EU in Emergencies

One train. Ten countries. One mission: keeping people safe. This month, the BorderShield 25 exercise brought together over 150 experts from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine, all working together to strengthen regional preparedness and response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. Held at Ungheni Train Station, Moldova, the exercise was organised under the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, funded by the European Union, and implemented by GOPA PACE and ISEM Institute and National Crisis Centre with the support of the Moldovan authorities and UNICRI - United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. Through a realistic cross-border scenario, teams of firefighters, police, customs officers, medical responders, and emergency specialists practiced how to coordinate, communicate, and respond together, across borders, languages, and systems. As we mark 15 years of the EU’s CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative, BorderShield 25 demonstrates how partnership and preparedness save lives. Building a safer, stronger, and more resilient world for all. This is #EUForeignPolicy in action!

How can Artificial Intelligence strengthen resilience in the face of crisis? Join us in Brussels on 11 December 2025 for the workshop “Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions”, organised by the International Telecommunication Union in collaboration with the European Commission. This event will explore how AI can help improve prediction, response and recovery in the face of disasters, and how we can build capacity and standards for AI-driven disaster preparedness worldwide. The workshop will be followed by the 3rd Meeting of the Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions on 12 December 2025. 💡 Experts, policymakers, researchers and international organisations will come together to share insights and concrete steps to enhance resilience through innovation. 📅 Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the future of AI for disaster management. 👉 Register now: https://lnkd.in/d6xVB3VV

AIRCOP - Operation Harmattan: Combating synthetic drug trafficking in West Africa A coordinated law enforcement operation across seven West African countries - Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Mali, and Togo - targeted the trafficking of synthetic drugs via postal shipments and air cargo through the engagement of their multi-agency Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces, active in international airports. The operation marks the first initiative of its kind in the region, setting a foundation for future cross-border cooperation and the exchange of good practices. Key outcomes include: ➡️ 13 arrests ➡️ Seizures of fentanyl, tramadol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine and cash This joint effort highlights the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs in West Africa and the importance of collective action to disrupt illicit supply chains. This is #EUForeignPolicy in action! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d-WrsGWP

Timely information can save lives! Join us for the upcoming SUNSHINE Project webinar and discover how the initiative is helping #EUCivilProtection stakeholders make the most of #EUSpace Programme data and services — before, during and after disasters strike. 💡 Participants will learn about the project scope and the upcoming Training Seminars. 🗓️ 30 October 🕓 14:30 CET 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dtZ3NZyd

When wildfires erupted across Europe this summer, the response came not only from the ground — but also from the skies. Marco Amort, a Canadair pilot from Italy, spent his summer flying through smoke and extreme heat to help contain massive wildfires in Spain and beyond. For him, every flight was a race against time — to protect communities, support ground crews, and limit the damage. This is the final chapter of our 4-part series from the wildfire frontline — a tribute to the firefighters and pilots who stand united through the #EUCivilProtection Mechanism. 📖 Read Marco’s story here 👇 © European Union, 2025.

What does it mean to grow up where going to school, playing outside, or simply being a child can cost you your life? Together with UNICEF Belgium, we co-organised an exhibition to show life in Gaza through the eyes of those who live it. The images and sounds from Gaza bring you closer to a reality that may seem far away, but that touches us all. We met Leen, a 14-year-old girl from Gaza, who shared her powerful story of war and displacement. Her story is a reminder of why we need immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. Today, the recent ceasefire offers a fragile window of hope. But hope is not enough. We need sustained, unhindered and safe humanitarian access to Gaza, now. ©️Benjamin Orban, 2025.

The European Union will, together with Ukraine, co-host the next Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC)! 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦   At UMAC 2025 in Tokyo, the EU, together with Japan and international partners, reaffirmed our shared commitment to support Mine Action in Ukraine to save lives, restore land and help communities rebuild in safety and dignity. The conference brought together over 400 participants from 57 countries, around three key themes: People, Technology, and Cooperation - paving the way to reduce contaminated land by 80% by 2033. Since 2022, Team Europe (the EU and its Member States) has committed over €360 million to humanitarian mine action, delivering advanced demining machines, armoured and support vehicles, protective gear, and over 500 detectors. More than 50 mine detection dogs and extensive training programmes now strengthen Ukraine’s national mine action operators. Thanks to these efforts, 37,000 km² of land have already been cleared – that’s nearly the size of the Netherlands!   At #UMAC2026, we’ll build on this progress to strengthen cooperation, drive innovation, and advance our shared responsibility for a safer future. 🌍✨   This is #EUForeignPolicy in action!

The EU’s CRIMARIO project has entered its third phase, marking a major expansion from the Indo-Pacific to Central and Latin America. This new phase builds on nearly a decade of success by extending the EU’s maritime cooperation model to new oceans and partners, while further enhancing regional capacity to respond to security, safety, and environmental challenges at sea. At the heart of CRIMARIO is IORIS, a secure platform that connects maritime authorities in real time to coordinate operations and share information. So far, the project has trained over 3,000 officials, conducted 140+ joint exercises, supported 8 search-and-rescue missions saving 80+ lives, and contributed to anti-trafficking operations worth around €250 million. This is #EUForeignPolicy in action, promoting safer, more connected, and resilient seas worldwide. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dzwhdEsC

🔥 Facing the flames: Nikolaos’s story. When wildfires swept across Spain this summer, Nikolaos Paisios and his team from Greece joined local crews on the frontline — fighting the blaze on steep terrain and under extreme heat in Asturias. For Nikolaos, it was a test of endurance, teamwork and solidarity. His story is a powerful reminder of how cooperation through the #EUCivilProtection Mechanism brings Europe’s firefighters together — not just to battle fires, but to learn from one another and strengthen bonds across borders. 📖 Read Part 3 of our series on the wildfire frontline 👇 © European Union, 2025.

🔥 On the wildfire frontline: Michel’s story 🇲🇹 This wildfire season has been one of the most severe since records began. Across Europe, firefighters stood shoulder to shoulder — wearing different uniforms but united by one mission: protecting lives and land. Some were prepositioned before disaster struck, while others were mobilised after urgent calls for assistance through the #EUCivilProtection Mechanism. In Part 2 of our 4-part series, meet Michel Galea, Chief Fire Officer from Malta, who was deployed to Portugal to help tackle massive wildfires — and who will never forget seeing the glow of the flames from hundreds of kilometres away. Read Michel’s story 👇 📖 Missed Part 1? Read Kaarel’s story here: https://lnkd.in/d4VPkxnq © European Union, 2025.