Over the last decade natural and man-made crises requiring a joint European response have increased in number and intensity. In this evolving global security environment, the role of the European Union as a security actor is changing. With every new major crisis the EU leaders have called for new ways and means of strengthening the Union’s capacity to protect European citizens and society.

Practical experiences show, however, that EU Member States’ willingness to draw on the Union in crises and disasters is not just a question of capacities and legal frameworks but also highly dependent on national perceptions and attitudes.

This report focuses on Member States’ expectations on civil protection assistance in the EU by exploring the concept of trust. After investigating Member States’ trust in each other’s preparedness to assist the author of this book presents a set of proposals that aim to strengthen mutual reliance on EU civil protection aid. This report provides an analytical framework for studying the concept of trust, which can be applied to other fields concerning European societal security. Click here for more information.