From 3 to 6 March 2026, the EU-funded SUNSHINE project held its second Training Seminar at the University of Strasbourg. This activity further advances the project’s mission to support the operational uptake of EU Space Programme data and services by national civil protection authorities, reinforcing the Union’s broader commitment to disaster preparedness and resilience across EU member states.
Julien Marion, General Director of Civil Security and Crisis Management in France, formally opened the Training Seminar with an inaugural address. He emphasized the necessity of leveraging satellite data to increase the safety and security of EU citizens. He stated that national crisis management systems must integrate innovative technologies, citing as example the EU satellite navigation programme “Galileo”, soon capable to disseminate, from space, alerts directly to citizens
Following the successful first Training Seminar held in November 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia, the second seminar brought together operational responders and technical experts from across the European Union. Over four days of intensive training, participants are expected to strengthen their operational capacities and exchange best practices on integrating and exploiting EU Space-based services into national disaster management workflows. Particular emphasis is placed on the practical application of Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) and Galileo Early Warning Satellite Service (EWSS), demonstrating how these tools can support anticipation, preparedness, population alerting and response to a broad range of natural hazards.
The SUNSHINE Seminars are the first-ever EU-level cross-cutting training designed to cover all components of the EU Space Programme – Copernicus, Galileo, Space Situational Awareness (SSA), GOVSATCOM, and IRIS2 – within a single operational framework for civil protection authorities. The Seminars’ innovative and pedagogical approach enables attendees to develop a comprehensive understanding of how these space-based services can jointly reinforce national and cross-border emergency management procedures.
Through the week, participants are going to analyse case studies and explore EU Space assets through lectures, hands-on workshops, simulation exercises and expert sessions, strengthening their technical expertise. Crucially, the programme fosters a collaborative environment among EU Member States, encouraging a shared approach for integrating space-derived data into disaster management workflows.
The SUNSHINE Seminar series will feature two additional editions in Timișoara, Romania (5–8 May 2026) and Zagreb, Croatia (23–26 June 2026). The Expression of Interest to participate is currently open at this link.
Training participants will also become eligible to take part in the SUNSHINE Simulation Exercises, scheduled to take place in Brussels on 24–25 March 2026 and 6–7 October 2026, providing an opportunity to apply the acquired knowledge in a scenario-based operational environment.
Overall, the SUNSHINE capacity building programme will deepen knowledge of EU Space data and services while creating a lasting network of practitioners. Participants to the training seminars will become points of contact for other SUNSHINE opportunities (such as bilateral exchanges, simulation exercises, and technical assistance), ambassadors of EU Space services within their home countries, and will be put in contact with their national delegates to the European Commission’s Expert Group for early warning and alert tools, reinforcing links between operational practice and EU-level coordination.
The European Commission expresses its appreciation to the French Civil Protection, and in particular to the University of Strasbourg, for hosting the seminar and for their commitment to advancing European civil protection capability.
The European Commission further acknowledged the contribution of the SUNSHINE project consortium, comprising Telespazio France, ALSO Space, EENA, UNISTRA-SERTIT, Edelweiss Resilience, IABG, FDC, and CNES, whose combined expertise ensured the scientific rigour and operational relevance of the training.
Background Information
In response to a European Parliament request which was further confirmed by the EU member states at the Council of the European Union, SUNSHINE is an EU-funded project which aims to strengthen disaster resilience across Europe by facilitating the uptake of EU Space Programme data and services within civil protection frameworks. It is coordinated by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), in strong coordination with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).
The SUNSHINE project directly supports the objectives of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) by promoting the uptake of EU Space data and services to strengthen disaster resilience and improve civil protection operations. Through trainings, technical assistance, exercises, and recommendations, SUNSHINE will improve the understanding of the EU Space services, and will help UCPM stakeholders and civil protection authorities across Member States exploit the full potential of these space-based capacities.
