EU Civil Protection Responding to CBRN Incidents and Attacks: In-depth Analysis for Terrorism Committee

The threat posed by terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) agents or materials is existential for both the EU as a whole and its individual Member States. Therefore the importance of creating, maintaining and effectively employing pre-emptive, preventive, timely responsive countering means is of vital for the protection of EU citizens and the maintenance of peace and security. This in-depth analysis, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Special Committee on Terrorism of the European Parliament (TERR), aims to examine the efficacy of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) in the event of CBRN terrorist attacks. Although the UCPM is presented as the main emergency management instrument of the EU, it is mainly a post-incident handling tool; hence its preparedness for CBRN terrorist attacks is underdeveloped and requires an immediate improvement. Thus by understanding these shortfalls can Europe collectively be prepared against the threat of CBRN attacks.