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European Commission - Questions and answers Questions and answers on the European Union Critical Communication System Brussels, 30 September 2026 What is the European Union Critical Communication System? The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) connects national critical communication systems, bringing together different first responders – police, fire departments, emergency medical services and other...
European Commission - Questions and answers Questions and answers on the European Union Critical Communication System Brussels, 30 September 2026 What is the European Union Critical Communication System? The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) connects national critical communication systems, bringing together different first responders – police, fire departments, emergency medical services and other civil protection organisations – across Member States. It ensures the resilience of the system also in times of crisis by anchoring the principle of priority of critical communications on mobile networks and providing satellite backup where mobile communication is unavailable, by providing a reliable and secure communication system. It allows emergency services and other public authorities to quickly exchange important information, upgrading from voice-only (radio) communication of today to also include text messages, photos, video, geolocation details and other relevant data. They will better understand what is happening on the ground and can work together hand in hand - nationally and across borders - to save lives. The EUCCS will cover the whole EU and the Schengen associated countries. It will cover all emergency services: law enforcement, firefighters, civil protection and medical emergency responders. Member States can add further users, notably armed forces, at their own discretion. The EUCCS builds on ten years of practical experience. It was initiated by the 2015/16 terrorist attacks, when Member States had to grapple with the challenges brought about by separate and incompatible critical communication systems. They launched pilot projects for this system, developed through EU-funded projects and bringing together EU industries and public authorities in an EU solution for EU security. You can find more information on how the EUCCS will work here . Why are you proposing this now? The forest fires of this summer are a stark reminder of the necessity to respond quickly and in coordination, whether the crisis is climate-related, or human-made. Member States will be able to better support one another in times of crisis with the EUCCS. The EUCCS will allow national agencies covering different services such as police or law enforcement agencies, firefighters, and medical personnel to talk and share data across services and borders without experiencing network disruption. And when first responders go to help in another Member State, they will be able to use their own critical communication service ‘same as home'. It is one of the key actions of the European Internal Security Strategy, ProtectEU of April 2025 and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy of March 2025. It implements a recommendation of the Niinistö Report on Preparedness and Readiness of the EU , urging the EU to complete the EU Critical Communication System as soon as possible. This proposal also follows long-standing requests from both Member States – as reflected in the Council conclusions of June 2021 – and of first responders, who need a European critical communication system that works seamlessly across borders. When can the EUCCS be used? The EUCCS can be used anytime. It will have multiple applications - from traffic accidents, to natural disasters, a ‘hot pursuit' across a border, terrorist attacks or drone incidents. It will allow all emergency services to communicate with each other nationally and across borders and will improve situational awareness and response in crisis. A pilot version of the system has already been deployed and trialed, mirroring real life situations (for instance fires in border areas, migrant smuggling, and drug smuggling). The system is designed so that it can also be used by armed forces, should Member States decide to connect their military to the system so that they can coordinate with other emergency services, for example in case of a flood where the military supports rescue efforts alongside civilian services. How does this improve EU strategic autonomy? The European Union Critical Communication System reinforces EU strategic autonomy by: strengthening critical cyber capacities through encryption, strong protocol and the use of back- up EU satellites, and supporting trusted European technologies; reducing dependence on non-EU suppliers (4 EU industrial partners are already involved in the pilot project, with more expected to join in the coming years); increasing operational resilience and ensuring continuity during crises, as Member States will be less reliant on external infrastructures and – thanks to network priority, mobile deployable communications units and satellite backup – no longer as vulnerable to network disruptions; by harmonising the technological standards, it will create one standard that allows EU companies to build products for the whole EU market, an innovation-friendly environment that encourages European companies to invest in R&D for critical communications and ultimately for EU security. It deepens the resilience of the Union as a whole by improving communication and cooperation of first responders across borders and agencies using European-made technological solutions. What are the European Union Network Monitoring Centre and the European Union Security Monitoring Centre? The EU will set up two central hubs to help link up Member States' emergency and other critical communication systems more simply and securely. A European Union Network Monitoring Centre to oversee whether the system is working properly and is available and reliable. It will host the interconnection between Member States' national critical communication systems on a secure and resilient optical fibre network, so countries can connect through one central point instead of building many separate links with each other. A separate European Union Security Monitoring Centre will analyse cyber and security risks, assess threats and support Member States. It will not directly manage incidents. How does the system work concretely from a technological perspective? All Member States will gradually move from narrowband radio systems to broadband technology – Mission Critical Services (MCX). MCX is a mobile broadband technology that delivers secure, high-priority voice, video and data communications for emergency responders. Although each European country runs its own emergency communication network, MCX standards make sure these national systems can connect and work together securely as needed. It will make sure that the coverage of commercial mobile networks can be leveraged, while ensuring reliability and priority needed for critical communication. EU satellite assets will complement the land-based networks and provide additional coverage in remote areas, as well as back-up in case networks are disrupted. Will the European Union Critical Communication System cooperate with the EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)? Yes. The ERCC ensures rapid deployment of emergency support and acts as a coordination hub in situations that are not law enforcement related. When emergency teams are deployed, they often work in different countries together with first responders from other countries. Currently, they need to find ad-hoc solutions to communicate with each other. With the European Union Critical Communication System, they will be joined up from the get-go when they arrive on the scene. How do we know whether the technology is operational in real-life situations? Two trials have already taken place, and more are planned. They are inspired by real-life cases: the European Union Critical Communication System team develops scenarios to test, work on and improve the coordination between the cross-border frontline services. The objective is to test the collaboration between agencies under pressure, mirroring real-life situations. These real-life trials enabled first responders to test the MCX (Mission Critical Services) technologies, share information, and coordinate simultaneous operations. When will the EUCCS be operational? The European Union Critical Communication System will be launched first with a few Member States and then expanded to include the others, reflecting the different stages of transition to broadband communication of Member States' national critical communication systems. As Member States upgrade their national systems, they can join the EUCCS. A first group of Member States should connect to the system in 2030, followed by the other Member States in 2033 and 2036, the latter being the final deadline by which all Member States must connect to the EUCCS. For more information Press release Factsheet Proposal to establish a European Union Critical Communication System European Internal Security Strategy (ProtectEU) European Preparedness Union Strategy EUCCS QANDA/26/2009 <@rel_link@> Press contacts: Markus LAMMERT (+32 2 296 75 33) Elettra DI MASSA (+32 2 298 21 61) General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email
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