On 30 October 2026, the European Commission announced the establishment of the PreparEU Advisory Group, tasked with providing strategic advice to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib on how to address accelerating disaster risks, including extreme weather events and wildfires. Broader information on the EU preparedness framework is available on the EU Preparedness Union Strategy website and the Commission’s Preparedness portal. Members of the new group are listed on the following website: Senior Advisory Group – European Commission

The establishment of the group forms part of the EU’s wider efforts to strengthen crisis preparedness. The Preparedness Union Strategy follows an integrated all-hazards approach while emphasising both whole-of-society and whole-of-government involvement. Its main strands cover foresight, the resilience of vital societal functions, population preparedness, public-private cooperation, civil-military cooperation and crisis-response coordination.

At the same time, the EU is strengthening practical crisis preparedness through instruments including the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, rescEU capacities, early-warning systems and EU-level exercises. The European approach recognises preparedness not only as a national duty but as a shared European responsibility, involving Member States, businesses, organisations and citizens.