Summary

The rescEU reserve has become an important back-up for Europe’s disaster response, providing a valuable contribution in the event of emergencies. RescEU has made a valuable contribution to European civil protection by financing and deploying key emergency capacities. The auditors note that rescEU responded effectively when assistance was requested, and could be adapted quickly to new types of emergencies. However, weaknesses in planning for the build-up of capacities hampered project implementation and sustainability, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The auditors call for action so as better to align funding with actual needs, promote cooperation between EU member states, simplify reimbursement for emergency deployments. • €2.9 billion allocated to rescEU from the 2021-2027 EU budget • Funding not always directly linked to identified needs • Sustainability of funded projects beyond their end date is not assured