and cope adequately and in a consistent manner with, disasters of a nature and magnitude that can reasonably be expected and prepared for. Union-level structures established under the Mechanism, including the Hub, should support and complement national capacities and should not lead to unnecessary centralisation of crisis-management competences, which remain primarily with the Member States. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8) To promote consistency in its international action in the field of civil protection, the Union should recognise the key role of intergovernmental organisations through strengthening policy dialogue, exchange of knowledge and best practices as disasters and crises are increasing in scale and scope globally and the risks and threats thereof are shared by the Union. | (8) To promote consistency in its international action in the field of civil protection, the Union should recognise the key role of intergovernmental organisations through strengthening policy dialogue, exchange of knowledge and best practices and enhancing coordination with relevant civil protection and defence actors in disaster preparedness and response, as disasters and crises are increasing in scale and scope globally and the risks and threats thereof are shared by the Union. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (9) In order to foster an integrated and comprehensive approach to disaster risk management, the Union action should cover all priorities for action under the Sendai framework. While structural resilience and preparedness measures are addressed horizontally and in relevant Union programmes, the Mechanism should address them in its different phases of the disaster management cycle, namely prevention, preparedness and response, through coordinated planning and action that anticipate and mitigate risks, enhance preparedness and enable effective response while recovery and reconstruction should remain addressed in other Union instruments. The Union should promote the importance of disaster prevention and the integration of preventive measures into governance and sectoral policies, with a view to reducing risks, strengthening the resilience of population, infrastructure and essential services and minimising the impact of disasters, as well as aim to further develop the Union disaster resilience goals established by Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council8 . A stronger collective operational response at Union level, together with support for the individual capabilities of Member States through capacity-building measures, is essential to ensure the skills, resources and knowledge needed to manage risks, reduce vulnerabilities and enhance resilience to future risks and threats. | (9) In order to foster an integrated and comprehensive approach to disaster risk management, the Union action should cover all priorities for action under the Sendai framework. While structural resilience and preparedness measures are addressed horizontally and in relevant Union programmes, the Mechanism should address them in its different phases of the disaster management cycle, namely prevention, preparedness and response, through coordinated planning and action that anticipate and mitigate risks, enhance preparedness and enable effective response while recovery and reconstruction should remain addressed in other Union instruments. The Union should promote the importance of disaster prevention and the integration of preventive measures into governance and sectoral policies, with a view to reducing risks, strengthening the resilience of population, infrastructure and essential services and minimising the impact of disasters, as well as aim to further develop the Union disaster resilience goals established by Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council8. A stronger collective operational response at Union level, together with support for the individual capabilities of Member States through capacity-building measures, including those involving and supporting civil society organisations, is essential to ensure the skills, resources and knowledge needed to manage risks, reduce vulnerabilities and enhance resilience to future risks and threats. |
| 8 Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 185, 26.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/836/oj). | 8 Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 185, 26.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/836/oj). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (12) The Union medical countermeasures landscape still shows a dependence of the Union on third countries in ensuring the supply of raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medicinal products, medical devices and personal protective equipment needed in the Union during health crises, in particular pandemics. The Regulation should therefore provide support to actions that foster the procurement, management, stockpiling and deployment of crisis relevant products within the Union to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the Union and ensure better a security of supply of medical countermeasures. | (12) The Union medical countermeasures landscape still shows a dependence of the Union on third countries in ensuring the supply of raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medicinal products, medical devices and personal protective equipment needed in the Union during health crises, in particular pandemics, or crises caused by attacks on one or more Member States. The Regulation should therefore provide support to actions that foster the procurement, management, stockpiling and deployment of crisis relevant products within the Union to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the Union and ensure better a security of supply of medical countermeasures. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (14a) Stockpiling of defence products and redundant supply chains must be in place to ensure sustained operational readiness. Rules should be established to enable the Union Mechanism to create a ''component stockpile access' mechanism that would enable certified SMEs to draw components from strategic stockpiles at negotiated prices and to repay in kind once production rescales. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (14b) Maintaining such readiness and stockpiling capacity entails significant costs for the defence industry, and companies are unlikely to sustain inventories of critical components without clear public guidance and financial support. Therefore, it is important for national supply security agencies to be permitted to serve as importers and wholesalers for key components, thereby ensuring adequate stock levels, enabling regular stock rotation, and alleviating the financial burden on individual firms. This model would require coordinated public-private partnership and dedicated funding mechanisms at both national and EU levels to ensure resilience and supply continuity. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (15) Capacity building programmes as well as uptake and sharing of research and innovation are essential aspects of cooperation in the field of civil protection. To strengthen the collective capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters, to support knowledge sharing within the civil protection community and application of research in all phases of disaster risk management, and to enhance the collaboration and knowledge exchange between civil protection and disaster risk management actors, civil society organisations and research community, it is necessary to maintain and further reinforce the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (the ‘Knowledge Network’) established by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/19569 . The Knowledge Network should build on the work of and collaborate with existing structures including civil protection practitioners, centres of excellence, universities, researchers and other experts, young professionals and experienced volunteers in emergency management as well as all actors intervening in disaster risk management. The Knowledge Network should also be strengthened in line with the Preparedness Union Strategy10 by incorporating dedicated actions in the areas of population preparedness and public-private cooperation. The Network should be able to facilitate knowledge exchange and cooperation with international organisations and, in accordance with Member States’ institutional and legal framework, cooperation with regional and local authorities, ensuring that their role, needs and capabilities are duly considered. | (15) Capacity building programmes as well as uptake and sharing of research and innovation are essential aspects of cooperation in the field of civil protection. To strengthen the collective capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters, to support knowledge sharing within the civil protection community and application of research in all phases of disaster risk management, and to enhance the collaboration and knowledge exchange between civil protection and disaster risk management actors, civil society organisations and research community, it is necessary to maintain and further reinforce the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (the ‘Knowledge Network’) established by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/19569. The Knowledge Network should build on the work of and collaborate with existing structures including civil protection practitioners, centres of excellence, universities, researchers and other experts, young professionals and experienced volunteers in emergency management as well as all actors intervening in disaster risk management. The Knowledge Network should also be strengthened in line with the Preparedness Union Strategy10 by incorporating dedicated actions in the areas of population and local community preparedness and public-private cooperation. The Network should be able to facilitate knowledge exchange and cooperation with international organisations and, in accordance with Member States’ institutional and legal framework, cooperation with regional and local authorities, including non-governmental organisations performing preparedness and response-support functions ensuring that their role, needs and capabilities are duly considered. |
| 9 Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 185, 26.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/836/oj). | 9 Regulation (EU) 2021/836 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 185, 26.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/836/oj). |
| 10 JOIN/2025/130 final | 10 JOIN/2025/130 final |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (15a) Volunteers and civil society responders play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. To enhance the preparedness for cross-sectoral, cross-border, and Union wide disasters, the Union, through its Mechanism and existing Union tools, should provide support to Member States in developing stronger use of the voluntary national defence resources of Member States as part of civil protection frameworks. Appropriate measures should therefore be taken to ensure their legal protection and status, safety, and availability to respond effectively without undue obstacles, as well as their effective deployment. This should include support for adequate insurance coverage, clear legal frameworks for cross-border activities, recognition of qualifications, and access to training and equipment. When necessary, exemptions on working time constraints of volunteer firefighters and military reservists should apply to ensure their availability to respond effectively when emergencies occur. Particular attention should also be paid to situations in which volunteers operate outside their Member State of residence, in order to avoid legal uncertainty and to ensure that they can carry out their tasks without undue risk, while maintaining a high level of protection for affected populations. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (17) Provisions should be put in place to ensure a framework for a continuous ongoing evolution of the Union’s Disaster Resilience Goals. Those goals shall be based on current and forward-looking scenarios, including the impacts of climate change on disaster risks, data on past events and cross-sectoral impact analysis, with particular attention given to vulnerable groups and communities living in coastal areas, islands or other regions particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as sea level rise and floods. | (17) Provisions should be put in place to ensure a framework for a continuous ongoing evolution of the Union’s Disaster Resilience Goals. Those goals shall be based on current and forward-looking scenarios, including the impacts of climate change on disaster risks, data on past events and cross-sectoral impact analysis, with particular attention given to vulnerable groups and communities living in coastal areas, islands or other regions particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as sea level rise and floods, including outermost regions which often face additional structural constraints and exposure to natural hazards. The Union should also ensure stronger involvement of local and regional authorities and civil society, while providing adequate financial and technical support to strengthen preparedness, prevention and resilience in the most affected regions. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (17a) A whole-of-society approach should be promoted, ensuring the structured involvement of private actors, non-governmental organisations, volunteer-based responders, local community leaders, and humanitarian organisations in preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Local communities and civil society organisations, including non-governmental and volunteer-based organisations and auxiliary organisations operating under the principles of international humanitarian law, constitute a critical first layer of disaster response, playing an essential public-interest role in prevention, preparedness and response-support, including through volunteer mobilisation, risk communication, training, first aid, shelter support, logistics, psychosocial assistance and support to persons in vulnerable situations. They should therefore be treated as core partners — not as peripheral actors — within the Union Mechanism. The Mechanism should therefore systematically support the development of local community resilience networks, including through population preparedness programmes, training in first aid and self-protection, and the structured involvement of civil society organisations in national and Union-level prevention, preparedness and response planning. To strengthen the resilience of local communities, the Union, through the Mechanism, should also provide financial support for the integration of local non-governmental organisations and civil society into the wider resilience effort. Recognizing that local actors are often the first on the scene, the Mechanism should facilitate their cooperation with formal emergency responders through joint training, equipment procurement, and participation in Union-wide disaster exercises. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (18) In response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural and human-induced disasters, enhancing intergenerational societal resilience is essential and a collective responsibility. It requires harnessing the collective resources of youth and civil society organisations, media, education, training and cultural institutions, scientific institutions and academia, public authorities, social partners, the private sector, local networks and communities, and citizens in anticipating, preventing, managing, and recovering from disasters and crises. Effective population preparedness for all, including women and groups in vulnerable situations, children, older persons, refugees, people with a minority racial or ethnic background, such as Roma, and persons with disabilities as well as tourists and those who are temporarily present in the territory of a Member State and may be exposed to cross-border risks, strengthens societal resilience by ensuring that all people, irrespective of their ability, possess the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to protect themselves and support others against potential risks and threats. | (18) In response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural and human-induced disasters, enhancing intergenerational societal resilience is essential and a collective responsibility. It requires harnessing the collective resources of youth and civil society organisations, media, education, training and cultural institutions, scientific institutions and academia, public authorities, social partners, the private sector, local networks and communities, and citizens in anticipating, preventing, managing, and recovering from disasters and crises. Effective population preparedness for all, including women and groups in vulnerable situations, children, older persons, refugees, people with a minority racial or ethnic background, such as Roma, vulnerable and isolated populations, communities in remote or rural areas, and persons with disabilities as well as tourists and those who are temporarily present in the territory of a Member State and may be exposed to cross-border risks, strengthens societal resilience by ensuring that all people, irrespective of their ability, possess the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to protect themselves and support others against potential risks and threats, including the capacity of households, communities and local support networks to maintain essential needs and basic self-protection during at least the initial 72 hours following a disaster or crisis. This includes, where relevant, the availability and accessibility of adequate shelter capacities and emergency accommodation arrangements necessary to protect affected populations, in particular persons in vulnerable situations. Preparedness measures should include targeted training programmes, including first aid, psychological first aid, risk awareness, and crisis communication, with particular attention to local stakeholders such as teachers, social workers, health personnel, and community leaders, who play a key role in reaching vulnerable or marginalised groups and in countering disinformation during crisis situations. Early-warning and communication systems should ensure that these actors are integrated into alert and response chains from the outset. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (20a) Particular attention should be paid to border regions, islands, outermost regions and rural or remote areas, which may face specific vulnerabilities in cross-border crises, including limitations in transport connectivity, emergency medical access, energy resilience, communications interoperability and surge capacity. Prevention, preparedness and response measures under the Union Mechanism should take those territorial specificities into account, in particular with a view to improving cross-border coordination, operational readiness and timely assistance to affected populations. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23) Amid rapidly increasing risks and uncertainty, the Union is dedicated to bolstering resilience across various areas to effectively anticipate, endure and recover from diverse challenges and crises. In that context, the political commitment to work towards the European Civil Defence Mechanism entails a firm political engagement to make available adequate and flexible arrangements to effectively and efficiently address cross-sectoral, complex and long-lasting crises. These specific arrangements should be applied to cross-sectoral crises and also but not exclusively to situations with regard to an integrated political crisis response or a Solidarity Clause activation has been made, or which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern, as well as to emergencies falling under the scope of other Union instruments that deal with sectoral emergencies, such as in internal market, consular, security, health and climate related emergencies, where the capabilities of the Union Mechanism can provide support in managing consequences of those crises. | (23) Amid rapidly increasing risks and uncertainty, the Union is dedicated to bolstering resilience across various areas to effectively anticipate, endure and recover from diverse challenges and crises. In that context, the political commitment to work towards the European Civil Defence Mechanism entails a firm political engagement to make available adequate and flexible arrangements to effectively and efficiently address cross-sectoral, complex and long-lasting crises. These specific arrangements should be applied to cross-sectoral crises and also but not exclusively to situations with regard to an integrated political crisis response or a Solidarity Clause activation has been made, or which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency of international concern, or in which the mutual assistance obligation under Article 42 (7) of the Treaty on European Union has been invoked with respect to a Member State subject to armed aggression in its territory, as well as to emergencies falling under the scope of other Union instruments that deal with sectoral emergencies, such as in internal market, consular, security, health and climate related emergencies, where the capabilities of the Union Mechanism can provide support in managing consequences of those crises. The civil protection of populations, the continuity of essential civilian services and the civil support to military forces in situations of armed aggression are core functions of the Union Civil Defence Mechanism that must be maintained even under the most demanding operational conditions. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24) The Union should be prepared for large-scale, cross-sectoral incidents and crises, including the potential for armed aggression affecting one or more Member States. Typically, national civil authorities bear primary responsibility in most crisis situations. However, in an increasing number of cases, such as health emergencies, extreme weather events, and hybrid or cyber-attacks, civilian authorities require military support. In the event of armed aggression, military forces would need civilian assistance to ensure the continuous functioning of the state and society. Therefore, there is a need to improve interaction between civilian and military actors, without undermining their respective competences and in full cooperation with Member States. As follow-up to the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Commission and the High Representative should develop arrangements for civil-military preparedness. Those arrangements should clarify the roles, responsibilities, and priorities of Union institutions, bodies, agencies, and Member States in preparing for and responding to incidents and crises. | (24) The Union should be prepared for large-scale, cross-sectoral incidents and crises, including the potential for armed aggression affecting one or more Member States, without prejudice to the competences of the Member States in defence matters, including their commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, for those States which are members of it. Typically, national civil authorities bear primary responsibility in most crisis situations. However, in an increasing number of cases, such as health emergencies, extreme weather events, and hybrid or cyber-attacks, civilian authorities require military support. In the event of armed aggression and hybrid warfare, military forces would need civilian assistance, including to ensure the continuous functioning of the state and society. Therefore, there is a need to improve structured interaction between civilian and military actors, without undermining their respective competences and in full cooperation with Member States, including through strengthened interoperability with NATO structures and procedures where relevant. As follow-up to the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Commission and the High Representative together with the Member States should develop comprehensive operational arrangements for civil-military preparedness, to be adopted and reviewed every three years, in full coherence with the Union's Strategic Compass and, for those Member States which are members thereof, with the commitments and planning standards established under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Those arrangements should clarify the roles, responsibilities, and priorities of Union institutions, bodies, agencies, and Member States in preparing for and responding to incidents and crises, avoiding duplication of effort and ensuring complementarity with existing collective defence frameworks. Such arrangements should promote joint exercises, interoperable planning, the use of dual-use transport and logistical capacities, and the integration of military support, including reserve forces, in order to strengthen resilience, ensure continuity of essential services, and improve preparedness for complex emergencies, including those linked to hybrid threats or armed conflict. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24a) Recent crises have demonstrated the growing risk posed by hybrid threats, including cyber-attacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns, the use of unmanned aerial systems, and incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials. The Union Mechanism should contribute to strengthening preparedness and resilience against such threats by supporting risk assessments, joint exercises, protection of critical infrastructure, and contingency planning at Union and national level. Particular attention should be paid to the protection of energy systems, transport networks, space, and communication systems, as well as to the ability to respond to simultaneous or cascading crises affecting several Member States. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24b) The implementation of the Union Mechanism must be utilized to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure and essential services, particularly energy networks, roads, railways, transport hubs, water supply, electronic communication networks and digital infrastructure as priority targets of hybrid warfare, and the necessary synergy between military, law enforcement, first responders, border control and civil society for effective implementation of emergency planning doctrine. Consequently, it is appropriate to establish a platform for sharing best practices among authorities managing strategic infrastructure. (This should include preparedness for the unauthorised or malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems, cyber incidents and major disruptions requiring fallback connectivity, secure communications and emergency power supply. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24c) The implementation of the Union Mechanism must ensure that the resilience of critical infrastructure takes into account hybrid warfare and the evolving threat landscape against Member States. Attention should be focused on the illegal use of drones, and a regulatory framework authorising all state security bodies, including police, border guards and other interior forces, to procure and operate Counter-Unmanned Aerial systems (C-UAS), should be established. Such authorisation should be subject to stringent oversight and accountability provisions comparable to those applied to lethal weapons, ensuring the effective protection of civilian infrastructure while upholding EU safety and security standards. Rules should be established to enable the Union Mechanism to effectively support critical infrastructure protection and border defence with Defensive Drone Zones (DDZ), equipped with radar, optical tracking, and interception capabilities. Border defence must incorporate drone detection and rapid response units, capable of neutralizing threats before they cross into populated areas. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25) The use of military means under civilian lead as a last resort may constitute an important contribution to disaster response. Where the use of military capacities in support of civil protection operations is considered to be appropriate, cooperation with the military should follow the modalities, procedures and criteria established by the Council or its competent bodies for making available to the Union Mechanism military capacities relevant to civil protection and should be in line with the relevant international guidelines. | (25) The use of military means under civilian lead by the Member States as a last resort may constitute an important contribution to disaster response. Where the use of military capacities in support of civil protection operations is considered to be appropriate, cooperation with the military should follow the modalities, procedures and criteria established by the Council or its competent bodies for making available to the Union Mechanism military capacities relevant to civil protection and should be in line with the relevant international guidelines, including NATO guidelines and procedures for civil-military support (including the NATO Civil Emergency Planning), the Guidelines on the Use of Foreign Military and Civil Defence Assets in Disaster Relief (“Oslo Guidelines”) and the Guidelines on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets to Support United Nations Humanitarian Activities in Complex Emergencies, the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, and other EU tools such as the Updated European Union Guidelines on Promoting Compliance with International Humanitarian Law (2009), and the 2021 Commission Communication on the EU’s Humanitarian Action: New Challenges, Same Principles. It should also be coordinated with NATO through established liaison mechanisms where NATO Allies are involved, without prejudice to their political and military commitments. NATO and its existing NATO-EU cooperation channels (staff-to-staff, joint exercises) have priority in scenarios with a potential hybrid or defence dimension. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25a) An important area for cooperation between civilian and military authorities is access and availability of medical countermeasures, in particular to enhance preparedness and response for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and armed conflicts. It is essential to ensure that both civilian and military authorities have the capacity to timely detect and respond to such threats, including novel biological and chemical agents and agents for which, currently, there are no available and effective treatment options. Armed aggression and hybrid warfare would also call for increased use of certain medical countermeasures, potentially leading to shortages and supply chain disruptions. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25b) In situations of large-scale disasters, hybrid threats, or armed aggression, the availability of trained personnel capable of supporting both civilian and military authorities is essential for ensuring continuity of essential services and effective crisis response. Member States should therefore be encouraged to maintain, strengthen, or develop military reserve capacities, in accordance with national law, as an important component of civil-military cooperation in crisis management. Such capacities may contribute to logistical support, protection of critical infrastructure, medical assistance, evacuation, and other emergency tasks, thereby reinforcing national resilience and facilitating cooperation under the Union Mechanism. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25c) The changed geopolitical environment, including the increased risk of armed aggression and large-scale instability in the Union’s neighbourhood, requires that civil protection preparedness also address emergency situations linked to armed conflict. The Union Mechanism should therefore take into account lessons learned from Ukraine, including the need to prepare for mass displacement, large-scale destruction of infrastructure, prolonged energy shortages, cyber-attacks, and cross-border humanitarian emergencies. Preparedness measures should include contingency planning for spill-over effects in neighbouring regions, the development of logistical hubs, particularly in regions exposed to heightened security risks, and closer coordination between civil protection, humanitarian, and security-related instruments of the Union. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (25d) The increasing use of unmanned aerial systems, missiles, and other airborne threats in recent conflicts has demonstrated the need to strengthen civilian preparedness for incidents involving airspace incursions, drone attacks, or other forms of aerial strike affecting the territory of the Union or its neighbourhood. The Union Mechanism should support Member States in enhancing preparedness measures for such scenarios, including by supporting them to revise national doctrines and operational concepts for emergency management of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) attacks to include risk analysis and threat mapping, the pre-identification of shelters and secure buildings and the development of effective sheltering standards and protection of strategic infrastructure, the planning of evacuation routes, the development of effective early-warning and public alert systems, technological integration, including Command, Control, Communications, Computers and intelligence (C4I) systems and AI-driven threat analysis, the promotion of resilience and survivability of crisis management infrastructure, including through the development of mobile or rapidly deployable command and coordination facilities, redundant communication systems, and protected operational centres capable of maintaining continuity of operations in degraded or hostile environments, and the establishment of clear communication procedures for the civilian population. Preparedness efforts should also include training and awareness programmes for citizens, volunteers, local authorities, teachers, and community organisations, in order to ensure that the population is able to react appropriately in situations involving aerial threats or sudden security-related emergencies. Particular attention should be given to the protection of critical infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and densely populated areas, as well as to ensuring that preparedness measures are accessible to vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (26a) The blurring of the boundary between natural disasters, technological accidents, and deliberate hybrid attacks represents a growing operational challenge for the Union Mechanism. The Union Mechanism should therefore develop specific procedures for identifying and assessing hybrid-related scenarios that may affect civil protection preparedness and response, in coordination with the Commission's Integrated Security Operations Centre (ISOC), the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN), and relevant Member State authorities, in full respect of their respective mandates. The Commission should submit to the European Parliament and the Council an annual overview of lessons learned, emerging risk patterns and implications for civil protection preparedness. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (26b) Recognizing the clusters of ageing reactors, spent-fuel stores and decommissioned sites with relatively compact geography across Member States, strong efforts must be made to address the technical, operational and regulatory vulnerabilities in sensitive critical infrastructures that achieve the closing of capability gaps, harden facilities, adjust doctrine, enhance detection and interception and prepare effective response frameworks. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (27) The multifaceted nature of cross-sectoral crises demands a comprehensive and integrated approach to their management, necessitating close and efficient cooperation to effectively navigate the challenges they present. National civil protection authorities should remain the primary competent authorities supporting the Union Mechanism. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure coordination, monitoring and support of cross-sectoral operation at the Union level, in support of national efforts. For this reason, a Crisis Coordination Hub (the ‘Hub’) should be established. The Hub shall operate in synergy with the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and complement its function, making use of the existing structures and expertise of the ERCC. The ERCC will continue its mandate supporting the Union Mechanism, and to provide a central point for operational coordination with Member States authorities, including entities authorised by the Member States, Union institutions and bodies, as well as Commission services. To maximise these efforts, rules should be put in place allowing the scaling up of Union support to Member State action, to accurately reflect the demands and the urgency of the needs. In order to link external action with internal crisis response more effectively and avoid duplication of efforts, the Hub should cooperate with the European External Action Service (EEAS), and in particular its Crisis Response Centre, in respect to the role and competences of the High Representative. | (27) The multifaceted nature of cross-sectoral crises demands a comprehensive and integrated approach to their management, necessitating close and efficient cooperation to effectively navigate the challenges they present. National civil protection authorities should remain the primary competent authorities supporting the Union Mechanism. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure coordination, monitoring and support of cross-sectoral operations at Union level, in support of national efforts. For this reason, a Crisis Coordination Hub (the ‘Hub’) should be established. The Hub shall operate in synergy with the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and complement its function, making use of the existing structures and expertise of the ERCC. The Hub should support situational awareness, preparedness planning, coordination and operational support in cross-sectoral crises, without taking over sector-specific competences, replacing national crisis management structures or altering the responsibilities of the ERCC under this Regulation. The Hub should provide such support in a manner proportionate to the nature of the crisis and, where appropriate, in connection with the activation of relevant Union crisis-response arrangements or at the request of the Council. The ERCC will continue its mandate to support the Union Mechanism, and to provide a central point for operational coordination with Member States authorities, including entities authorised by the Member States, Union institutions and bodies, as well as Commission services. To maximise these efforts, rules should be put in place allowing the scaling up of Union support to Member State action in a proportionate manner and with clear European added value. In order to link external action with internal crisis response more effectively and avoid duplication of efforts, the Hub should cooperate, where relevant, with the European External Action Service (EEAS), and in particular its Crisis Response Centre, in full respect of the role and competences of the High Representative. In line with the subsidiarity principle, the Hub shall act in support of and in close coordination with the relevant authorities of the Member States, who remain responsible for crisis management and response on their territory. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (27a) In strengthening preparedness and response capacities, the Union Mechanism should prioritise practical interoperability where relevant (S&D), rapid deployability and the efficient use of existing structures and tools, in particular the ERCC, while avoiding unnecessary administrative burdens, duplication of reporting obligations and the creation of parallel crisis management structures. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (28) In order to ensure coherence with relevant existing structures, the Crisis Coordination Hub will also coordinate closely with the Commission’s internal security architecture, including the future establishment of the Integrated Security Operations Centre (ISOC), as announced in the Commission Communication ProtectEU: a European Internal Security Strategy11 . The activities of the Hub will, where relevant, align with the Commission’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), communication tools, and security procedures, thereby ensuring maximum interoperability, facilitating the sharing of information, and supporting security aspects in the protection of Commission assets. | (28) In order to ensure coherence with relevant existing structures, the Crisis Coordination Hub should also cooperate, where relevant, with the Commission’s internal security coordination structures, including the Integrated Security Operations Centre (ISOC), once operational. Such cooperation should be limited to what is necessary for the effective support of cross-sectoral crisis preparedness and response under this Regulation and should avoid duplication of existing structures and procedures. The activities of the Hub will, where relevant, align with the Commission’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), communication tools, and security procedures, only insofar as necessary for the effective support of cross-sectoral crisis preparedness and response under this Regulation. Such cooperation should not transform the Hub into a permanent parallel crisis-management structure and should remain strictly supportive of the Union Mechanism’s civil protection objectives. |
