European Fire Safety Alliance – Newsletter September 2025 and new core group member
Europe enters the autumn policy season with Fire Safety firmly tied to the big policy areas shaping this EU mandate.
The new 2024-2029 Commission has flagged housing, affordability and safer, healthier buildings as core priorities, momentum that dovetails with our push to make homes across Europe both energy-efficient and fire-safe. Implementation of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is now underway, and the new Construction Products Regulation entered into force on 7 January 2025, two anchors that can advance robust fire-safety practice if we keep fire risk front and centre in discussions about renovation and product rules.
Housing policy itself is moving up the EU agenda in 2025, with Parliament and the Commission scaling up initiatives on affordability, quality and resilience. Our message is clear: fire safety is a social policy, too. Especially for vulnerable residents. So it must be embedded in the EU’s housing measures from funding to standards.
This year’s severe wildfire season is a stark reminder of why prevention and preparedness belong in every layer of policy. The EU has expanded rescEU aerial and ground assets for 2025, but true resilience starts at home: better data, better design, and working smoke alarms.
Against this backdrop, European Fire Safety Week 2025 (3-7 November) will focus on driving Fire Safety in the European housing agenda through webinars, community actions and a high-level roundtable at the European Parliament. We’ll connect legislators, fire services, industry and civil society around practical steps to make dwellings safer in every Member State.
We’ll close the week with European Smoke Alarm Day on Friday, 7 November (#smokealarmssavelives). The campaign’s aims are simple and urgent: make smoke alarms mandatory in homes across Europe; mobilise fire services to install and promote alarms for vulnerable households; and give residents clear guidance on choosing, placing and maintaining alarms. We will hold a webinar to discuss key issues to do with increasing awareness about the benefits of smoke alarms especially for vulnerable people.
Finally, we’ll keep pushing for comparable fire data. The EUFireStat work shows the path to harmonised indicators. Our European Fire Safety Action Plan estimates around 5,000 residential fire deaths each year. A figure we can drive down faster with consistent reporting and evidence-based action. We look forward to the move towards the implementation of harmonised fire statistics in EU countries very soon.
See you in November for European Fire Safety Week! Let’s turn policy momentum into lives saved.
Best regards,
Krzysztof Biskup
Chair
New Core Group Member
We are pleased to welcome Tove Frykmer as a Core Group Member of the European Fire Safety Alliance. She brings extensive expertise and valuable insights to the role.
Tove is an Associate Senior Lecturer at the Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety, Lund University. Her teaching and research focus on emergency management, particularly command and control, coordination, decision-making, problem-solving, and leadership.
She is involved in a national development project aimed at improving Sweden’s crisis management framework for joint incident handling, working closely with agencies and researchers to integrate practice-relevant insights.
Her research is practice-oriented and includes collaborations with fire and rescue services, municipalities, and national agencies. Tove has contributed to the development of a harmonised command system in Sweden, drawing on her experience with the U.S. Incident Command System, which she studied as a guest researcher at UC Berkeley. Her ongoing research explores problem-solving within networks across fire and rescue services in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
In education, she is responsible for bachelor- and master-level courses on civil preparedness and disaster response management, as well as a professional course in response management. She also leads the Officer Development Program for the Federation of European Fire Officers, hosted in Lund.
We wish Tove every success in her new role.
Public consultation of the EU Housing policy
The European Parliament and Commission are joining forces to make homes across Europe more affordable, sustainable, and energy efficient. A new Special Committee on Housing has been launched by the European Parliament, while Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen prepares to unveil the EU’s first Affordable Housing Plan. It gives a rare chance to put forward policies that make homes not only easier to afford and greener but also safer.
In response to the Commission’s public consultation on the revision of the EU State Aid Rules for Affordable Housing, the European Fire Safety Alliance, together with 9 organizations working on improvement of Fire Safety in Europe, has prepared a common position statement, in particular suggesting reference to fire, electrical and gas safety in the definition of affordable housing, as well as additional safety conditions to be considered by EU Member States when designing affordable housing. A full text of submitted joint intervention is available here.
Consultations are also underway on the European Affordable Housing Plan being developed by the Commission. Anyone can contribute to this consultation by completing the online questionnaire before the closing date is 17th October 2025.
It is essential to convince EU decision makers that Fire Safety is an inseparable part of responsible housing policy and should be prioritised on the EU housing agenda.
