Brussels hosts EU MODEX 2026: to strengthen European cooperation in the face of disasters

The Brussels-Capital Region is hosting for the first time a major European civil protection exercise. From 1 to 5 June 2026, safe.brussels, together with the Directorate-General for Civil Security, is organising EU MODEX 2026, a European civil protection exercise focused on flood preparedness and response. The exercise was launched in the presence of European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Bernard Quintin, Minister of Security and the Interior and Boris Dilliès, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region.

The exercise EU MODEX 2026 will test coordination between Belgian authorities and European civil protection mechanisms in response to a major natural disaster. It follows the FLOODEX exercise held last week, which simulated a flood response involving Brussels emergency services and authorities.

A scenario of major flooding

MODEX 2026 scenario simulates heavy and persistent rainfall as well as the overflow of the Senne causing significant flooding across the Brussels Region: river overflows, urban runoff, saturated sewer systems, major transport disruptions and impacts on critical infrastructure and the population. This scenario draws on the floods that struck Belgium in July 2021, as well as the increasingly frequent extreme weather events experienced across Europe in recent years.
The exercise will test the management of a complex disaster with cascading impacts on infrastructure, mobility, and essential services.

60 participants from 18 European countries

MODEX 2026 brings together nearly 60 participants from 18 European countries: operational teams, crisis coordination experts, trainers and evaluators. The exercise includes the deployment of:

• The European Union Civil Protection Team (EUCPT)
• European civil protection modules, including search and rescue teams, emergency medical teams, cultural heritage protection expert)
• Belgian partners, including safe.brussels, SPF Intérieur, rescue and police services, etc.)
• The exercise tests the practical functioning of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, which enables the rapid mobilisation of European resources when national capacities are overwhelmed.

Collaboration at the heart of crisis management

Sophie Lavaux, Governor for Crisis Management in the Brussels-Capital Region and Director general safe.brussels: « Collaboration and coordination are at the heart of effective crisis management. Organising this exercise in Brussels allows us to test our ability to work with our international partners in conditions close to reality. The objective remains the same: improve our processes to better protect the Brussels population from the growing risks of climate change and thus strengthen the resilience of the Region. » 

Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner: « Prepare rather than improvise for emergencies. When it comes to crisis management, European solidarity is growing. It is a team that trains, coordinates and intervenes. This is the added value of the European Civil Protection Mechanism: When a crisis exceeds the capabilities of a single country, Europe mobilises as a one, with everyone knowing their role. This is what we are testing today in Brussels. Each MODEX is a life-size exercise that strengthens us, tests our reflexes, our resources, our coordination, our decision-making chains. »

Bernard Quintin, Minister for Security and the Interior: « Being well prepared means being better protected.Governments have a responsibility to ensure that our country, its citizens and its infrastructure are prepared for all scenarios. This MODEX exercise demonstrates the joint commitment of regional, national and European authorities to achieve this objective. I thank all the services mobilised. »

Boris Dilliès, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region: « There is no such thing as zero risk. But good preparation helps to limit the consequences of a disaster. Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe, must be able to count on exemplary coordination between Brussels, federal and European services in crisis situations. This exercise is a further step in strengthening the safety of Brussels residents. »

What comes next?

The exercise will continue in Brussels until Friday. Thursday’s programme is organized in collaboration with the federal services of the Governor of Walloon Brabant. The lessons learned during this exercise week will directly contribute to the implementation of the European Crisis Preparedness Strategy. A detailed assessment and key recommendations will be presented at the conclusion of the exercise.

About EU MODEX 2026 

• 10th and final European MODEX exercise organised in Belgium
• Nearly 60 participants
• 18 countries represented: Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
• 9 international response teams
• Co-funded by the European Union and organised by a consortium of civil protection authorities (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Portugal and Slovenia)