Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Brussels on 31 August 2026, delivering a strong message of thanks to the ERCC and ECHO teams working around the clock when Europe faces disasters.
Von der Leyen said the ERCC operates day and night, 24/7, weekends and holidays, turning calls for help into rapid action: aircraft take off, firefighters cross borders, and Copernicus provides emergency mapping for responders on the ground.
Her visit comes after an exceptionally severe wildfire season. The Commission says the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated 10 times for wildfires in 8 countries since the season started unusually early in late April.
Nearly 800 firefighters were pre-positioned in high-risk areas across Europe so local teams could be reinforced during the first critical hours of wildfires. Teams from 25 Member States and partner countries were deployed over the summer — including, for the first time, firefighters from Ukraine helping inside the European Union.
The ERCC’s work goes far beyond wildfires. Von der Leyen pointed to medical evacuation, repatriation flights, earthquakes, floods, health emergencies, hybrid attacks and Copernicus satellite support, stressing that each crisis is different but the principle is the same: when help is needed, you can count on Europe.
The wider warning is clear. Von der Leyen said risks are becoming more frequent, more complex and more severe, with changing climate patterns, higher temperatures and disrupted rainfall already changing the emergencies facing rescue services today.
The ERCC visit also formed part of von der Leyen’s preparation for the upcoming State of the Union speech, making civil protection, preparedness and climate resilience key themes for Europe’s political agenda.
Europe’s message is simple: solidarity is not a slogan. It is aircraft, firefighters, satellites, medical teams and emergency experts moving fast when lives are at risk.
#eudebates #VonDerLeyen #EUCivilProtection #ClimateCrisis
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited the Emergency Response Coordination Centre in Brussels on 31 August 2026, delivering a strong message of thanks to the ERCC and ECHO teams working around the clock when Europe faces disasters.
Von der Leyen said the ERCC operates day and night, 24/7, weekends and holidays, turning calls for help into rapid action: aircraft take off, firefighters cross borders, and Copernicus provides emergency mapping for responders on the ground.
Her visit comes after an exceptionally severe wildfire season. The Commission says the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated 10 times for wildfires in 8 countries since the season started unusually early in late April.
Nearly 800 firefighters were pre-positioned in high-risk areas across Europe so local teams could be reinforced during the first critical hours of wildfires. Teams from 25 Member States and partner countries were deployed over the summer — including, for the first time, firefighters from Ukraine helping inside the European Union.
The ERCC’s work goes far beyond wildfires. Von der Leyen pointed to medical evacuation, repatriation flights, earthquakes, floods, health emergencies, hybrid attacks and Copernicus satellite support, stressing that each crisis is different but the principle is the same: when help is needed, you can count on Europe.
The wider warning is clear. Von der Leyen said risks are becoming more frequent, more complex and more severe, with changing climate patterns, higher temperatures and disrupted rainfall already changing the emergencies facing rescue services today.
The ERCC visit also formed part of von der Leyen’s preparation for the upcoming State of the Union speech, making civil protection, preparedness and climate resilience key themes for Europe’s political agenda.
Europe’s message is simple: solidarity is not a slogan. It is aircraft, firefighters, satellites, medical teams and emergency experts moving fast when lives are at risk.
#eudebates #VonDerLeyen #EUCivilProtection #ClimateCrisis