European Fire Safety Week 2025
We are less than six weeks away from the next European Fire Safety Week (EUFSW25), starting on 3 November 2025.
The European Fire Safety Alliance and its partners have prepared a programme of impactful events to advance fire safety across Europe and strengthen the European Fire Safety Action Plan.
This year’s programme addresses Europe’s most pressing fire safety challenges through webinars on lessons from fire incidents, fire safety engineering, harmonised fire inspection guidelines and the safe use of flame retardants. A highlight is the high-level discussion in the European Parliament focusing on Fire Safety in EU housing policy, hosted by Mr. Ciaran Mullooly, Member of European Parliament. Other initiatives include a webinar by the EU Fire Information Exchange Platform and a public awareness campaign on smoke alarms.
EUFSW25 will bring together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to drive progress towards a fire-safe Europe.
We warmly invite you to join us. Register now and stay tuned for more details.
European Smoke Alarm Campaign 2025
The fourth edition of European Smoke Alarm Day, led by the European Fire Safety Alliance and supported by the Federation of European Fire Officers, will take place on Friday, 7 November as part of European Fire Safety Week 2025.
The campaign calls on European governments to mandate smoke alarms in all homes, while raising awareness of national initiatives and educating the public on their life-saving benefits. An updated interactive map on the campaign website shows the status of legislation across Europe. The site also offers households practical guidance on installation and maintenance, plus video messages from fire service leaders and Members of the European Parliament.
This year’s campaign expands to Lithuania and Malta, with website content and leaflets available in more languages. A renewed social media campaign will run from November through December 2025 across Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and, for the first time, TikTok—sharing fire safety tips, best practices and new messages regularly.
On 7 November, the initiative concludes with a webinar featuring experts on:
- The critical role of smoke alarms and CO detectors in reducing fatalities in residential homes.
- How to make smoke alarms more accessible for vulnerable people.
- Updates on effective smoke alarm campaigns organized in European countries.
- Experiences of survivors of real fire incidents.
Focus Group Team: Learning from Fire Victims – A European approach to Fire Safety
The European Fire Safety Alliance has launched a focus group to improve fire safety for vulnerable communities, as part of the European Fire Safety Action Plan 2024–2026. Led by Core Group member Veerle De Decker, the group includes experts from behavioural sciences, survival psychology, psychotraumatology, community fire safety, firefighting—and also fire survivors themselves.
The focus group’s mission is to create accessible tools and strategies that help fire services connect with victims, learn from survivor behaviour and improve the impact of community fire safety education. Fire services will be the primary users of these insights and resources.
The initiative began in May with a workshop in Lapland during the ISES, which highlighted various “thresholds” influencing how fire victims respond after emergencies. These include factors such as social environment, urgency, accessibility, trust, personal skills, values, identity, trauma and age.
Since then, the group has developed a mission, vision and strategy and now meets every six weeks to build on this work. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to ensure that learning from survivors directly strengthens fire safety strategies across Europe
Call for tender for harmonised fire statistics in Europe
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) has launched a new open call for tender to advance the EU FireStat initiative, aimed at building upon the pilot project for harmonised fire statistics. This follow-up procurement—approved in the context of a preparatory action included in the 2024 Commission budget—will facilitate the actual implementation of harmonised fire data collection across Member States, with the goal of integrating the system into Eurostat’s regular output and enhancing pan-European fire safety decision-making. The European Fire Safety Alliance welcomes this next step and looks forward to the outcome of this project in 3-4 years. The closing date for the Call for Tender is 30 September 2025.
Dates to remember
- 2025 November 03-07
- European Fire Safety Week 2025
- Brussels & Online
- www.firesafetyweek.eu
- November 07
- European Smoke Alarm Day
- https://www.europeansmokealarmday.eu/
EMR Analysis
More information on European Fire Safety Alliance: https://www.europeanfiresafetyalliance.org/ + European Fire Safety Alliance (EuroFSA) is an independent alliance of fire professionals whose mission is to reduce the risks from fire, especially in domestic area. Our policy is based on the European Fire Safety Action Plan developed in cooperation with many European experts – the first evidence and knowledge based fire safety agenda for Europe.
