After September 11, 2001 and the recent terrorist attacks in Madrid, the threat of man-made disasters has become a worldwide topic, generating concern and awareness throughout all levels of government and society. At the same time, an apparently increasing number of natural disasters has struck many countries, irrespective of their level of development. Faced with these different kinds of threats, research and politics have emphasized the urgent necessity of both disaster prevention and risk management. At the same time, it has become clear that disasters are of cross-border, transnational or even worldwide dimension, and occur in similar patterns all over the planet. The SETRIC project takes this insight as its basis, aiming at an interregional approach to these ubiquitous phenomena.

Prevention and management of major crises requires a high level of technical and infrastructural expertise. Some cities have already designed comprehensive crisis management systems. Others are only starting to do so. Research institutes are working on different specific procedures and technical devices. SETRIC now intends to create a forum for exchange of ideas and existing structures, bridging the gap between research and practice as well as the distance between different regions and cities. The SETRIC network also sets out to undertake, in a later stage of the project, a joint effort in designing a model prevention and response structure. The interregional approach - comprising municipalities and research institutions from various European countries - is not only the most efficient way for all partners to design their own crisis response system based on a large pool of experience. It also enhances interregional co-operation in general and in this specific field.