The action “Technical Assistance for Disaster Risk Management” (hereinafter: “Track 1”) provides national disaster risk management authorities of eligible countries with financial support for the development of strategic disaster risk management actions.

First introduced in the UCPM Annual Work Programme of 2019, ''Track 1'' grants help national civil protection and other disaster risk management authorities prepare investment projects and strengthen their institutional and policy framework. Between 2019 and 2024, 23 Member States have received funding for over 61 grants, for a total value of over EUR 26 million.

Themes & priorities:

Applicants must choose only one of the following priorities:

Priority 1: Strategic frameworks for disaster risk management

1. Develop a multi-risk or risk-specific disaster risk management plan and/or strategy;
2. Carry out studies and assessments required to develop policies, legislation, institutions and/or measures for improved disaster risk management and climate resilience;
3. Develop a strategic framework for public awareness raising and training programmes for disaster risk management;
4. Develop or enhance national multi-hazard disaster loss databases and/or tools;
5. Develop green transition plans and/or instruments for disaster risk management authorities;
6. Contribute to the implementation of the relevant Union disaster resilience goals

Priority 2: Investments for disaster risk management

1. Conduct feasibility studies and/or assessments required for the preparation or upgrade of investments for disaster risk management and climate resilience (infrastructure and/or other investment projects), such as design, cost-benefit analyses, impact assessments, etc.;
2. Develop proposals for investment projects addressing disaster and climate resilience that would be submitted for funding to national budget or to various Union funds;
3. Develop national/sub-national investment plan(s) for implementing prevention, preparedness, and/or recovery measures;
4. Contribute to the implementation of the relevant Union Disaster Resilience Goal(s).

Priority 3: Investments to improve crisis management capabilities

1. Support effective crisis management capacities in a Member State, e.g. processes aimed at ensuring effective scenario-building, foresight and horizon-scanning for the purposes of detecting, identifying and assessing potential future crisis situations;
2. Develop or improve existing plans, procedures and/or arrangements, including business continuity planning, aimed at ensuring effective cross-sectoral and cross-border crisis preparedness and responses, including ones with a UCPM component;
3. Develop or enhance existing plans, procedures and/or arrangements for sharing information, including early warning information, on a cross-sectoral and cross-border basis;
4. Contribute to the implementation of the relevant Union Disaster Resilience Goals

Activities that can be funded:

• Developing a strategic framework for disaster risk management, including developing disaster risk management plans or strategies, develop risk assessment capabilities, gather multi-hazard disaster loss data, designing public awareness plans or carrying out studies on disaster and climate resilience building.

• Investments for disaster risk management, including feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, impact assessment linked to a change of the disaster risk management policy or legislation as well as developing national/sub-national investment plans for implementing prevention, preparedness and recovery measures.

• Investments to improve crisis management capabilities, including developing or enhancing plans, procedures and arrangements aimed at ensuring effective cross-sectoral crisis preparedness and response, and at enhancing information sharing through early warning systems.

Currently, 37 states - the 27 EU Member States and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine are participating in the UCPM. In addition, two other countries are eligible for applying under this call, in line with the Financing Decision. These countries are Georgia and Kosovo (This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence).

The overall objective of the UCPM is to strengthen the cooperation among Member States in the field of civil protection to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing, preparing for, and responding to natural and human-induced disasters. The UCPM aims to achieve a high level of protection against disasters by preventing or reducing their potential effects, and to enhance preparedness at Member State and Union level to respond to disasters.

Under the UCPM legislation, Union Disaster Resilience Goals in the area of civil protection were agreed in February 2023. Five strategic goals were identified: 1) improving risk assessment, anticipation and DRM planning; 2) increasing risk awareness and preparedness of the population; 3) enhancing early warning; and 4) ensuring a robust civil protection system.

The co-financing of projects has been used by the UCPM as a key instrument for supporting Member States’ disaster risk management (DRM) efforts.

The Financing Decision provides for a funding opportunity to directly support Member States’ efforts in the field of disaster risk management.