The project of the EMDM was launched during the First Congress of the European Society for Emergency Medicine in April 1998 in San Marino, as a pilot project to be implemented in the framework of a European interuniversity cooperation.

The European Centre of Disaster Medicine (CEMEC) and the Eur-OPA project of the Council of Europe, decided to support the project.
Consequently an agreement for the creation of a European Certificate in Disater Medicine was signed by thr Universita Catholica S. Cuora, the Catholic Universty of Leuven, the University of San Marino and CEMEC.

The University of Eastern Piemonte and the Free University of Brussels have decided to raise the Certificate to a level – two Master in Disaster Medicine based on Italian legislation.