The European Fire Safety Alliance Core Group is responsible for strategy. Decisions are taken by consensus. The Core Group is a group influencers on fire safety and fire safety science, mainly with afire brigade background:
- Krzysztof Biskup, firefighter, former Vice Director of the Research Centre for Fire Protection (PL) – Chair
- Finian Joyce, former Chief Fire Officers, former Secretary of the Federation of European Fire Officers (IE) – Vice Chair
- Lieuwe De Witte, professor of Fire Safety, lecturer of fire safety science at the NIPV (NL)
- Anna Andersson Carlin, Fire Protection Engineer, Secretary of the Federation of European Fire Officers (SE)
- Stephan Wevers, Chief Fire Officer + President of the Federation of European Fire Officers (NL) + President, FEU
- Veerle De Decker, Connection Manager on Community Fire Safety, Antwerp Fire Service (BE)
- Rob Baardse, Executive Director of the Dutch Burns Foundation (NL)
- Tove Frykmer, Head of the Officer Development Program for the Federation of European Fire Officers (SE)
More information on Krzysztof Biskup (Chair, European Fire Safety Alliance + Former Director Scientific & Research Centre for Fire Protection (PL)): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on European Fire Safety Week (November 3-7, 2025) by The European Fire Safety Alliance: https://www.europeanfiresafetyalliance.org/european-fire-safety-week/ + Live webinars & high level discussion in Parliament.
Together we will bridge the gaps in Fire Safety knowledge, data, legislation and standards through the exchange of the best practices within the EU member states.
More information on The European Union: https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en + The European Union’s institutional set-up is unique and its decision-making system is constantly evolving. The 7 European institutions, 7 EU bodies and over 30 decentralized agencies are spread across the EU. They work together to address the common interests of the EU and European people.
In terms of administration, there are a further 20 EU agencies and organisations which carry out specific legal functions and 4 interinstitutional services which support the institutions.
All of these establishments have specific roles – from developing EU laws and policy-making to implementing policies and working on specialist areas, such as health, medicine, transport and the environment.
There are 4 main decision-making institutions which lead the EU’s administration. These institutions collectively provide the EU with policy direction and play different roles in the law-making process:
- The European Parliament (Brussels/Strasbourg/Luxembourg)
- The European Council (Brussels)
- The Council of the European Union (Brussels/Luxembourg)
- The European Commission (Brussels/Luxembourg/Representations across the EU)
Their work is complemented by other institutions and bodies, which include:
- The Court of Justice of the European Union (Luxembourg)
- The European Central Bank (Frankfurt)
- The European Court of Auditors (Luxembourg)
The EU institutions and bodies cooperate extensively with the network of EU agencies and organisations across the European Union. The primary function of these bodies and agencies is to translate policies into realities on the ground.
Around 60,000 EU civil servants and other staff serve the 450 million Europeans (and countless others around the world).
Currently, 27 countries are part of the EU: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles_en
More information on The European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/info/index_en + The Commission helps to shape the EU’s overall strategy, proposes new EU laws and policies, monitors their implementation and manages the EU budget. It also plays a significant role in supporting international development and delivering aid.
The Commission is steered by a group of 27 Commissioners, known as ‘the college’. Together they take decisions on the Commission’s political and strategic direction.
A new college of Commissioners is appointed every 5 years.
The Commission is organised into policy departments, known as Directorates-General (DGs), which are responsible for different policy areas. DGs develop, implement and manage EU policy, law, and funding programmes. In addition, service departments deal with particular administrative issues. Executive agencies manage programmes set up by the Commission.
Principal roles in law: The Commission proposes and implements laws which are in keeping with the objectives of the EU treaties. It encourages input from business and citizens in the law-making process and ensures laws are correctly implemented, evaluated and updated when needed.
More information on Ursula von der Leyen (President, The European Commission): https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2019-2024/president_en + https://www.linkedin.com/in/ursula-von-der-leyen/
More information on the Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) by The European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_6686 + Buildings are one of the largest sources of energy consumption in Europe. Boosting their energy efficiency would cut emissions, tackle energy poverty, reduce people’s vulnerability to energy prices and support the economic recovery and job creation. The Renovation Wave Strategy (MEMO) presented in October 2020 set out measures aiming to at least double the annual energy renovation rate by 2030. The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is an essential element of this Strategy. It upgrades the existing regulatory framework to reflect higher ambitions and more pressing needs in climate and social action while providing Member States with the flexibility needed to take into account the differences in the building stock across Europe.
- The revised directive sets out how Europe can achieve a zero-emission and fully decarbonised building stock by 2050.
- The proposed measures will increase the rate of renovation, particularly for the worst-performing buildings in each Member State.
- It will modernize the building stock, making it more resilient and accessible.
