Latest news with #EUCivilProtectionMechanism
Euronews
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Euronews
EU to deploy 650 firefighters to wildfire high-risk zones
Hundreds of firefighters coming from across Europe and over 20 firefighting aerial vehicles will be pre-positioned in high-risk locations for wildfires across the bloc this summer, the European Commission announced on Monday. Almost 650 firefighters from 14 European countries are to be deployed in July and August in key high-risk locations in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. This is the highest number since pre-positioning firefighters across the EU was launched in 2022. Greece will welcome half of those European firefighters with teams coming from Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Moldova, and Romania. Meanwhile, 22 firefighting aeroplanes and four helicopters will be stationed in 10 different member states. France and Greece will be the biggest recipients of the EU-supported summer fleet, to be coordinated and financed via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, with four medium amphibious aeroplanes each. France will also have one helicopter. Other countries on the receiving end of the summer fleet include Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Hadja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, said in a statement that the EU's "support is tangible and makes a difference on the ground". "Extreme heat and wildfires in Europe have sadly become the new normal. I am glad the EU has more to offer than just words of concern and consolation," she added. A further 19 ground firefighting teams, of around 30 firefighters each, and one advisory and assessment team, are also ready to be mobilised by the EU, while a dedicated wildfire support team is to be established at the EU's 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) to monitor risks and analyse scientific data. It will bring together 30 experts from EU member states as well as other countries participating in the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Natural Hazard Scientific Partnership (ARISTOTLE), and staff from the ERCC. Greece, which also tends to be heavily hit every summer, has already announced it will deploy a record number of firefighters, including elite units in high-risk areas, and nearly double its drone fleet. Since the beginning of the year, more than 166,000 hectares have been burnt across the 27 member states, nearly three times the average recorded over the same period between 2003 and 2024, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Romania has been the worst-afflicted EU member state so far this year with more than 120,000 hectares reduced to cinders. Authorities have blamed some of the wildfires on human action, including intentional burning to clear fields. France and Spain come next but the two countries, which are traditionally more impacted by wildfires, have had different experiences. Nearly 19,000 hectares had been burnt in France by 20 May, some 2.75 times the average of the past 20 years, while in Spain, this year's tally is so far lower than the 20-year average (8,195 hectares vs 13,059). Last year's cumulative burnt areas reached 383,317 hectares, above the average of the past 20 years. The most devastating years of the past decade were in 2017 and 2022 when nearly one million and just under 800,000 hectares were razed to the ground respectively. The spread of wildfires in Europe has been blamed on climate change which has led to warmer temperatures, prolonged drought and unpredictable weather patterns, as well as on demographic changes that have led to the desertification of rural areas in favour of urban centres, meaning the land is no longer managed in the same way. The fire season has, for instance, been extended beyond the traditional summer months and now spans from early May to late October while more and more countries in eastern and northern Europe are also starting to experience such fires. According to the European and Global Drought Observatories of the Commission's Joint Research Centre, there are warning drought conditions in the Baltic Sea region, northern France, Benelux, several regions of Germany, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, western Romania, Bulgaria, and some regions of Greece. Most of Spain, Italy, and southern France, however, either don't have drought conditions or are in recovery. The European Commission has found that Chinese online retail giant Shein, known for its rock-bottom prices, engages in illegal commercial practices under EU law, after an investigation caried out with national consumer protection authorities. Investigators concluded that Shein lures customers with fake discounts, either by displaying false original prices or by using countdown timers that reset continuously to foster an artificial sense of urgency. The Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network - a body made up of the national authorities - also flagged serious gaps in transparency: inaccurate return policies, misleading sustainability claims, and confusing product labelling. Authorities also criticised the platform for making it difficult for users to contact customer service - limiting their ability to raise questions or complaints. Shein has been given one month to respond and outline how it plans to fix the issues. If the Commission sees no progress, the company could face fines. National authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands are overseeing enforcement. 'All companies selling products in the EU must play by our rules,' said Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Justice and Consumer Protection. 'Today's action sends a clear message: we will not shy away from holding e-commerce platforms to account, regardless of where they are based.' He added: 'EU consumer protection laws are not optional – they must be applied in all cases.' This isn't the first time a Chinese platform has come under scrutiny. In November, rival e-retailer Temu was also found in breach of EU consumer law. It used similarly problematic tactics and went a step further by "gamifying" the shopping experience with spin-the-wheel promotions and displaying fake product reviews. Alongside these consumer law probes, both Shein and Temu are under investigation for possible breaches of the Digital Services Act. The DSA probe focuses on algorithmic recommendation systems - how certain products are promoted to specific users - and the sale of illegal goods, such as items that fail to meet EU health and safety standards.