| 11 COM(2025)148 final. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (28a) The increasing complexity, speed, and scale of modern crises, including those linked to hybrid threats, cyber-attacks, and armed conflict, require the use of advanced digital tools to support decision-making and operational coordination. The Union Mechanism should therefore promote the responsible integration of artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies into emergency preparedness, risk assessment, early-warning, and response systems, while ensuring full respect for Union law, including rules on data protection, cybersecurity, and human oversight. Such technologies should support faster situational awareness, improve the coordination of multi-domain operations, and enhance the ability of authorities to anticipate and respond to rapidly evolving emergency situations, including disruptions of critical infrastructure and large-scale cross-border crises. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (28b) Effective response to cross-border disasters and complex emergencies requires interoperable communication and information systems. The Union Mechanism should support the development of a secure and interoperable European digital platform enabling the exchange of operational data between civil protection authorities, emergency services, health systems, military support structures where appropriate, and other competent actors at national and Union level. Such systems should facilitate real-time information sharing, ensure compatibility between national, regional and local databases, and support coordinated response in cross-border situations, while respecting Member States’ competences and ensuring a high level of cybersecurity and resilience against hybrid and cyber threats. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (28c) Recognizing the growing risk to Member States that increasingly pervasive and damaging hybrid attacks have on society, ensuring first responders cope with technological change is critical. As civil preparedness needs evolve due to new and emerging technologies, the need to establish effective sheltering standards and public warning systems must be aided by the Union Mechanism to effectively support cross-sectoral crisis management in complementarity with measures and procedures existing under other Union instruments. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (36a) Member States should be encouraged to identify and pre-register dual-use military capacities — including transport, logistics, CBRN detection and decontamination, medical evacuation, and engineering assets — in the European Civil Protection Pool, subject to appropriate security safeguards. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (37) rescEU has consistently proven its added value in Union coordinated response operations. To ensure coherence with the Strategy and subject to availability of financial resources, the Commission should further strengthen rescEU by financing the maintenance of existing capacities and, where appropriate, scaling them up and creating additional ones. Development of rescEU capacities should include all forms of acquisition such as procurement, contracting, renting or leasing, including for medical countermeasures. In this context, and in line with Union law and international commitments, the use of solutions developed or produced in the Union should be promoted in order to reinforce the Union’s strategic autonomy and the resilience of critical supply chains. Under exceptional circumstances, such as when the required medical countermeasures are not defined under rescEU, for example for active pharmaceutical ingredients or investigational products, stocks could be developed outside the Union Mechanism. Experience gained during deployments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union’s response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the recurrent wildfire seasons shows that the rules governing the management and rapid deployment of rescEU capacities need to be further streamlined to ensure rapid response. | (37) rescEU was established to provide assistance in particularly urgent situations where the existing resources at national level and those pre-committed by Member States to the European Civil Protection Pool are unable to ensure an effective response. rescEU has consistently proven its added value in Union coordinated response operations. To ensure coherence with the Strategy and subject to availability of financial resources, the Commission should further strengthen rescEU by financing the maintenance of existing capacities and, where appropriate, scaling them up and creating additional ones. Development of rescEU capacities should include all forms of acquisition such as procurement, contracting, renting or leasing, including for medical countermeasures. In this context, and in line with Union law and international commitments, the use of solutions developed or produced in the Union should be promoted in order to reinforce the Union’s strategic autonomy and the resilience of critical supply chains. Under exceptional circumstances, such as when the required medical countermeasures are not defined under rescEU, for example for active pharmaceutical ingredients or investigational products, stocks could be developed outside the Union Mechanism. Experience gained during deployments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union’s response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the recurrent wildfire seasons shows that the rules governing the management and rapid deployment of rescEU capacities need to be further streamlined to ensure rapid response. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (39) Private sector cooperation should be further strengthened by channelling donations of disaster relief items to existing capacities under rescEU, hosted by Member States. Donations should be channelled through the Member States hosting rescEU capacities, subject to quality assurance before possible dispatching. Rules should be established enabling the setting up of logistical hubs for the purpose of pooling assistance or warehouses stockpiling rescEU capacities that may be received from the private sector. | (39) Private sector cooperation should be further strengthened by channelling donations of disaster relief items to existing capacities under rescEU, hosted by Member States. Donations should be channelled through the Member States hosting rescEU capacities, subject to quality assurance before possible dispatching. Rules should be established enabling the setting up of logistical hubs for the purpose of pooling assistance or warehouses stockpiling rescEU capacities that may be received from the private sector, while ensuring simplified procedures and reduced administrative burden in order to facilitate timely preparedness, readiness and mobilisation of such assistance. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (39a) Private sector cooperation should be further strengthened by developing resilience and civil preparedness capabilities that support local public-private partnerships. The lowering of entry barriers for non-traditional defence suppliers, SMEs and dual-use companies, by removing non-critical security requirements would enable them to participate in civil preparedness. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (40) By facilitating the continued development and enhanced integration of cross-border detection, early warning, and alert systems of significance to the Union, the Union should assist Member States in reducing the lead time required to respond to disasters and in issuing timely alerts to Union citizens. Those systems should leverage both existing and emerging information sources and infrastructures, while actively promoting the adoption of innovative technologies. Recognising that Member States hold primary responsibility for alerting their populations to ensure the effective dissemination of warnings and preparedness in the event of disasters, it is essential to reinforce their capabilities. | (40) By facilitating the continued development and enhanced integration of cross-border detection, early warning, alert systems and clear communication protocols of significance to the Union, including against conventional armed attacks or hybrid attacks, the Union should assist Member States in reducing the lead time required to respond to disasters and in issuing timely alerts to Union citizens, while contributing to maintaining public trust, reducing panic, and ensuring compliance during emergencies. Those systems should leverage both existing and emerging information sources and infrastructures and, where appropriate, ensure coordination with relevant civil protection and defence capabilities and infrastructures that can support situational awareness and crisis response, while actively promoting the adoption of innovative technologies. Recognising that Member States hold primary responsibility for alerting their populations to ensure the effective dissemination of warnings and preparedness in the event of disasters, it is essential to reinforce their capabilities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (41a) To enhance the preparedness for cross-sectoral, cross-border, and Union-wide disasters, the Union, through its Mechanism and existing Union tools, should provide support to Member States in upgrading sheltering standards across the Union to account for aerial threats, blast protection and electronic shielding with a dedicated public warning system that can identify and respond to hybrid threats. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (43) In recent years, the Union Mechanism has been activated repeatedly to conduct medical evacuations from disaster-affected third countries whose health-care systems were overwhelmed, notably in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and, following the nightclub fire in North Macedonia, ensuring the safe transfer and treatment of patients in Member States and other countries associated to the Union Mechanism that volunteered to provide such support. Therefore, in large-scale operations, the Union should support series of actions allowing to coordinate the transfer of patients from the requesting country to the treating Member State; Such actions can include deployment of an assessment team, and short term transit in a local medical facility or specifically established medical evacuation related hub; therefore, common rules should specify which activities are considered part of a medical evacuation operation and the conditions and procedures for setting up and operating hubs dedicated to facilitating medical evacuation. | (43) In recent years, the Union Mechanism has been activated repeatedly to conduct medical evacuations from disaster-affected third countries whose health-care systems were overwhelmed, notably in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and, following the nightclub fire in North Macedonia, ensuring the safe transfer and treatment of patients in Member States and other countries associated to the Union Mechanism that volunteered to provide such support. Therefore, in large-scale operations, the Union should support series of actions allowing to coordinate the transfer of patients from the requesting country to the treating Member State; Such actions can include deployment of an assessment team, and short term transit in a local medical facility or specifically established medical evacuation related hub and liaison with relevant actors on the ground, including NATO or other military units where appropriate; therefore, common rules should specify which activities are considered part of a medical evacuation operation and the conditions and procedures for setting up and operating hubs dedicated to facilitating medical evacuation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (44) Recognising the importance of fostering international cooperation in the field of civil protection, and without prejudice to rules governing the association of third countries to the Union Mechanism, it is essential for the Commission to engage in coordinated efforts with third countries having similar objectives in disaster risk management and civil protection. That should allow the Commission to align policy priorities and coordinate operations with national authorities of third countries designated as strategic partner countries. | (44) Recognising the importance of fostering international cooperation in the field of civil protection, and without prejudice to rules governing the association of third countries to the Union Mechanism, it is essential for the Commission to engage in coordinated efforts with third countries having similar objectives in disaster risk management and civil protection. Particular attention should be given in this regard to cooperation with like-minded third countries that have recently experienced armed attacks of a type that could also pose a threat to the Union and its Member States, with a view to learning from and integrating their best practices in areas such as early warning, sheltering and the management of the consequences of such attacks. That should allow the Commission to strengthen EU-NATO cooperation, align policy priorities and coordinate operations with national authorities of third countries designated as strategic partner countries. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. This Regulation shall aim to ensure the protection of people, environment and property, cultural heritage, against all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters, including serious cross-border threats to health. | 1. This Regulation shall aim to ensure the protection of people, civilian and critical infrastructure, environment and property, cultural heritage, against all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters, including serious cross-border threats to health. