31/08/2026
Today, 31 August, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, together with European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib and Director-General of EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid Maciej Popowski, visited the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) to gain a closer insight into the work carried out in managing emergencies and the recent activations of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM), with a particular focus on the wildfires that have affected Europe in recent weeks.
During the visit, Ursula von der Leyen and her team met with the various professionals working across the entire Prevention-Preparedness-Response chain, from the Duty Officers who coordinate requests for and offers of assistance during emergencies, to the teams that analyse data and information to support decision-making.
A particularly significant moment was dedicated to the role of science and the proper use of data in emergency management. Through concrete examples of wildfires and other recent events, the importance of having reliable information and advanced tools, such as those provided by the Copernicus programme, was highlighted to rapidly understand what is happening and guide the response.
The final stop of the visit was the Wildfire Support Team, active during the wildfire season to support the ERCC in monitoring and analysis activities. Our Foundation is also part of the team, together with experts and organisations from different countries and fields: meteorological agencies such as Météo-France and national experts from the fire brigades of Sweden and Greece.
A team diverse in terms of expertise, experience and backgrounds, but united by a common goal: putting knowledge, data and operational capabilities at the service of emergency response in Europe.