Title: DG ENV A3 Civil Protection Unit http:ec'europa'euenvironmentcivilindex'htm
1EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION Together in the face of
disaster
- DG ENV A3 Civil Protection Unit
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm
2European civil protection cooperation
- History
- 1985 first ministerial meeting
- 1987 a number of Council resolutions
- 1997 first CP Action Programme
- 2001 Community CP Mechanism established
- 2007 revised legal framework
3European civil protection cooperation
- Community civil protection mechanism
- adopted on 8 November 2007 (2007/779/EC, Euratom)
- Civil protection financial instrument
- adopted on 5 March 2007 (2007/162/EC, Euratom)
4Preparedness Overview
- 2001 legal basis
- Training courses
- Simulation exercises
- EU Exchange of experts system (http//www.exchange
ofexperts.eu/) - Projects
- 2007 legal basis
- Early warning
- Modules
5Preparedness Training courses
- Some 600 experts already trained
- Sub-contracted training centres in various
locations
Experts trained in EU civil protection can be
deployed
Exchange of experts programme
6Preparedness Simulation exercises
- What kind of exercises?
- Large-scale pan-European simulation exercises
- 2007 ? 2.6 million
- 21 exercises financed since 2002
- Aims
- Accelerate response decision-making procedures
- Enhance interoperability
- Identify further training needs
Escex 2004, Finland
Eurosot 2005, Italy
EUDANEX 2006, Denmark/Sweden
EULUX 2007, Luxembourg
7Preparedness and Response Modules
- resources of one or more participating states
- can be dispatched at very short notice
- work self-sufficiently and autonomously
- interoperable with other modules
- able to provide assistance to other international
organisations, especially the UN - examples of modules forest fire-fighting high
capacity pumping
8Monitoring and Information Centre
Response The MIC
Technical support
e.g. satellite images and access to other
Community resources
Supports coordination
Information role
- e.g.
- dispatches EU expert teams
- matches requests for aid to offers from
participating states - assists in providing transport options for
assistance
e.g. analyses and distributes reliable info to
participating states during disasters
A one-stop shop for civil protection
assistance
9Response outside the EU
- close cooperation with other Commission services
e.g. DG ECHO, DG RELEX - close cooperation with the Presidency of the EU
- leading role of UN OCHA recognised
- close cooperation between MIC teams and UNDAC
teams on site
10Response CECIS
Common Emergency Communication and Information
System
11Specificities of European civil protection
- European systems and organisations have evolved
over the last 15 years - the term civil defence is now rarely used in
Europe - organisations are civilian and personnel are
under civilian command - personnel do not carry weapons when on
international disaster relief missions - military resources are used as a last resort.
12Prevention Why a specific strategy?
- Prevention and response go together
- Increasing link between civil protection with
environmental and other policies
Disaster
Civil Protection
Other Policies
Disaster Risk Reduction / Prevention
13Prevention An ongoing process
Knowledge-based approach
2 studies Gaps identified
Stakeholder consultation
Ongoing review process
- European society
- Businesses
- Public Sector
end 2008 prevention initiative
14Prevention What is the aim?
- build a consistent knowledge base on disasters
- link the various actors and policies
- improve the use of EU funds for preventing
disasters - review and complement existing initiatives
- support specific EU research and development
initiatives - reinforce international co-operation on
prevention.
15Thank you
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/civil