Following up on the strategy presented last March (see EUROPE 13836/6), the European Commission submitted a proposal to the Council of the European Union on Monday 4 May for a recommendation aimed at making wildfire preparedness operational.
In the wake of the record-breaking fires of summer 2025, which ravaged one million hectares of forest and caused €2.5 billion in direct economic damage over the course of the year, the Commission intends to accelerate national reforms through 41 concrete measures.
The objective is to enhance the interoperability of emergency equipment and tactics between member countries, in the face of megafires that have become a structural threat to the continent’s rural economies and ecosystems.
On the technological front, the text advocates for the systematic use of European observation and modelling systems, such as Copernicus and the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Member States are also encouraged to collaborate with the new ‘FoRISK’ expert network to exchange data and knowledge.
From a logistical standpoint, the document encourages synergies with the Cyprus Regional Aerial Firefighting Station (CRAFS). It also proposes establishing public-private partnerships to share risk more effectively through insurance mechanisms, thereby reducing the strain on public budgets in the event of a disaster.
The Commission recommends that governments incorporate vulnerable populations into their emergency plans and step up awareness-raising efforts among farmers and foresters. Finally, it advocates for sustainable land management to limit fuel loads and to modernise land use practices following wildfires.
Full recommendation: https://aeur.eu/f/lsz (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)