- It supports better air quality, the digitalisation of energy systems for buildings and the roll-out of infrastructure for sustainable mobility.
- Crucially, the revised directive facilitates more targeted financing to investments in the building sector, complementing other EU instruments supporting vulnerable consumers and fighting energy poverty.
On March 12, 2024, MEPs adopt plans to decarbonise the sector: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240308IPR19003/energy-efficiency-of-buildings-meps-adopt-plans-to-decarbonise-the-sector
- New buildings to be zero-emission from 2030
- Measures to help lower energy bills, fight climate change
- Agricultural buildings and historic buildings can be excluded
- Buildings account for 36% of EU greenhouse-gas emissions
The directive was adopted with 370 votes to 199, with 46 abstentions. It will now have to be formally endorsed by the Council of Ministers, too, in order to become law. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275, EPBD) entered into force on 28 May 2024 and will need to be transposed into national laws by 29 May 2026.
More information on the European Construction Products Regulation (CPR) by The European Commission: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/construction/construction-products-regulation-cpr_en + https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/new-eu-rules-safety-and-sustainability-construction-products-mark-new-step-sectors-competitiveness-2025-01-07_en + The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) lays down harmonized rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU. The Regulation provides a common technical language to assess the performance of construction products. It ensures that reliable information is available to professionals, public authorities, and consumers, so they can compare the performance of products from different manufacturers in different countries.
The new Regulation (entered into force on 7 January 2025) modernises the rules from 2011, makes it easier to sell construction products across the EU Single Market, supports innovative construction techniques and enhances the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
More information on rescEU (European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations) by The European Commission: https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en. + The European Commission upgraded the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and created rescEU to further protect citizens from disasters and to manage emerging risks.
rescEU was established as a strategic reserve of European disaster response capabilities and stockpiles, fully funded by the EU. It comprises a fleet of firefighting planes and helicopters, a medical evacuation plane, and several essential stockpiles. These include field hospitals, transport assets, energy and shelter items, critical medical supplies, and equipment to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.
rescEU reserves are hosted in strategic locations across 22 Members States and participating states.
More information on The EUFireStat by The European Commission: https://eufirestat-efectis.com/index.html + EU FireStat project brings together the knowledge and experience of nine different international fire safety institutions. The project will map the existing fire data collected across Member States and propose meaningful data sets to allow decisions on fire safety at Member State and at EU level.
The aim of this pilot project is to analyse the terminology used and the data collected by the Member States regarding building fires. This will identify the collection difficulties and interpretation differences and propose a common terminology and a method to collect the necessary data.
EU FireStat is a 17-month project that is financed by the European Parliament and commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).
More information on Ciaran Mullooly (Member, The European Parliament, The European Union): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/257298/CIARAN_MULLOOLY/home + https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciaran-mullooly-a04982170/
More information on Dan Jørgensen (Energy and Housing Commissioner, The European Commission): https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/college-commissioners/dan-jorgensen_en + https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-j%C3%B8rgensen-078554382/
More information on the State Aid Rules for Affordable Housing by The European Commission: https://housing.ec.europa.eu/what-eu-does_en + The Affordable Housing Plan will increase European added value in jointly addressing the housing crisis.
Housing affordability is not only a question of rent or house prices. It’s also related to heating costs, energy prices, and other factors linked to someone’s living situation, which can be measured by the housing cost overburden rate. This also means that measures must take several policies into consideration, to avoid improvements in one area that cause price hikes in others.
More information on the Federation of European Fire Officers (FEU): https://www.f-e-u.org/ + The FEU informally had its maiden meeting in 1990. In 1992, in Eastbourne/United Kingdom, they first discussed the idea of a network. It was not until 1995, in Tampere/Finland, that a vote took place on the constitution and the name FEU (Federation of European Union fire officers associations) was officially accepted. With the adoption of the new constitution in 2020, the name FEU has remained, but the official name has been changed to Federation of EUropean fire officers.
The FEU is the independent professional body of 24 European fire officer associations or state fire services (including UK and Norway) whose members are senior professionals that have responsibility for strategic management of the Fire and Rescue Services in their respective countries at municipal, county, regional or state level.
More information on Stephan Wevers (Chief Fire Officer + President of the Federation of European Fire Officers (NL) + President, FEU): https://www.f-e-u.org/about-feu/management-board/ + https://www.europeanfiresafetyalliance.org/about-us/structure/ + https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-wevers-59a57027/