Wildfires in Cyprus, a heavy reminder of not implementing EU legislation on public warning
In the past few days, Cyprus was hit by a series of devastating wildfires, which claimed several lives and caused important material damage[1]. Following the tragedy, the State capacity to respond to this risk was questioned with criticisms focusing on the absence of a centralised civil protection agency, the lack of coordination between different agencies, the non-implementation of preventive measures against wildfires and the absence of a system to warn quickly and efficiently the population in case of crisis [2]. Despite the European Electronic Communications Code making it mandatory for all EU Member States since 2022 to implement either Cell Broadcast or Location-Based SMS to warn everyone in a given area directly on their mobile phone, Cyprus has still not implemented this life-saving legislation.
In response to growing debates, the Cypriot Government has formally acknowledged that the long-anticipated nationwide Public Warning System has faced significant and persistent delays. The initial tender for this system, launched in 2022, was reportedly cancelled in May 2024 following objections from bidders, leading to a complete re-evaluation of the procurement process. A new tender was subsequently re-issued in December 2024 for a project expected to be completed in 2026[3].
The European Electronic Communications Code was adopted in 2018 with a deadline set on 21 June 2022 for EU Member States to adopt a mobile-based Public Warning System, leaving them an extended period of 3 years and a half. The absence of such a system more than three years after the legal deadline is unacceptable. As tragically highlighted during these recent wildfires, the continued delay in adopting this critical technology directly puts the safety of people at risk.
While the Cypriot authorities are rightly criticised for their failure to implement Public Warning Systems in due time, the European Commission has also failed in its duty to correctly enforce EU legislation. The Commission’s inaction comes despite regular warnings from EENA over these past years and is also endangering public safety. How many more tragedies must we endure before the European Commission takes its role seriously and enforces a law designed to save lives? As the European Commission prepares a new proposal to replace the European Electronic Communications Code, its immediate focus must first be on ensuring correct implementation of all provisions of the previous legislation.
The tragic events in Cyprus serve as a heavy reminder of the human cost of delayed action. The ongoing failure to implement a robust Public Warning System is not only an administrative matter; it is a critical public safety issue. EENA is therefore calling on the Cypriot authorities to implement urgently an efficient Public Warning system. EENA is also calling on once again the European Commission to immediately launch infringement proceedings against all Member States, including Cyprus, that have not yet implemented their Public Warning Systems. The safety of every European citizen depends on the resolute enforcement of these life-saving laws.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/24/two-more-killed-amid-raging-wildfires-in-cyprus-and-turkey
[2] https://fastforward.com.cy/policy/cyprus-fire-reforms-hold-prevention-later
[3] https://www.gov.cy/esoterika-themata/enimerosi-tis-dynamis-politikis-amynas-gia-to-systima-egkairis-proeidopoiisis-tou-plithysmou/