European cooperation for more effective communication in crisis situations

At the invitation of the Council of the European Union, the Republic of Moldova participated for the first time in the meeting of the Crisis Communicators’ Network (CCN), held in Brussels.

The event brought together specialists in public crisis communication from the member states of the European Union, the European Commission (DG COMM) and the Republic of Moldova, offering a platform for an exchange of experience regarding the management of communication in crisis situations, the coordination and coherence of messages at the regional level in crisis situations. 

Discussions focused in particular on communication in the context of power outages, damage to critical infrastructure and public health risks such as Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks. The agenda included presentations by experts from several EU countries, the Republic of Moldova, and the European Commission.

The National Crisis Management Center and the Ministry of Energy presented the Moldovan experience in managing energy crises, highlighting how public communication was adapted to respond quickly and efficiently to help citizens. 

The meeting reconfirmed the fact that in Europe crisis communication is increasingly based on the inter-institutional alignment of public messages and on the consolidation of solid information exchange mechanisms between operational teams in the field, decision-makers and institutional communicators. At the same time, emphasis is placed on an integrated approach at the level of the entire society, by involving beyond governmental action civil society, the private sector, the academic environment and citizens. The common objective remains to protect society through clear, correct and timely information.