The FPI approach to mine action
FPI supports humanitarian mine action projects worldwide to save lives, enable people to return home safely, restore livelihoods and support social and economic recovery after conflict.
Why mine action matters
Today, at least 57 States and other areas remain contaminated by anti-personnel landmines, putting civilians at risk, restricting humanitarian access and delaying recovery (Landmine Monitor 2025).
As the European Commission's lead service for humanitarian mine action, the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) delivers rapid mine action assistance where it is needed most. Through its crisis response mandate, FPI helps reduce explosive threats and release land for productive use, enabling infrastructure and essential services to be restored and affected communities to return home and rebuild their lives. Beyond operational support, FPI has a coordination mandate to strengthen international cooperation on
humanitarian mine action. It coordinates closely with EU Member States under the Team Europe approach and engages with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and G7+ countries to strengthen partnerships, facilitate the exchange of expertise and maximise the impact of mine action.
FPI mine action support develops across four key areas: strengthening mine action governance and national capacity, provision of equipment and operational capability, support to specialised mine action organisations, and enhancing innovation in technology and financing. Strong national mine action governance provides the foundation for activities to be effectively planned, coordinated and implemented, while the provision of equipment to state operators and support to specialised organisations strengthen operational delivery, and innovation makes it safer, faster and more cost-effective. FPI brings these elements together to make mine action more effective, sustainable and nationally owned.
Four key areas of support
- Governance and national capacity
FPI strengthens the governance capacity of national mine action authorities to lead and manage the sector, including through the provision of specialised expertise and personnel via its partner organisations. This support contributes to the development of national mine action strategies, standards and institutional capacities, enabling national authorities to coordinate and prioritise operations, oversee implementation and ensure effective mine action delivery.
- Equipment provision and operational capability
FPI provides national mine action operators with essential demining equipment and capabilities, including demining machines, mine detection dogs, vehicles, protective equipment and demining toolkits. FPI also supports training, repair and maintenance to keep equipment operational and ensure the effective and sustainable delivery of mine action activities
- Mine action organisations
FPI funds specialised mine action NGOs to deliver critical field operations, including technical and non-technical survey, clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, explosive ordnance risk education (EORE), victim assistance, livelihood support and assistance for safe returns.
- Innovation, technology and financing
FPI supports the uptake of proven and innovative approaches that enhance the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of mine action. This includes the provision of technical survey dogs, AI-driven solutions for remote detection, identification and mapping of explosive ordnance, digital tools and innovative financing models to strengthen safe, fast and cost-effective mine action delivery.
Gallery
Clearing mines © European Commission Clearing mines © European Commission 
Empowering female deminers © European CommissionEmpowering female deminers © European Commission 
Full manual clearance in a minefield © European CommissionConducting full manual clearance in a minefield, Syria 
HALO mine clearance © European CommissionHALO mine clearance © European Commission 
Deminers, © European CommissionDeminers, © European Commission 
Deminers © European CommissionDeminers © European Commission
Ukraine Mine Action Conference
The Ukraine Mine Action Conference (UMAC) is a key international initiative to advance humanitarian mine action in Ukraine, which is an essential part of Ukraine’s recovery, security and resilience.
