The European Commission published the results of the Special Eurobarometer measuring public opinion about European civil protection actions in the Member States. Results show a strong consensus among the citizens of the European Union that civil protection activities should be coordinated across the EU.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (94%) in the 27 EU Member States think that when a disaster strikes in an EU country that is too big to deal with on its own, other EU countries should provide help. Nearly the same number (91%) are supportive of the EU helping any country in the world affected by a disaster.
The survey results show clear support for the EU’s role in crisis management, with nine in ten respondents stating that it is important that the EU helps coordinate the response to disasters in the EU and other countries. According to the survey, also nine in ten Europeans agree that coordinated EU action should be increased to deal more effectively with disasters and crises in the future. The proportion of EU citizens who want a stronger role has increased by 6 percentage points since 2020, from 84% to 90%.
Citizens’ desire to increase the disaster resilience of Europe is matched by the EU Disaster Resilience Goals adopted in 2023. The European Commission and the EU Member States have jointly identified five key areas to do more together to prevent and prepare for disasters. The five areas are anticipating and preparing for risks, enhancing early warnings, scaling up response capacities, and securing robust civil protection systems. The five EU disaster resilience goals will serve as a compass for policy and investments that help authorities make better-informed decisions and protect citizens, livelihoods, and the environment.
