OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE on the proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection
Date: 1995-09-13
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: European cooperation, access to information, action programme, civil defence, environmental risk prevention













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51995AC0963

OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE on the proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection  


Official Journal C 301 , 13/11/1995 P. 0003 





Opinion on the proposal for a  Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection  ()(95/C 301/02)On 8  June 1995 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social  Committee, under Article  198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the  above-mentioned proposal. The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which was  responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 11  July  1995. The Rapporteur was Mr Pellarini. At its 328th Plenary Session (meeting of 13  September 1995), the Economic and Social Committee  unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 1. Introduction1.1. Community cooperation in the field of civil protection dates back  some time. A first ministerial-level meeting laid the foundations for such cooperation in 1985, and  it has since been consolidated by the series of Council Resolutions mentioned by the Commission in  its proposal. 1.2. The Committee has followed these developments with interest and has championed them in its  Opinions on specific aspects of civil protection, notably in relation to natural disasters, major  industrial hazards, and other serious accidents. 2. General comments2.1. The Committee welcomes the Commission's opportune and concrete  proposal. 2.1.1. The Committee hopes that as well as supporting, backing up and supplementing national  activities, the programme will seek to inject Community added value in an area which is closely  bound up with the development of a citizens' Europe. 2.2. The general working framework has been established by the Council Resolution of 31  October  1994 and the cooperation initiatives already under way. Accordingly, while fully approving the  proposal, the Committee would here like to comment on the following key aspects: - legal basis; - prevention; - information and self-protection; - 'technological' disasters. 2.2.1. Legal basis2.2.1.1. The Treaty assigns the Community no specific competence for civil protection  matters, and the mention of Article  3(t) seems insufficient in view of the current sensitivity of  public opinion and the EU's policy intentions in this area. 2.2.1.2. The Committee notes that in the absence of a specific legal basis, the proposal is based  on Article  235. A declaration appended to the Final Act of the Maastricht Treaty provides for a  Commission report on the subject. Pending the publication of this report, the Committee feels that  the forthcoming Treaty revision should include a Title on civil protection, either in the form of a  separate chapter or as an adjunct to an existing chapter, bearing in mind the potential Community  added value in this field. The insertion of a separate chapter would be justified by the  cross-sectoral nature of the problem, as in the case of the new chapters on public health and  consumer protection. 2.2.2. Prevention2.2.2.1. The Committee has always stressed the importance of preventive action, and it  is pleased to see that, at last, this aspect is highlighted in the most recent Council Resolution  (). The Committee is sure that preventive measures can offer the greatest scope for Community added  value, especially as regards public information, training and coordination of research as well as  for consolidating cross-border cooperation at regional and local level. 2.2.2.2. The Committee would emphasize the need for instruments to deal with and, where possible,  anticipate disasters by using, reinforcing and coordinating existing environmental monitoring  networks and those in the pipeline. 2.2.2.3. The Committee therefore asks the Commission to address this aspect of the problem and  present suitable proposals for coordinated activities at EU level. 2.2.3. Information and self-protection2.2.3.1. The Committee considers it particularly important that the  public be informed of ways in which they can limit the damage caused by disasters and accidents ().  It therefore welcomes the proposed action to improve public information, education and awareness,  so as to help people to protect themselves more effectively. 2.2.3.2. NGOs in some Member States are already highly active in the civil protection field. Such  bodies can play an important intermediary role and could contribute to the work of the advisory  committee mentioned in Article  4, as well as to training and experience-swapping activities. 2.2.4. Technological disasters2.2.4.1. Although natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and  volcanic eruptions are difficult to predict, a sufficient body of experience and intervention  capacity has been built up to tackle them. However, an increasing number of disasters is caused by  human errors in the use of technology, by unforeseen breakdowns of that technology, or even by  misuse of it for criminal ends (e.g. acts of terrorism using toxic substances). 2.2.4.2. In this connection, it should be noted that rescue workers have often faced difficulties  because they were insufficiently informed and aware of the nature and scale of the hazards  involved. 2.2.4.3. The Committee realizes that the dangers of technological disasters should decrease as  safety rules are increasingly applied. However, it feels that civil protection mechanisms should be  strengthened by providing better information on the potential hazards, specific training for  certain types of hazard, and rescue plans to help deal swiftly and effectively with emergencies of  this type. 3. Specific comments3.1. Article  3(1)3.1.1. Pursuant to the comments made in point 2.1.1, the  Committee proposes adding the following: 'and encouraging the pooling of opinions and information  on Member States' civil protection initiatives, with a view to convergence of national civil  protection policies, in cooperation with the various organizations and associations of the Member  States.'3.2. Article  3(3)3.2.1. In order to make full use of the work done by organizations and  associations already active in this field, the words 'and the relevant organizations and  associations' should be added. 3.3. Article  43.3.1. The Committee trusts that the proceedings of the advisory committee which is  to assist the Commission will be as open as possible, and will draw on the work being done in this  field by non-governmental organizations and associations. 3.4. Lastly, the Committee asks that, in the context of this programme, thought be given to the  framing of a precise definition of the term 'disaster'. 4. Conclusions4.1. In conclusion, the Committee reiterates its support for the proposal and  calls on the Commission to remain vigilant and to do all it can to strengthen cooperation and  coordination in the civil protection field. Done at Brussels, 13  September 1995. The Presidentof the Economic and Social CommitteeCarlos FERRER() OJ No C  142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19.  () OJ No C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1.  () See point 3.10 of ESC Opinion in OJ No C 295, 22. 10. 1994, p. 83 on the proposal for a Council  Directive on the control of major-accident hazards involving substances.