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. This Regulation shall enable cross-sectoral coordination in situations where other Union crisis response or risk management mechanisms are applied. The provisions of the Regulation shall be without prejudice to the High Representative’s competences in the external dimension of crises, including missions and operations conducted under the Common Security and Defence Policy. | 2. This Regulation shall enable cross-sectoral coordination in situations where other Union crisis response or risk management mechanisms are applied. The provisions of the Regulation shall be without prejudice to the High Representative’s and Member States’ competences in the external dimension of crises, including missions and operations conducted under the Common Security and Defence Policy. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 7. Where applying the prevention, preparedness and response measures under this Regulation, the special needs of isolated, outermost and other regions or islands of the Union in terms of prevention, preparedness and response. | 7. Where applying the prevention, preparedness and response measures under this Regulation, particular account shall be taken of Member States whose geographical position leaves them directly exposed to imminent threats and challenges, including cross-border spill-over effects, as well as of border regions, isolated, outermost, rural, remote and other regions or islands of the Union in terms of prevention, preparedness and response. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5) ‘preparedness’ means a state of readiness and capability of human and material means, structures, systems, communities and organisations enabling them to ensure an effective rapid response, obtained as a result of action taken in advance; | (5) ‘preparedness’ means a state of readiness and capability of human and material means, structures, systems, communities and organisations enabling them to ensure appropriate sheltering and an effective rapid response, obtained as a result of action taken in advance; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (14) ‘dual-use’ means assets and capacities to be deployed in civil and military context; | (14) ‘dual-use’ means assets, equipment and capacities designed, developed or designated for deployment in both civil and military contexts; such assets shall include, but not be limited to, transport and logistics platforms, CBRN detection and decontamination equipment, medical evacuation systems, communication and surveillance infrastructure, and unmanned aerial systems used for situational awareness; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The general objective of this Regulation shall be to strengthen cooperation between the Union and the Member States to prevent, prepare for and respond to all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters with a view to consequence management, and serious cross-border threats to health, that may occur inside or outside the Union, as well as situations where they impact several sectors simultaneously. | 1. The general objective of this Regulation shall be to strengthen cooperation between the Union and the Member States to prevent, prepare for and respond to all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters with a view to consequence management, and serious cross-border threats to health or safety, that may occur inside or outside the Union, as well as situations where they impact several sectors simultaneously. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) strengthen the understanding and anticipation of disaster risks and threats, including those linked to climate change and public health, and work proactively to prevent or mitigate their potential impacts; foster prevention and preparedness; and enhance collaboration between civil protection, health and other relevant authorities; | (a) strengthen the understanding and anticipation of disaster risks and threats, including those linked to climate change and public health, or caused by a conventional or hybrid attack, and work proactively to prevent or mitigate their potential impacts; foster prevention and preparedness; and enhance collaboration between civil protection, health and other relevant authorities; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (c) enhance preparedness at Member State and Union level, including all levels of society, to respond to disasters, in particular (i) with the support of the ERCC and the Hub, and their communication and information structures for coordination and situational awareness among authorities of the Member States and existing EU crisis management structures, (ii) by supporting the development and maintenance of effective early warning systems to detect and communicate imminent threats of disasters, allowing for timely action to be taken to prevent or mitigate impacts, (iii) by developing and maintaining response capacities, strengthening their interoperability and considering their potential dual use in case of crisis, (iv) by promoting the integration of disaster risk prevention and preparedness considerations into policies and financial frameworks at national and Union level, with the aim of strengthening long-term resilience, (v) by facilitating preparedness and resilience among all actors and stakeholders, including all levels of government, civil and military authorities, civil society, the private sector, and the provision of vital societal functions with a view to strengthening overall population preparedness and societal resilience; | (c) enhance preparedness at Member State and Union level, including all levels of society, to respond to disasters, in particular (i) with the support of the ERCC and the Hub, and their communication and information structures for coordination and situational awareness among authorities of the Member States and existing EU crisis management structures, (ii) by supporting the development and maintenance of effective early warning systems to detect and communicate imminent threats of disasters, allowing for timely action to be taken to prevent or mitigate impacts, further aided by the institutionalization of civil training, sheltering policies and early-warning procedures supported by education, simulation exercises and public communication campaigns, including through the development of accessible, multilingual public alert protocols capable of reaching all population groups, including vulnerable and marginalised communities and persons with disabilities, (iii) by developing and maintaining response capacities, strengthening their interoperability and considering their potential dual use in case of crisis, (iv) by promoting the integration of disaster risk prevention and preparedness considerations into policies and financial frameworks at national and Union level, with the aim of strengthening long-term resilience, (v) by facilitating preparedness and resilience among all actors and stakeholders, including all levels of government, civil and military authorities, civil society, the private sector, and the provision of vital societal functions with a view to strengthening overall population preparedness and societal resilience; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ca) support the training of volunteers, including volunteer firefighters and military reservists, ensure their availability to respond effectively when emergencies occur, in particular through appropriate exemptions on their working time constraints, provide appropriate logistical, operational and social support, facilitate their integration into national and cross-border crisis response operations, and promote recognition of their commitment and expertise as a critical component of societal resilience; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (da) ensure technological integration that deploys interoperable C4I systems that connect national command centres, first responders and local authorities in real time, ensuring seamless situational awareness and coordination; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (e) to support Member States’ and Union preparedness and response to cross-sectoral crises, in particular by upscaling assistance to address their intensity and impact, as well as by supporting response to crises initiated under other Union crisis response or risk management instruments where required, including through the Hub, and by supporting the cooperation and coordination between relevant civil and military actors, in particular by supporting the establishment of comprehensive civil-military preparedness arrangements; | (e) to support Member States’ and Union preparedness and response to cross-sectoral crises, in particular by supporting capacity building for shelters, upscaling assistance to address their intensity and impact, as well as by supporting response to crises initiated under other Union crisis response or risk management instruments where required, including through the Hub, and by supporting the cooperation and coordination between relevant civil and military actors, in particular by: (i) supporting the establishment of comprehensive and operational civil-military preparedness arrangements, including through regular joint exercises at Union level; (ii) facilitating the integration of dual-use military capabilities into national preparedness plans and the European Civil Protection Pool; (iii) developing standardised operating procedures for civil-military transition in crisis operations; (iv) promoting awareness and practical interoperability between civil protection services and national armed forces at all relevant levels of command, where relevant; (v) ensuring the readiness of the Mechanism to protect civilian populations, maintain essential civilian services and provide civil support to military forces in situations where the mutual assistance obligation under Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union has been invoked. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ea) Provide clear and comprehensive guidelines to Member States to strengthen preparedness and ensure an effective, well-coordinated response to protect and inform the population before and during emergencies. This should encompass risk communication, early warning systems, evacuation planning, the continuity of essential services, as well as measures for sheltering, safe refuge areas, and public protection. It should also promote regular training, information sharing, and joint exercises to enhance readiness and coordination across all levels; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (eb) establish mechanisms for advance preparedness, timely alerts and providing early clear instructions to the population before and during crises while also working together with local authorities to ensure standards and procedures are realized for sheltering and protective spaces; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ec) support, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, Member States in ensuring that sheltering standards explicitly provide for priority access pathways and specialized care for persons with disabilities. Financing should be available for the retrofitting of existing emergency shelters and the design of new facilities to remove physical and communication barriers, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have immediate and unimpeded access to safety during a crisis; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ed) support the development and deployment of new technologies for secured and resilient communication links between first responders and local populations, including the establishment of multi-modal civil alert applications capable of operating in degraded communication environments; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ee) support the financing of the implementation of secured digital interfaces to address modern hybrid threats and ensure continuity of information. These tools should facilitate real-time, bi-directional information sharing between authorities and citizens, utilizing encrypted channels to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure the integrity of emergency instructions during cross-border or Union-wide disasters; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| The Commission shall work jointly with the High Representative to: | After consulting with national authorities and in full compliance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality and the national competences and without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States, the Commission shall jointly work with the High Representative to: |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) contribute to the development of measures to enhance civil-military preparedness and coordination of response within the Union, in consultation with the Member States; | (a) contribute to the development of comprehensive operational measures to enhance civil-military preparedness and coordination of response to natural and man-made disasters and crises within the Union, in consultation and in cooperation with the Member States, by strengthening cooperation between civil and military authorities in support of civil protection objectives, including through the development of a Union-level civil-military preparedness framework; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) develop arrangements to clarify roles and responsibilities and lay down priorities for preparing and responding to disasters and crises within the Union as well as Union-wide scenarios to form the basis of Union-level training and exercises, best practices, including standard operating procedures, and mechanisms for