Forslag til RÅDETS BESLUTNING om ændring af beslutning 1999/847/EF med henblik på forlængelse af EF-handlingsprogrammet for civilbeskyttelse

(forelagt af Kommissionen)

BEGRUNDELSE

1. I december 1999 vedtog Rådet ved beslutning 1999/847/EF [1] andet EF-handlingsprogram for civilbeskyttelse. Formålet med dette handlingsprogram er at yde bedre beskyttelse for personer, miljøet og ejendom i tilfælde af naturkatastrofer og teknologiske katastrofer i EU. Det indeholder således bestemmelser om forskellige projekter, udveksling af eksperter, workshops og andre aktioner til fremme af samarbejdet og den gensidige bistand mellem medlemsstaternes civilbeskyttelsestjenester. Handlingsprogrammet skal supplere og støtte medlemsstaternes indsats på nationalt, regionalt og lokalt plan. Som led i det løbende program har Kommissionen koncentreret sine bestræbelser om et begrænset antal store projekter med bred virkning i EU. Der er således lagt vægt på nogle få betydeligere projekter til forebyggelse, information af offentligheden, krisestyring, lægebehandling under katastrofer og opbygning af net af forskellige frivillige, lokalt aktive sammenslutninger.

[1] EFT L 327 af 21.12.1999, s. 53-57.

2. En række begivenheder i de sidste år har understreget behovet for en fællesskabsaktion, f.eks. Prestige ulykken, skovbrandene i sommeren 2003 og oversvømmelserne i det sydlige Frankrig ved udgangen af 2003. Flere medlemsstater deltog i redningsaktionerne i forbindelse med disse ulykker, hvilket kræver fælles forberedelse og gensidig information. Desuden skal EU's borgere informeres bedre om risikoen for ulykker og om, hvorledes de skal reagere. Projekterne til instruktion af unge har vist sig særligt vellykkede.

3. Da det løbende fællesskabsprogram til civilbeskyttelse udløber den 31. december 2004, foreslås det at forlænge det i to år, nemlig fra januar 2005 til december 2006.

2004/0162(CNS)

Forslag til RÅDETS BESLUTNING om ændring af beslutning 1999/847/EF med henblik på forlængelse af EF-handlingsprogrammet for civilbeskyttelse (EØS-relevant tekst)

RÅDET FOR DEN EUROPÆISKE UNION HAR -

under henvisning til traktaten om oprettelse af Det Europæiske Fællesskab, særlig artikel 308,

under henvisning til forslag fra Kommissionen [2]

[2]

under henvisning til udtalelse fra Europa-Parlamentet [3], og

[3]

ud fra følgende betragtninger:

(1) Ifølge Rådets beslutning 1999/847/EF af 9. december 1999 om indførelse af et EF-handlingsprogram for civilbeskyttelse [4] skal der i perioden fra 1. januar 2000 til 31. december 2004 gennemføres en fællesskabsforanstaltning med henblik på forebyggelse og afhjælpning af naturkatastrofer og menneskeskabte katastrofer både til lands og på havet samt med henblik på opstilling af et beredskab til bekæmpelse af sådanne katastrofer.

[4] EFT L 327 af 21.12.1999, s. 53.

(2) Begivenheder for nylig, f.eks. oversvømmelserne i Central- og Østeuropa i sommeren 2002, Prestige ulykken i Spanien i november 2002 og hedebølgen og de omfattende skovbrande i Sydeuropa i sommeren 2003, viser, at fællesskabsforanstaltningen inden for civilbeskyttelse ifølge beslutning 1999/847/EF bør videreføres.

(3) For at undgå en afbrydelse mellem tidspunktet for udløbet af beslutning 1999/847/EF og datoen for anvendelsen af det nye retsgrundlag må handlingsprogrammet som indført ved beslutning 1999/847/EF forlænges i to år.

(4) Beslutning 1999/847/EF bør derfor ændres -

VEDTAGET FØLGENDE BESLUTNING:

Artikel 1

I beslutning 1999/847/EF foretages følgende ændringer:

(a) I artikel 1, stk. 1, ændres "31 december 2004" til "31 december 2006".

