Residents of border areas will receive emergency alerts

During large-scale civil and nuclear safety exercises scheduled for 4 and 5 June 2026, the French authorities will deploy the innovative FR-ALERT public emergency warning system. The exercises will take place at the Cattenom nuclear power station and in the prefecture of the Moselle department, with the active participation of Luxembourg’s official bodies.

A key feature of the upcoming exercises will be the use of Cell Broadcast technology to send out notifications directly. A special signal will be sent to all switched-on mobile phones within the coverage area of the border region, regardless of the subscriber’s country of registration or their mobile network operator. Official authorities warn that the receipt of these messages will be accompanied by a distinctive, loud audible alert that will override the devices’ silent mode.

Nevertheless, the organisers urge the public not to panic. The text of the mobile notification will clearly and unambiguously state that this is a test of the equipment, which is entirely separate from any real-life emergencies. Consequently, residents of border regions will not be required to take any protective measures or evacuate.