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Irish government accused of being ‘missing in action' in response to Storm Eowyn
The Irish government was 'missing in action' during the clean-up to damage caused by Storm Eowyn, a Social Democrats TD has said. Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore said the government can no longer 'wash its hands' of the response and said Environment and Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien should answer questions. She said the Dail should have sat last week to discuss the storm response and the thousands of people left without power, water and broadband. As of Tuesday, 25,000 people remained without power and less than 300 were without water after Storm Eowyn damaged homes and infrastructure. The fact that the government was missing in action was completely unacceptable Jennifer Whitmore, Wicklow TD The unprecedented weather event prompted a nationwide red-level warning and saw the death of a 20-year-old man in Co Donegal who was killed after a tree fell on his car while he was driving home from work. Ms Whitmore said: 'We should have been sitting last week, the Dail should have been sitting last week, the country was in crisis. The fact that the government was missing in action was completely unacceptable and I think the government really needs to answer questions about that. 'Our climate is changing and has changed. This is not our first major storm and the fact that the government was not prepared is inexcusable.' She said that the party was calling on Mr O'Brien to answer questions about the government's response, what the plan was and the response next time around. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that Ireland needs 'a fundamental rethink in terms of storm resilience'. He said: 'What the evidence is showing is that storms are far more severe, and they're becoming more severe, and also the frequency of such severe storms is now without question, and therefore we have to do a fundamental re-evaluation of the grid, for example, in terms of its resilience; also in terms of back-up for the water system, in terms of at a minimum, back-up generators; also then investing in local networks.' Tanaiste Simon Harris said that there needed to be a 'bigger, deeper dive' into how Ireland responded. Mr Harris said 'an awful lot more' needs to be done to prepare for severe weather events in Ireland, and mentioned generator supplies in particular. Ireland has been offered 17 generators, through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, from Poland and Denmark. They are being deployed to support Uisce Eireann and telecommunications infrastructure. 'I think it's really important when this immediate phase of recovery is over and I'm conscious – this is dragging on a long time for people now – when this phase is over, I think it's very important that we don't just have some sort of 'look back' exercise like we have after any storm, but that we have a much bigger, deeper dive in terms of how communities, how local authorities, can be better prepared,' said Mr Harris. 'What do we need to do in terms of generator supplies, as one example, and how do we make sure that process is inclusive, so everybody can feed into it. 'I think it's really important that we in government bring forward a comprehensive proposal on that in the weeks ahead.'
Euronews
29-01-2025
- Climate
- Euronews
Western France and Ireland among European countries hit by severe weather
After heavy rainfall from Storm Herminia, Météo France has now issued a new warning for Storm Ivo, which is approaching the coast Brittany. Six departments in mainland France are under an orange alert for flood risks on Thursday, January 30, while Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, and Morbihan are on red alert. Calvados, Orne, Mayenne, Somme, Sarthe, and Maine-et-Loire remain under orange alert. Due to the severity of the situation, French authorities have fast-tracked the process to declare a state of natural disaster. In Ireland, Storm Éowyn has caused widespread power outages, leading the government to request EU assistance. In response, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated, supplying 13 power generators from the rescEU strategic reserve. Additionally, the EU has activated the Copernicus emergency management service, providing analytical support to national authorities. A team of ten Austrian power workers arrived in Ireland to assist EBS with power restoration.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Thousands still waiting for electricity to be restored following Storm Eowyn
Around 156,500 properties across the island of Ireland remain without power following Storm Eowyn. Efforts to repair the damaged network continue into a sixth day, with 133,000 premises in the Republic of Ireland and 23,500 in Northern Ireland still waiting for their electricity supply to be restored. In Ireland, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met on Wednesday to continue to co-ordinate and concentrate efforts to restore power, water and telecommunications following Friday's storm. Ireland is expecting the delivery of several large-capacity generators, following a request under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The generators, from Poland and Denmark, will be deployed to support Uisce Eireann and telecommunications operators to bring water, phone and broadband services to homes and businesses. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: 'This historic storm has required an unprecedented response, and the Government is throwing everything it can at helping those still suffering and getting their services restored as quickly as possible.' Chair of the NECG Keith Leonard said: 'With over 250 Emergency Response Hubs now running across the country, and more coming on stream all the time, the NECG is continuing to support local authorities in these important relief efforts. 