effective cooperation and communication in crisis scenarios. | (b) develop, in cooperation with Member States, and maintain arrangements to clarify roles and responsibilities and establish priorities for preparing and responding to disasters and crises within the Union, to ensure mutual interoperability of civilian and military capacities, where relevant. These arrangements shall include Union-wide scenarios and shall form the basis of Union-level joint training and exercises, the development and dissemination of guidelines and best practices, including mechanisms for effective cooperation and communication in crisis scenarios, including through shared infrastructures and information exchange, and integrating International Humanitarian Law considerations into planning, operational guidelines, and training curricula; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ba) develop, in cooperation with the Member States, guidance on categories of dual-use capacities eligible for support under this Regulation, taking into account operational relevance and security considerations, and maintain a mapping of dual-use military capacities available across Member States for civil protection purposes, updated at least every two years; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bb) ensure that the Crisis Coordination Hub established under Article 26 can, where relevant for preparedness or response to cross-sectoral crises, maintain structured liaison arrangements with relevant national authorities, including civil protection and, where appropriate, military crisis coordination structures, as well as with NATO's Civil Emergency Planning structures; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bc) ensure that civil-military cooperation under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism fully preserves civilian leadership and coordination of response operations; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bd) establish an annual Union Civil-Military Preparedness Exercise (EU CIVMIL-EX) engaging national civil protection authorities, relevant military commands, and Union institutions, with lessons-learned reports transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (be) further support joint training exercises in conditions replicating operational environments, including by: (i) reforming outdated regulatory barriers; (ii) supporting the establishment of rapid access to testing infrastructure; (iii) outsourcing testing to enable trials in conditions replicating operational environments; (iv) establishing innovation units and training across national security services where commercial technologies are tested in real operational settings and by end users; (v) expanding certified testing grounds for training on and integration of drone capabilities, where industry and armed forces can rapidly co-develop, test and iterate emerging technologies in operational conditions to ensure technological readiness and doctrinal relevance; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bf) enhance cooperation with external partners, including NATO, within the framework of existing procedures and agreements, in a coherent and complementary manner that supports humanitarian and civil protection objectives and avoids unnecessary duplication; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bg) ensure, in coordination with Member States, the coherence of civil-military preparedness arrangements developed under this Regulation with those established within the framework of NATO, for Member States that are members thereof, with a view to avoiding duplication of effort, maximising interoperability and ensuring that Union-level civil support arrangements do not create gaps in collective defence planning; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bh) organize and prepare first responders, hospitals and emergency medical services for handling mass casualty incidents, search and rescue operation units, CBRN teams and the provision of humanitarian aid for the population; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (bi) develop strategies and technological solutions to prevent infiltration of Member State borders by hostile actors, supported by intelligence and rapid response capabilities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 5a. To enable non-traditional defence suppliers, SMEs and dual-use companies to participate in relevant grants and actions, entry barriers for non-traditional defence suppliers shall be lowered by removing non-critical security requirements for their participation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| The Regulation shall be implemented by work programmes referred to in Article 110 Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. | The Regulation shall be implemented by work programmes referred to in Article 110 Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. The Commission shall regularly inform the committee referred to in Article 35(1) on the implementation thereof, and shall ensure active involvement of Member States in the preparation of annual work programmes, including for activities to be carried out by bodies acting under the health emergency preparedness and response mandate. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) further develop disaster risk assessments at national or appropriate sub-national level and ensure coordination and consistency with other relevant risk assessment processes as well as public availability of their non-sensitive results to support population risk awareness and preparedness; | (a) further develop disaster risk assessments at national or appropriate sub-national level that explicitly cover hybrid threat scenarios likely to generate civil protection consequences, and ensure coordination and consistency with other relevant risk assessment processes - including national security risk assessments, NIS2 risk assessments for operators of essential services, and CER resilience plans - as well as public availability of their non-sensitive results to support population risk awareness and preparedness; Member States shall share the classified or sensitive elements of their hybrid threat-related risk assessments with the Commission through appropriate classified channels; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (da) ensure that national disaster risk assessments and risk management plans referred to in points (a) and (c) explicitly include scenarios of armed aggression and hybrid threats with cross-sectoral civilian impact, drawing where appropriate on threat assessments produced within the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for those Member States that are members thereof, and on assessments produced by relevant Union bodies and agencies, including the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre. Such scenarios shall address, as a minimum, the continuity of essential civilian services under conditions of active armed conflict, mass casualty management, the evacuation of civilian populations from conflict-affected areas, and the civil support requirements of national military forces; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (db) report on damages and losses caused by disasters and emergencies at national or appropriate sub-national level, including economic losses, damage to critical infrastructure, housing and cultural heritage, human casualties and displaced persons, to the Commission in a standardised format and at regular intervals as specified in the guidelines referred to in Article 16(2), with a view to enabling Union-level monitoring of the effectiveness of national disaster risk management efforts and evidence-based allocation of Union support. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| To foster the development of a shared understanding of disaster risks and threats at Union level, identify common needs in disaster risk management capability building, support the implementation of the Union disaster resilience goals, and facilitate the exchange of good practices, the Member States, without prejudice to national rules and procedures, shall make available to the Commission a summary in accordance with the guidelines referred to in Article 16(2), by 31 December 2028 and at least once every 5 years thereafter: | To foster the development of a shared understanding of disaster risks and threats at Union level, identify common needs in disaster risk management capability building, support the implementation of the Union disaster resilience goals, and facilitate the exchange of good practices, the Member States, without prejudice to national rules and procedures including the discretionary power to withhold sensitive defence-related or hybrid-threat intelligence, shall make available to the Commission a summary in accordance with the guidelines referred to in Article 16(2), by 31 December 2028 and at least once every 3 years thereafter, or at any time when a significant change in the risk landscape — including changes attributable to climate change, extreme weather events, migration flows, technological developments, or armed conflict in neighbouring regions — requires the updating of such assessments: |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ca) where relevant, regional authorities should be taken into account for this purpose. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Article16a | |
| Application of the rules on classified information and sensitive information | |
| 1. The Commission shall protect EU classified information received in accordance with the security rules set out in Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444. | |
| (a) Each Member State and associated country shall ensure that it offers a degree of protection of EU classified information equivalent to that provided by the security rules of the Council set out in Decision 2013/488/EU; | |
| (b) The Commission shall protect EU classified information received in relation to the Union Mechanism in accordance with the security rules set out in Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444. | |
| 2. The Commission shall set up a secured exchange system in order to facilitate the exchange of classified information and sensitive information between the Commission and the Member States and associated countries. That system shall take into account Member States’ national security regulations. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| The Commission shall support Member States to enhance their capacity in dealing with risks by providing access to tools such as training and exercises programmes, technical and financial assistance, peer reviews, deployment of experts and EUCP Teams that provide advice on prevention and preparedness measures and other provision of expertise, learning and knowledge sharing, and support to uptake of research and innovation results in disaster risk management. | The Commission shall support Member States to enhance their capacity in dealing with risks by providing access to tools such as training and exercises programmes, technical and financial assistance, peer reviews, deployment of experts and EUCP Teams that provide advice on prevention and preparedness measures and other provision of expertise, learning and knowledge sharing, and support to uptake of research and innovation results in disaster risk management. Decisions on the allocation of financial assistance under this Regulation, access to capacity building support, and eligibility to participate in projects co-financed thereunder shall be grounded in the national risk assessments referred to in Article 14(a), the risk management capability assessments referred to in Article 14(b), and the risk management plans referred to in Article 14(c). The Commission shall ensure that these planning documents are taken into account when determining priorities for Union funding and when designing targeted capacity building programmes for individual Member States. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The Knowledge Network shall aggregate, process and disseminate knowledge and information relevant to the Union Mechanism and to support collaborative initiatives of civil protection and disaster risk management actors within the Union, including civil society organisations, local and regional authorities, private sector and the research community and based on a multi-hazard approach. | 1. The Knowledge Network shall aggregate, process and disseminate knowledge and information relevant to the Union Mechanism and to support collaborative initiatives of civil protection and disaster risk management actors within the Union, including civil society organisations, in particular those performing preparedness and response-support functions, local and regional authorities, private sector and the research community and based on a multi-hazard approach. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 5. The Commission shall, through the Knowledge Network, support Member States in raising disaster risk awareness of the population. | 5. The Commission shall, through the Knowledge Network, support Member States in raising disaster risk awareness and strengthening population preparedness, including guidance, education and awareness measures enabling households, communities and local support networks to maintain essential needs and basic self-protection in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or crisis, particularly the initial 72 hours, as well as after such events, with particular attention to promoting disaster preparedness education among young people, including through schools and educational programmes. