WRITTEN QUESTION P-2679/01

by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 September 2001)

Subject: Protection of the civilian population in the EU

The terrorist attacks in New York and Washington have highlighted serious shortcomings in the protection of the civilian population there. It may be assumed that such shortcomings also exist in the EU Member States. Following the end of the Cold War, the resources allocated to civil protection in Germany, for example, were reduced considerably in the light of the altered perception of the threat. Since then, experts have begun to perceive the threat by ABC weapons from terrorists as a realistic scenario. This raises the question of the protection of the civilian population, particularly in Europe's conurbations.

On 19 September 2001 the German Bundestag adopted an Anti-Terrorism Package to strengthen the army and security bodies. Civil protection was not mentioned. In questions below the term protection of the population covers both the protection of civilians in an armed conflict within the meaning of the Geneva Convention and protection against disasters in general.

1. Is the protection of the population in the European Union regarded as adequate?

2. Are there plans for a comprehensive protection of the population within the Union? If so, what are they?

3. Does the Commission see any reason to step up its efforts in this area in the light of the events of 11 September 2001?

4. Is it conceivable that the EU will develop binding minimum standards for the protection of the civilian population, particularly in European conurbations or cities?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 2001)

According to Article 33 of the Treaty on European Union the responsibilities with regard to the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security are incumbent upon Member States. The Provisions on a Common Foreign and Security Policy of Title V of the Treaty on European Union have lead to the development of European Crisis Management capabilities both military and civil.

Moreover, with regard to the development of capability in non-military crisis management, for instance, the Community, through the Commission, is already playing a conspicuous external political role through a wide range of instruments of diverse purpose and aimed at various regions. Council Regulation (EC) No 381/2001 of 26 February 2001 creating a rapid-reaction mechanism (RRM) was adopted on 26 February 2001 on the basis of Article 308 (ex Article 235) of the EC Treaty. This RRM together with the Crisis Management Unit established within the Commission should be considered as two, mutually supporting components of a wider approach.

In the field of civil protection, the Community aims to establish robust and lasting cooperation between the Member States to help ensure better protection for people, the environment and property in the event of natural and technological disasters inside and outside the Community.

All civil protection initiatives at Community level are implemented on the basis of the subsidiarity principle laid down in the Maastricht Treaty. The Commission's aim has been to support and encourage efforts made at national level through a flexible legal and administrative basis (resolutions and Community action programme in the field of civil protection).

More specifically Civil Protection has been focussed on the following objectives:

- to support and supplement efforts at national, regional and local level with regard to disaster prevention, the preparedness of those responsible for civil protection and the intervention in the event of disaster;

- to contribute to the information of the public in view of increasing the level of self-protection of the European citizens;

- to establish a framework for effective and rapid cooperation between national civil protection services when mutual assistance is needed;

- to enhance the coherence of actions undertaken at international level in the field of civil protection especially in the context of cooperation with the candidate Central and Eastern European countries in view of enlargement and with the partners in the Mediterranean region.

At its meeting on 20 September 2001, the Justice and Home Affairs Council welcomed the imminent adoption of the Commission proposal for setting up a Council Decision establishing a Community mechanism to facilitate reinforced co-operation in Civil Protection assistance intervention(1). Through this mechanism, it will be possible in case of natural, technological and environmental disasters, to mobilise the necessary operational resources to provide prompt support and assist a country (inside and outside the Community) in need of help.

At the same meeting, the Council also asked the Civil Protection General Directors to focus, at their extraordinary meeting in October 2001 in Knokke, on the response to major terrorist attacks inside and outside the Community, in order to identify issues for further work, areas requiring increased co-operation, etc.

Supplementary information on the Community civil protection activity is available under the following address: http://europa. eu. int/comm/environment/civil/.

(1) OJ C 29 E, 30.1.2001.