'Local Co-ordination Groups are also now in place across 19 counties – making sure supports and resources are directed to where they are most needed, and that our most vulnerable people are prioritised for help.' NIE Networks said it had now restored power to 261,500 properties in Northern Ireland following Storm Eowyn. A spokesperson said: 'Our primary focus is to restore power to all affected customers across Northern Ireland. 'We have over 1,400 staff escalated, as well as additional electrical and industrial employees from other agencies and jurisdictions. 'Over the coming days there may be occasions when householders experience interruption to their electricity supply as we undertake permanent repairs and work to restore all those impacted. 'Employees from our contact centre may also be in contact to check that supply has been restored. 'We are particularly keen to again remind the public to maintain safety around any damaged electricity equipment and never approach a broken pole or overhead power lines, and keep children and animals away.' The company also warned about scam messages targeting victims purporting to come from NIE Networks. The spokesperson added: 'Our staff will not ask customers to share financial details or click URLs. 'We ask that customers do not engage, and block and report the suspicious number.' Northern Ireland Water said all customers whose water had been interrupted should now have their supply restored. Director of customer and operations, Stephanie McCullagh said: 'We would like to take this opportunity to thank local councils, agencies and elected representatives who have been working alongside us to distribute bottled water, assist with access to our sites and help identify vulnerable customers. 'This has been a massive joint effort, made much easier by the patience and understanding of the customers impacted. 'While the commitment and dedication shown by NI Water staff does not surprise me, the sheer efforts and lengths they have gone to under unprecedented weather conditions are truly commendable, and once again shines a light on how vital water and our water workers are to our daily lives.'
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Thousands still waiting for electricity to be restored following Storm Eowyn
Around 156,500 properties across the island of Ireland remain without power following Storm Eowyn. Efforts to repair the damaged network continue into a sixth day, with 133,000 premises in the Republic of Ireland and 23,500 in Northern Ireland still waiting for their electricity supply to be restored. In Ireland, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met on Wednesday to continue to co-ordinate and concentrate efforts to restore power, water and telecommunications following Friday's storm. Ireland is expecting the delivery of several large-capacity generators, following a request under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The generators, from Poland and Denmark, will be deployed to support Uisce Eireann and telecommunications operators to bring water, phone and broadband services to homes and businesses. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: 'This historic storm has required an unprecedented response, and the Government is throwing everything it can at helping those still suffering and getting their services restored as quickly as possible.' Chair of the NECG Keith Leonard said: 'With over 250 Emergency Response Hubs now running across the country, and more coming on stream all the time, the NECG is continuing to support local authorities in these important relief efforts. 'Local Co-ordination Groups are also now in place across 19 counties – making sure supports and resources are directed to where they are most needed, and that our most vulnerable people are prioritised for help.' NIE Networks said it had now restored power to 261,500 properties in Northern Ireland following Storm Eowyn. A spokesperson said: 'Our primary focus is to restore power to all affected customers across Northern Ireland. 'We have over 1,400 staff escalated, as well as additional electrical and industrial employees from other agencies and jurisdictions. 'Over the coming days there may be occasions when householders experience interruption to their electricity supply as we undertake permanent repairs and work to restore all those impacted. ' Employees from our contact centre may also be in contact to check that supply has been restored. 'We are particularly keen to again remind the public to maintain safety around any damaged electricity equipment and never approach a broken pole or overhead power lines, and keep children and animals away.' The company also warned about scam messages targeting victims purporting to come from NIE Networks. The spokesperson added: 'Our staff will not ask customers to share financial details or click URLs. 'We ask that customers do not engage, and block and report the suspicious number.' Northern Ireland Water said all customers whose water had been interrupted should now have their supply restored. This has been a massive joint effort, made much easier by the patience and understanding of the customers impacted. Stephanie McCullagh, NI Water Director of customer and operations, Stephanie McCullagh said: 'We would like to take this opportunity to thank local councils, agencies and elected representatives who have been working alongside us to distribute bottled water, assist with access to our sites and help identify vulnerable customers. 'This has been a massive joint effort, made much easier by the patience and understanding of the customers impacted. 'While the commitment and dedication shown by NI Water staff does not surprise me, the sheer efforts and lengths they have gone to under unprecedented weather conditions are truly commendable, and once again shines a light on how vital water and our water workers are to our daily lives.'