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (iia) the set-up and management of a Ukraine-NATO-EU knowledge transfer programme through rotational staff exchanges with Ukrainian first responder personnel to streamline operational planning, logistics and maintenance, with a focus on real-world drone survivability and innovation lessons; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) strengthen the dissemination and uptake of research and innovation results in all phases of civil protection and disaster risk management, and stimulating interaction between research and innovation results, the private sector, and Member State authorities. | (b) strengthen the dissemination and uptake of research and innovation results in all phases of civil protection and disaster risk management, and stimulating interaction between research and innovation results, the private sector, civil society organisations, including non-governmental and volunteer-based organisations, and Member State authorities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. The Commission may support Member States in establishing structured cooperation arrangements with civil society organisations, including non-governmental and volunteer-based organisations, which perform public-interest functions relevant to this Regulation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. Member States may, subject to appropriate security safeguards, provide information about relevant military response capacities that could be used as part of the assistance through the Union Mechanism, such as transport and logistical or medical support. | 4. Member States may, at their discretion, subject to appropriate security safeguards and in accordance with their national constitutional and legal frameworks, provide information to the Commission about relevant military response capacities that could be used as part of the assistance through the Union Mechanism, such as transport and logistical or medical support, CBRN detection and decontamination, engineering, and unmanned aerial systems for situational awareness. The Commission shall compile this information in a confidential registry of available dual-use military capacities, accessible to the ERCC and the Hub in operational mode, reviewed and updated every two years. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 8. Without prejudice to Article 9, the Commission may coordinate policy priorities, as well as, where necessary, coordinate operational activities, with the national authorities of a third country, designated as strategic partner country, that has aligned objectives in the field of civil protection, or with which the Union has concluded security and defence agreement. | 8. Without prejudice to Article 9, the Commission may coordinate policy priorities, as well as, where necessary, coordinate operational activities, with the national authorities of a third country, designated as strategic partner country, that has aligned objectives in the field of civil protection, or with which the Union has concluded security and defence agreement. The Commission shall take into account, inter alia, the country's geographic proximity to Union territory or to Union outermost regions, its exposure to hazard profiles similar to or with spillover potential for Member States and existing bilateral civil protection cooperation frameworks with one or more Member States. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament of any such designation and of the scope of cooperation activities undertaken thereunder. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 8a. Without prejudice to Article 9, the Commission may coordinate policy priorities, as well as, where necessary, coordinate operational activities, with the national authorities of a third country with which the Union has concluded a Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) agreement, to pursue a regulatory environment and procurement processes that coordinate and integrate with the current European ecosystem, whereby SDP countries bring needed critical capabilities and raw materials to support the general preparedness of the Union. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 8b. Without prejudice to Article 9, the Commission may coordinate policy priorities, as well as, where necessary, coordinate operational activities, with the national authorities of a third country with which the Union has concluded an SDP agreement, to pursue cooperation for secure co-production and technology transfer, using co-development and co-financing models to gain access to proven systems while building production capacity for the general preparedness of the Union. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. On the basis of identified risks and any existing scenario-building as referred to in point (b) of Article 16(1), the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, define the types and specify the number of key response capacities required for the ECPP (‘response capacity goals’). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). | 3. On the basis of identified risks and any existing scenario-building as referred to in point (b) of Article 16(1), the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States shall, by means of implementing acts, define the types and specify the number of key response capacities required for the ECPP (‘response capacity goals’). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, define the response capacities rescEU shall consist of, based, among other things, on Union risk assessments in accordance with Article 16(1), taking into account identified and emerging risks and overall capacities and gaps at Union level. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). | 2. The Commission, in agreement with the Member States, shall define, by means of implementing acts, the means of response of rescEU based, inter alia on the risk assessments carried out by the Union in accordance with Article 16(1), taking into account the identified and emerging risks and the overall means and gaps at Union level. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. The rescEU capacities defined pursuant to this paragraph shall include a dedicated category of emergency communications infrastructure, comprising satellite-based communication systems, interoperable mobile command and communications units, and redundant communication networks capable of functioning independently of civilian telecommunications infrastructure. These capacities shall be deployable within 12 hours of a request for assistance and shall be designed to ensure minimum operational communication between Member State authorities, ERCC, first responders and civil-military coordination structures when standard communications infrastructure is disrupted, damaged or destroyed. Those implementing acts shall be limited to technical and operational arrangements necessary for the deployment and interoperability of capacities under this Regulation and shall not affect Member States’ prerogatives in matters of national security and defence. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 7. The Commission shall define quality requirements, by means of implementing acts, for the response capacities forming part of rescEU, in consultation with the Member States. The quality requirements shall be based on established international standards, where such standards already exist. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). | 7. The Commission, in consultation with the Member States, shall define, by means of implementing acts, the quality requirements for the response resources that are part of rescEU. The quality requirements shall be based on recognised international criteria, where such criteria already exist. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 8. rescEU capacities may only be used for national purposes, including dual-use capacities, when not being used or needed for response. | 8. rescEU capacities may only be used for national purposes, including dual-use capacities, when not being used or needed for international response. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 11. Where rescEU capacities consist of equipment or consumable goods, the Commission, through the ERCC, may decide to either donate or loan the offered rescEU capacities. | 11. Where rescEU resources consist of equipment or consumable goods, Member States, in consultation with the Commission, through the ERCC, may decide to either donate or loan the offered rescEU capacities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 12a. The rescEU capacities defined pursuant to paragraph 2 shall include a dedicated critical infrastructure rapid assessment and recovery support capability, consisting of: | |
| (a) multidisciplinary expert teams capable of conducting rapid structural, operational and cyber-physical damage assessments of critical infrastructure — including energy networks, water supply systems, transport hubs, digital infrastructure and hospital facilities — within 24 hours of deployment; | |
| (b) specialised technical equipment to support emergency restoration of minimum operational functionality of damaged critical infrastructure in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or deliberate attack; such support shall be limited to the immediate emergency phase and shall aim at restoring minimum civilian functionality necessary to protect the population, ensure continuity of essential services and facilitate follow-up recovery by the competent authorities. | |
| (c) protocols for coordination between the assessment teams referred to in point (a), national critical infrastructure protection authorities, relevant Union agencies, and civil and military authorities engaged in incident response. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 12b. The Commission shall, in cooperation with Member States and relevant Union bodies and agencies, including ENISA, develop the operational standards and deployment procedures for the capability referred to in this paragraph by means of implementing acts adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 35(2). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 13. In the event of deployment, the Commission shall, through the ERCC, agree with the requesting Member State on the operational deployment of rescEU capacities. The requesting Member State shall facilitate operational coordination of its own capacities and rescEU activities during operations. | 13. In the event of deployment, the Commission and the requesting Member State shall agree, through the ERCC, on the operational mobilisation of rescEU resources. The requesting Member State shall facilitate operational coordination of its own resources and rescEU activities during operations. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) integrate and enhance existing cross-border detection and early warning systems using a multi-hazard approach, with the objective of minimising lead time in response; | (b) integrate and enhance existing cross-border detection and early warning systems, including, where relevant, for threats affecting the safety of the civilian population and critical infrastructure, using a multi-hazard approach, with the objective of improving timeliness, interoperability and operational response; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (ga) develop and implement a Union framework for anticipatory action, enabling the Commission, through the ERCC, and Member States to activate pre-agreed preparedness protocols and pre-position rescEU and ECPP capacities before a disaster strikes, on the basis of credible scientific, meteorological, epidemiological or security-related indicators that a disaster or crisis is likely to occur within a defined timeframe. The framework shall include clear activation thresholds, accountability mechanisms, and provisions for deactivation where the anticipated event does not materialise. Any activation of such pre-agreed preparedness protocols shall be proportionate, based on clearly defined risk-indicators, and without prejudice to the responsibility of the Member States concerned for decisions relating to national preparedness and response measure on their territory; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (gb) ensure that the space-based assets referred to in this Article, including ground segment infrastructure, data relay stations and communication networks supporting Union emergency services, are identified as critical infrastructure for the purposes of the Union Mechanism and that their resilience against physical, cyber and hybrid threats is incorporated into Union and national risk assessments carried out pursuant to Articles 14 and 16 of this Regulation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. A scientific and technical facility shall pool together existing initiatives, programmes, tools, and services, such as Copernicus Services, to contribute with scientific and technical expertise to operational preparedness, analysis and situational awareness of the Hub, the ERCC and the Member States in order to anticipate, prepare for and respond to disasters and crises following a service-oriented, all-hazards and cross-sectorial approaches. | 2. A scientific and technical facility shall pool together existing initiatives, programmes, tools, and services, such as Copernicus Services, to contribute with scientific and technical expertise to operational preparedness, analysis and situational awareness of the Hub, the ERCC and the Member States in order to anticipate, prepare for and respond to disasters and crises following a service-oriented, all-hazards and cross-sectorial approaches. That facility shall build, as far as possible, on existing initiatives, programmes, tools and services and shall avoid creating duplicative analytical or coordination structures. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. The Commission shall support Member States in enhancing population preparedness and awareness about ongoing alerts across the Union. | 2. The Commission shall support Member States in enhancing population preparedness and awareness about ongoing alerts across the Union, with particular attention to promoting disaster preparedness education among young people, including through schools and educational programmes. