COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2022/706

of 5 May 2022

laying down rules for the application of Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, as regards criteria and procedures for recognising long-standing commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism

(notified under document C(2022) 2884)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (1), and in particular Article 32(1), point (hb) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) In order to recognise and honour long-standing commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (‘the Union Mechanism’), Decision No 1313/2013/EU provides that the Commission may award medals to the relevant recipients.

(2) In order to award such Union Mechanism medals (‘UCPM medals’), the Commission should lay down the criteria and procedures for recognising long-standing commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Mechanism.

(3) Given the cross-sectoral approach of the assistance provided through the Union Mechanism, UCPM medals should be awarded to Union and third country citizens, including civil protection personnel, disaster management personnel, military personnel of Member States, or personnel of other relevant authorities or bodies for contributions rendered to the Union Mechanism. The UCPM medals can be awarded to natural persons or modules, including intervention teams, technical assistance and support teams (‘TAST’), and other response capacities registered in the Common Emergency Communication and Information System (‘CECIS’).

(4) In order to cover the activities of the entire disaster management cycle, the material scope of recognising and honouring longstanding commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Mechanism should encompass prevention, preparedness and response actions.

(5) In accordance with Article 20a(3) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU, the Commission should award two types of UCPM medals: a medal for long-standing commitment and a medal for extraordinary contribution. It is therefore necessary to define eligibility criteria for the award of each type of medal.

(6) As UCPM medals were introduced in the Union Mechanism with Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), the period to be taken into consideration for determining the eligibility of potential recipients of UCPM medals should be set taking into account the date of adoption thereof, which is 21 March 2019.

(7) The Commission and Member States should be entitled to nominate potential recipients. In order to evaluate potential recipients, any such nominations should be assessed by an Award Board, which should consist of the Commission’s representatives. The Award Board should convene to make recommendations to the Commission to decide on the UCPM medals.

(8) In order to pay homage to the recipients in an appropriate manner, UCPM medals should be awarded at a formal ceremony, such as the European Civil Protection Forum or other formal ceremonies on an ad-hoc basis.

(9) In order to ensure inclusion and promote equality, gender balance and geographical distribution should be taken into account when deciding to award UCPM medals.

(10) In order to ensure transparency, the Commission should maintain a register of awarded UCPM medals.

(11) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Civil Protection Committee referred to in Article 33(1) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 Subject matter This Decision sets out the criteria and procedures to award Union Civil Protection Mechanism medals (‘UCPM medals’) in order to recognise and honour longstanding commitment and extraordinary contributions to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (‘Union Mechanism’).

Article 2 Definitions For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply: (1) ‘person of good character’ means a person who is clear of any previous criminal convictions; (2) ‘outstanding bravery’ means exceptional courage or courageous endurance above expectations while that is shown in action; (3) ‘extraordinary meritorious achievement’ means very high level of accomplishment, which is beyond what is ordinary or usual.

Article 3 Types of UCPM medals 1. The Commission shall award the following two types of UCPM medals: (a) medal for long-standing commitment; (b) medal for extraordinary contribution. 2. Recipients of the medals shall not be entitled to any financial benefit. 3. The UCPM medals shall not be awarded more than once per type to the same natural person, modules, intervention teams, TAST and other response capacities. They may be awarded posthumously.

Article 4 Eligibility 1. UCPM medals may be awarded to the following natural persons for their contribution to the Union Mechanism: (a) members of the civil protection and disaster management personnel of the Member States or of participating States to the Union Mechanism; (b) members of other authorities, entities or bodies contributing to the actions under the Union Mechanism; (c) Union citizens or third country citizens. Those natural persons shall be of good character. 2. UCPM medals may also be awarded to the following entities for their contribution to the Union Mechanism: (a) modules established in accordance with Decision No 1313/2013/EU; (b) intervention teams as defined in Article 2(4) of Commission Implementing Decision 2014/762/EU (3); (c) technical assistance and support teams (‘TAST’) as defined in Article 2(5) of Implementing Decision 2014/762/EU; (d) other response capacities as referred to in Article 9(4) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU. Those entities shall be registered in the Common Emergency Communication and Information System (CECIS). 3. Union staff subject to Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Union, laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (4) shall not be eligible for the UCPM medals.

Article 5 Eligibility period The eligibility period for awarding UCPM medals shall begin on 21 March 2019.

Article 6 Medal for long-standing commitment The UCPM medal for long-standing commitment may be awarded to eligible recipients referred to in Article 4(1) and (2) who fulfil one of the following conditions: (a) they have been deployed on at least three occasions in response operations under the Union Mechanism; (b) they have shown long-standing professional commitment to prevention or preparedness actions under the Union Mechanism. The periods of time dedicated by the eligible recipients concerned to such actions shall be taken as an acknowledgment of their commitment.

Article 7 Medal for extraordinary contributions The UCPM medal for extraordinary contribution may be awarded to eligible recipients referred to in Article 4(1) and (2) who fulfil one of the following conditions: (a) they have demonstrated an act of outstanding bravery, an extraordinary meritorious achievement or an activity beyond what might reasonably be expected during a response operation under the Union Mechanism; (b) they have contributed an extraordinary meritorious achievement to the development of the Union Mechanism at large.

Article 8 Nomination 1. The Commission and Member States may submit nominations to the Award Board for the award of: (a) UCPM medals for long-standing commitment based on the criteria laid down in Article 6; (b) UCPM medals for extraordinary contribution based on the criteria laid down in Article 7. 2. The Commission, through the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, shall regularly review nominations and report to the Award Board when the criteria referred to in Article 6 are fulfilled.

Article 9 Award Board and award decision 1. An Award Board shall be established to review the nominations submitted by the Commission or the Member States in accordance with Article 8 and make recommendations to the Commission with respect to the award the UCPM medals. 2. The Award Board shall consist of three representatives of the Commission. 3. The Commission shall convene the Award Board at least 1 month prior to the holding of any ceremony referred to in Article 11(1). The Award Board shall take into account the gender balance and geographical distribution when deciding upon the award of the UCPM medals.

Article 10 Revoking and renouncing the awarded UCPM medals 1. The Commission shall revoke any of the UCPM medals awarded in the event of criminal conviction, or any action that is dishonourable or that may harm the interests of the Union. 2. The recipients shall reserve the right to renounce the awarded UCPM medal.

Article 11 Awards ceremony of UCPM medals 1. UCPM medals shall be awarded at the European Civil Protection Forum, or where appropriate, at formal ceremonies on an ad-hoc basis. 2. UCPM medals shall be handed over to the recipients or their representatives by a representative of the Commission. 3. Where the recipient of the UCPM medal is a module, intervention team, TAST or other response capacity, the UCPM medal shall be handed over to the team leader or their representative who receives it on behalf of the respective module, intervention team, TAST or other response capacity.

Article 12 Design and online public register 1. The Commission shall determine the design and model of the UCPM medals. 2. The Commission shall maintain an online public register of recipients of UCPM medals.

Article 13 Wearing of the UCPM medals The wearing of the UCPM medals shall be governed by the relevant regulations of the recipient’s State.

Article 14 Addressees This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 5 May 2022. For the Commission Janez LENARČIČ Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 924.

(2) Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2019 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 77I, 20.3.2019, p. 1).

(3) Commission Implementing Decision 2014/762/EU of 16 October 2014 laying down rules for the implementation of Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism and repealing Commission Decisions 2004/277/EC, Euratom and 2007/606/EC, Euratom (OJ L 320, 6.11.2014, p. 1).

(4) Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 of the Council of 29 February 1968 laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities and instituting special measures temporarily applicable to officials of the Commission (OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1).