CORDIS Express: Coping with crises and disasters

Earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, cyber attacks, terrorist attacks: life exposes us all to a lengthy list of potential crises and disasters that are growing in scale and sophistication. We can’t always predict when they will hit and frequently they aren’t contained within our state borders. In these cases, we need a multilateral and coordinated and response at EU level.

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The EU recognizes this and has taken steps to better prepare us for disaster. For example, the 2010 Internal Security Strategy in Action holds enhancing Europe's resilience to crises and disasters as a core objective. Meanwhile, the EU emergency and crisis coordination arrangements (EU-CCA) define rules for interactions between EU institutions and affected EU States during a crisis and the integrated EU arrangements for crisis management with cross-border effects (EU-ICMA) facilitate practical cooperation between EU States. Additionally, the Commission’s rapid alert system - ARGUS - was created to better coordinate the Commission’s response capacity.

These actions are supported by ongoing research and innovation activities that aim at understanding, detecting, preventing, deterring, preparing and protecting against security threats. Under the Security strand of Horizon 2020, there is a keen focus on improving cyber security and increasing Europe's resilience to crises and disasters, as well as protecting and improving the resilience of critical infrastructures, supply chains and transport modes.

This edition of CORDIS Express takes a look at the ongoing projects that are exploring how to prepare for and cope with crises and disasters.

- Disaster alert for all

- Improved public and infrastructure safety

- Satellite based system for crisis management

- An in-depth look at Europe's civil security systems

- A culturally sensitive alerting system

- Easy-to-use, on-site bio-terrorism detection kit

Countries

Belgium