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. In the event of a transboundary disaster, the Hub and the ERCC may facilitate information sharing among concerned countries regarding the use of Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service. Based on a request by a Member State, the Hub and the ERCC may disseminate on behalf of that Member State, public warning messages via Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service within that Member State. | 3. In the event of a transboundary disaster, the Hub and the ERCC may facilitate information sharing among concerned countries regarding the use of Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service, IRIS2 secure connectivity services and GOVSATCOM. Based on a request by a Member State, the Hub and the ERCC may disseminate on behalf of that Member State, public warning messages via Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service within that Member State. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3a. The Commission, in cooperation with Member States and relevant Union agencies, shall develop and maintain operational protocols for the integrated use of Union space systems, including Copernicus Emergency Management Services, the Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service, IRIS² secure connectivity services and GOVSATCOM, in all phases of the disaster management cycle covered by this Regulation. Such protocols shall ensure that satellite-derived data, including earth observation imagery, geolocation services and secure satellite communications, are made available to national civil protection authorities and to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre within the shortest possible timeframe. In situations where terrestrial communications infrastructure is disrupted or destroyed as a result of a disaster or crisis falling within the scope of this Regulation, Member States shall ensure that satellite-based communication channels, including those provided through GOVSATCOM and IRIS², can serve as the primary backup communication infrastructure for civil protection coordination purposes. The Commission shall support Member States in pre-certifying satellite communication terminals and protocols for civil protection use, so as to ensure interoperability and immediate operability in the event of terrestrial network failure. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. The ERCC shall work in close cooperation with national civil protection authorities and the relevant Union institutions and bodies. | 2. The ERCC shall work in close cooperation with national civil protection authorities and the relevant Union institutions and bodies, as well as, where appropriate, with relevant military authorities. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. The Hub shall anticipate and monitor risks connected to cross-sectoral crises, including producing regular operational-outlook briefings on cross-sectoral and all-hazard risks. | 3. The Hub shall closely cooperate with the EEAS Crisis Response Centre in the external dimension of cross-sectoral crises, with respect to its roles and competences. In addition, the Hub shall: (a) establish and maintain structured liaison arrangements with NATO's Civil Emergency Planning structures, to ensure complementarity, practical cooperation and avoidance of unnecessary duplication, without prejudice to Member States' commitments to security and defence; (b) maintain secure and interoperable communication links with the national crisis cells, civil protection authorities and emergency operations centres of Member States; (c) develop, jointly with the EEAS Crisis Response Centre, practical coordination arrangements for situations in which civil protection response under this Regulation interacts with other Union crisis-management instruments in complex emergencies, in full respect of their respective legal bases and competences; (d) transmit to the European Parliament and the Council an annual unclassified report on its activities, including on the number and nature of crises in which the Hub was activated, the cross-sectoral coordination measures undertaken, the resources deployed and the outcomes achieved, lessons learned and preparedness-related findings under this Regulation. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. The Hub shall ensure coordination with relevant national authorities, as designated in accordance with paragraph 5, Commission services, Union institutions and bodies, and provide support in situations referred to in Article 29(1). | 4. The Hub shall ensure coordination with relevant national authorities, as designated in accordance with paragraph 5, Commission services, Union institutions and bodies, and provide support in situations referred to in Article 29(1). In carrying out its tasks, the Hub shall act in support of Member States and in close coordination with the competent national authorities, which shall remain the primary authorities responsible for crisis management and response on their territory. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4a. Member States shall take the necessary steps to ensure that pre-authorisation arrangements are in place at national level to allow civil protection assets, personnel and vehicles from other Member States to cross their borders and operate on their territory without undue administrative delay during an active or imminent disaster response operation notified through the ERCC. The Commission, through the ERCC, shall support the development of standardised bilateral and multilateral pre-authorisation templates and shall report on the state of implementation of such arrangements in the biennial review referred to in Article 34. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Support to cross-sectoral crises | Union financial support to response in cross-sectoral crises |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The Hub may be used to provide support to cross-sectoral crises where: | 1. Union financial support to response in cross-sectoral crises may be provided where all of the following conditions are met: |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (a) response is initiated under other Union risk management instruments; | (a) a request for assistance has been made under the Union Mechanism in accordance with Article 28; and |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) in cases referred to in Article 2 (1), point (b) of Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/199319 ; | (b) one of the following conditions is fulfilled: |
| (i) in cases referred to in Article 2 (1), point (b) of Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/199319; or | |
| (ii) support is requested by the Council; or | |
| (iii) response is initiated under other Union risk management instruments where a cross-sectoral crisis requires coordinated support under this Regulation; or | |
| (iv) in cases of public health emergency at Union level in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2022/2371 or a WHO declaration of health emergencies of international concern; or | |
| (vi) when the mutual assistance obligation under Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union has been invoked with respect to a Member State subject to armed aggression on its territory. | |
| 19 Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1993 of 11 December 2018 on the EU Integrated Political Crisis Response Arrangements (OJ L 320, 17.12.2018, p. 28, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2018/1993/oj). | 19 Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1993 of 11 December 2018 on the EU Integrated Political Crisis Response Arrangements (OJ L 320, 17.12.2018, p. 28, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2018/1993/oj). |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. In the cases referred to in paragraph 1, the Union support to response may cover up to 100% of the costs to reflect the scale and the impact of the crisis. | 2. In the cases referred to in paragraph 1, Union financial support to response may include the procurement by the Commission or awarding of grants to Member States for the procurement of material means and any necessary enabling service needed to complement assistance under the Union Mechanism, as well as increased financing of up to 100% under the Union Mechanism. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3. In the cases referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission may procure or award grants to Member States for the procurement of material means and any necessary enabling service needed to complement assistance under the Union Mechanism. | 3. Where the Hub supports a cross-sectoral crisis under this Article, it shall act in accordance with Article 26 and without prejudice to the responsibilities of the ERCC, the competent national authorities and the sector-specific instruments concerned. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. When the Union Mechanism provides support to response or the Hub facilitates the response initiated under other Union risk management instruments, the scope of application of those instruments shall be considered for determining the inclusion of associated countries in relation to the actions under this Chapter. | 4. When the Union Mechanism provides Union support to response or the Hub facilitates such support in cross-sectoral crises, the scope of application of those instruments shall be considered for determining the inclusion of associated countries in relation to the actions under this Chapter. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 9a. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, where the Council has established that a Member State is the victim of armed aggression within the meaning of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union, the Union Mechanism shall be deemed activated with respect to that Member State without requiring a formal request for assistance pursuant to paragraph 1. In such circumstances, the Commission shall, through the ERCC and in coordination with the Crisis Coordination Hub established under Article 26, immediately make available all relevant rescEU capacities and civil protection response resources to support the continuity of essential civilian services, the protection of civilian populations and civil support to the military forces of the affected Member State and of Member States providing assistance under Article 42(7) TEU. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (da) ensuring geographic equity in the pre-positioning of medical countermeasures under rescEU, with specific provisions for island territories, outermost regions, and Member States with limited pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (db) facilitating the integration of military medical capabilities — including field hospitals, military medical evacuation assets, blood bank logistics, and CBRN medical countermeasures — into health emergency preparedness planning, in coordination with Member States' defence ministries and subject to national constitutional requirements. |
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Annex: declaration of input 4 blocks
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| Latvijas Pilsoniska alianse |
| Israteam |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies |
| None |
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
Procedure pages and committee votes
How the committees handled the text and how their members voted on it. Collapsed.
Procedure – committee asked for opinion 1 block
| Title | Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response, and repealing Decision No 1313/2013/EU (Union Civil Protection Mechanism) | |
| References | COM(2025)0548 – C10-0174/2025 – 2025/0223(COD) | |
| Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenary | ENVI 23.10.2025 | SANT 23.10.2025 |
| Opinion by Date announced in plenary | SEDE 23.10.2025 | |
| Rapporteur for opinion Date appointed | Reinis Pozņaks 13.11.2025 | |
| Discussed in committee | 19.3.2026 | |
| Date adopted | 3.6.2026 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 29 4 2 |
Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 blocks
29 · For
- ECR
- Elena Donazzan, Alberico Gambino, Marion Maréchal, Reinis Pozņaks, Alexandr Vondra
- EPP
- Georgios Aftias, Wouter Beke, Salvatore De Meo, Michael Gahler, Christophe Gomart, Andrey Novakov, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Pekka Toveri, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Željana Zovko
- Renew
- Petras Auštrevičius, Engin Eroglu, Nathalie Loiseau, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar
- S&D
- Lucia Annunziata, Tobias Cremer, Elio Di Rupo, Ana Catarina Mendes, Sven Mikser, Thijs Reuten
- Greens
- Hannah Neumann, Reinier Van Lanschot
Connections
The dossier, the decisions on this text and its other versions.
No connections found for this item.
Sources & citation
Where the facts on this page come from, and how to cite it.
- Data source
- Licensed CC BY 4.0.
- Retrieved
- 25 September 2026
Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response, and repealing Decision No 1313/2013/EU (Union Civil Protection Mechanism)”. Text, 30 June 2026. docId SEDE-AD-785116. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/SEDE-AD-785116 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/SEDE-AD-785116 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-sede-ad-785116,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response, and repealing Decision No 1313/2013/EU (Union Civil Protection Mechanism)}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-06-30},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/SEDE-AD-785116}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/SEDE-AD-785116},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId SEDE-AD-785116. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}