EU funds rescEU detection and surveillance teams with €70 million to boost preparedness to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear emergencies

The Commission has allocated almost €70 million to fund the development of new specialised teams and equipment to further strengthen the preparedness and response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks.

The funding has been granted to Italy, Poland and Romania to develop the rescEU detection capabilities. The aim is that EU Member States can benefit from such capabilities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism as of 2026. These tools will be used to detect, identify, sample, and monitor potential contamination in response to emergencies such as industrial accidents or security incidents. Teams may also assist with surveillance activities ahead of major public events and thus help ensure systemic protection of public spaces.

Background

In 2019, the EU strengthened the collective European response to disasters via the development the rescEU reserve. rescEU aims to boost disaster preparedness and response mechanisms at European level by, among others, encouraging interoperability of equipment and teams so that, in the event of a major emergency, teams that respond jointly work as one integrated team. There are already rescEU reserves for various kinds of emergencies, including reserves of medical equipment, CBRN materials, firefighting aircraft as well as shelter and energy items.