(b) Artikel 2, stk. 3, første afsnit, affattes således:

" Det finansielle referencegrundlag til gennemførelsen af programmet er på 7,5 mio. EUR for perioden 1. januar 2000 til 31. december 2004 og 4,8 mio. EUR for perioden 1. januar 2005 til 31. december 2006".

Artikel 2

Denne beslutning er rettet til medlemsstaterne.

Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den

På Rådets vegne

Formand

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area: Environment

Activity: Policy development

Title of action: Extending the Community Action Programme in the field of civil protection for the period 2005/2006

1. BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

07 03 06 01

2. OVERALL FIGURES

2.1. Total allocation for action (Part B): EUR 4.8 million

2.2. Period of application: 2005 - 2006

2.3. Overall multi annual estimate of expenditure:

(a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to three decimal places)

>TABELPOSITION>

(b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)

>TABELPOSITION>

>TABELPOSITION>

(c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure

(see points 6.2 and 6.3)

>TABELPOSITION>

>TABELPOSITION>

2.4. Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

[X] Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming.

[...] Proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

[...] Proposal may require application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5. Financial impact on revenue:

[X] Proposal has no financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of a measure)

OR

[...] Proposal has financial impact - the effect on revenue is as follows:

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

>TABELPOSITION>

4. LEGAL BASIS

Council Decision of 9 December 1999 establishing a Community Action Programme in the field of civil protection (1999/847/EC) , OJ L 327, 21.12.1999, p. 53.

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1. Need for Community intervention

5.1.1. Objectives pursued

Recent emergencies such as the floods in Southern France in 2002, the heat wave and extensive forest fires in southern Europe in the summer of 2003 and the terrorist attack in Madrid in March 2004 as well as the earthquakes in Algeria, Iran and Morocco show that there is a need to continue the action undertaken in the field of civil protection.

A global evaluation of the three current instruments, Civil Protection Action Programme, Community Mechanism and Marine Pollution framework, is ongoing in order to identify possible future areas for common action in this field. This may result in a new instrument which will cover the period 2007-2013.

Therefore, considering that the current Community action programme expires on 31 December 2004 it needs to be extended for a period of two year until 31 December 2006.

The Civil Protection Action Programme "is intended to support and supplement Member States' efforts at national, regional and local levels for the protection of persons, property and in so doing environment, in the event of natural and technological disasters, without prejudice to the internal division of competence in Member States. The aim is also to facilitate cooperation, exchange of experience and mutual assistance between Member States in this field."

It aims at the enhancement of civil protection capabilities of Member States, EEA and candidate countries for dealing with disasters, and in particular:

- prevention, forecasting, detection, preparedness for response and immediate aftercare, and analysis of the socioeconomic implications of disasters,

- workshops, training courses, exchange and secondment of experts, and exercises intended to stimulate civil protection cooperation,

- actions and pilot projects to increase capacity, speed and efficiency in emergency situations and support, information and awareness-raising activities including conferences with a civil protection theme,

- mobilisation of experts to reinforce and assist Member States or third countries facing natural disasters or technological accidents,

This proposal on the table will provide the extension of current Civil Protection Action Programme for the years 2005-2006.

5.2. Action envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

After the adoption of the decision the Commission will establish the rolling plan for the two

years, 2005-2006, and subsequently launch Call for proposals.

The actions covered by the present legislative proposal are carried out in accordance with the Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

5.3. Methods of implementation

The programme is managed directly by the Commission through Call for proposals and accompanying measures.

6. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

6.1. Impact on human resources

>TABELPOSITION>

6.2. Overall financial impact of human resources

>TABELPOSITION>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

6.3. Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action

>TABELPOSITION>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

1 Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs.

I. Annual total (6.2 + 6.3) // 478 800 EUR

II. Duration of action // 2 years

III. Total cost of action (I x II) // 957 600 EUR

All administrative and Human Resources requirements will be covered from within the Budget allocates to the managing DG's in the framework of the annual allocation procedure.

7. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

7.1. Follow-up arrangements

A global evaluation of the three current instruments, Civil Protection Action Programme, Mechanism and Marine Pollution framework is ongoing in order to identify possible future areas for common action in this field.

For the future the Commission is considering the possibility to streamline the three instruments into one single framework.

8. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

The proposed activities only consist of grants and expenditure on expert meetings. The latter will be subject to the Commission's usual control mechanisms and therefore there is no need for supplementary anti-fraud measures.