Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

Disaster Relief

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism aims to strengthen cooperation between the EU Member States and six Participating States on civil protection to improve prevention, preparedness and response to disasters. When an emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of a country in Europe and beyond, it can request assistance through the Mechanism.

The Mechanism complements prevention and preparedness efforts of states participating in the programme. The focus of the programme is on those areas which a joint European approach is more effective than separate national actions. Through this programme, calls will fund activities which will focus on promoting and encouraging cooperation in prevention, preparedness and awareness raising in civil protection and marine pollution.

The objectives of this programme are:

1. to finance civil protection exercise projects aiming at planning, preparing, implementing and conducting different civil protection activities;
    
2. to develop cooperation across countries on challenges in the field of civil protection and/or marine pollution and enhance the awareness of professionals and volunteers.

When it comes to the eligible activities under this call, these include:

• studying, designing, developing, testing and implementing new prevention or disaster risk management approaches;
   
• evaluating and/or improving existing risk management approaches;
   
• identification and exchange of best practices;
   
• development of new response capacities.
   

In terms of financing, this programme will cover a percentage of the eligible costs. The co-financing rate varies between 75% and 85%.

Eligible applicants under this call also vary and include private entities, public bodies and international organisations.