The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the European response to the fires proved that the Union can be relied upon. These statements were made in a speech at the end of a visit to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, in Brussels.
Von der Leyen highlighted that the fire season in Europe began this year exceptionally early, at the end of April, placing national reserves under enormous pressure.
The ERCC has played a central role in coordinating the European response to the forest fires that have affected several member countries during this season. Von der Leyen's visit to the centre aimed to assess the European response and reinforce the message of solidarity between member states in the face of climate emergencies.
