EU Member States lack a clear and coordinated approach to enhance societal preparedness and response to CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and explosive) events that integrate the needs of vulnerable individuals.

Based on preliminary results from the EU H2020 funded PROACTIVE project (Preparedness against CBRNe threats through common Approaches between security praCTItioners and the VuleranblE civil society), this policy brief recommends that EU policy makers should facilitate the development of coherent, evidenced-based guidance documents that include the needs of vulnerable citizens in three stages (before, during and after the event): Before CBRNe events, policy making should focus on enhancing preparedness by educating people and raising public awareness with culturally appropriate, accessible information using multiple modes of dissemination and languages (e.g., pictograms, sign language).

Attention on protected groups should be paid. Policy makers should also ensure uniformity among guidance documents and integrate information on the needs of vulnerable groups. During CBRNe events policy makers should increase resilience toward misinformation and coordinate action of the practitioners involved in CBRNe response. Moreover, policy making should focus on ensuring that communication strategies implemented by first responders are effective, up to date, trustworthy, evidencebased, and consider vulnerable citizens' needs. Policy making in post CBRNe events should favour the undertaking of post-event evaluation taking differential impact on vulnerable populations into consideration. Communication and ICT technologies used in CBRNe events should undergo assessment in order to enhance existing tools and methods.