Brussels – Green light for the production of what will be the European Union’s first firefighting air fleet: an agreement was signed with the Canadian Commercial Corporation for the supply of the 12 aircraft, the implementation of which officially starts to the delight of Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management. “This is a historic moment for European civil protection in this era of climate crisis,” he said.
Until now, it has always been the member states that provide firefighting assets during emergencies and move them from their national fleets to other EU member states and beyond because RescEU, the European Civil Protection Mechanism, at the request of countries, also offers support and solidarity to third countries. In the future, the European Commission will have its own aircraft, purchased with money from the EU budget. Specifically, the order for the Canadian supplier is €600 million.
“We have been working tirelessly to strengthen the EU’s fire response capabilities.” and today’s announcement “demonstrates that Europe is committed to strengthening and deepening these efforts,” Lenarčič continues, who has no doubts: “We are on track with the timeline set by the European Commission to acquire a new permanent fleet of firefighting aircraft and helicopters.”
According to commitments and agreements, the first aircraft of the new EU firefighting air fleet will be ready and available to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism at the end of 2027. Once completed, the fleet will be hosted in six EU member states—Croatia, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.
The initiative for an EU fleet parallel to and additional to that of the 27 member states has become necessary in the wake of the severity of the fire emergency in Europe, as also shown by the situation straining Greece. “The forest fire seasons are becoming longer, deadlier, and more unpredictable,” the Crisis Management Commissioner stresses. The EU is beginning to rush to equip itself with what it needs to take the necessary measures.
