Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of Civil Protection
Date: 1998-12-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, European cooperation, civil defence, environmental protection, environmental risk prevention

3.2.1999

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C  28/29

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  establishing  a  Community  action  programme  in  the  field  of
civil  protection

(1999/C  28/07)

COM(1998)  768  final  -  98/0354(CNS)

(Submitted  by  the  Commission  on  16  December  1998)

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European
Community,  and  in  particular  Article  235  thereof,

Whereas 
the  Community  Action  Programme  will
continue  to  help  to  develop  cooperation  in  this  field  even
more  effectively;  whereas  the  programme  should  be
based  to  a  large  extent  on  experience  already  gained  in
this  field;

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission,

Having 
Parliament,

regard 

to 

the  opinion  of 

the  European

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and
Social  Committee,

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Committee  of  the
Regions,

Whereas  the  actions  taken  by  the  Community  in  this
field  since  1985  have  made  it  possible  progressively  to
develop  cooperation  between 
the  Member  States;
whereas  the  resolutions  adopted  since  1987(cid:216)(˛)  and  the
Council  Decision  of  19  December  1997(cid:216)(ˇ)  establishing  a
Community  Action  Programme 
in  the  field  of  Civil
Protection  constitutes  the  basis  for  this  cooperation;

the 

individual  actions  undertaken  by 

Whereas 
the
Community  to  implement  the  programme  contribute  to
the  protection  of  persons,  environment  and  property  in
the  event  of  natural  and  technological  disasters;

Whereas  the  Community  programme  of  policy  and
action  in  relation  to  the  environment  and  sustainable
development(cid:216)(—)  presented  by  the  Commission  foresees
that  the  Community’s  activities  will  be  stepped  up  in
particular 
in  the  field  of  environmental  emergencies,
whereas  the  same  programme  calls  for  these  activities  to
take  account  of  scientific  research  and  technological
development;

cooperation 

in  accordance  with  the  principle  of  subsi(cid:220)
Whereas, 
supports 
and
diarity,  Community 
field  of  Civil
supplements  national  policies 
Protection 
them  more  effective;
to  make 
whereas  pooling  of  experience  and  mutual  assistance  will
help  to  reduce  the 
injuries  and
economic  and  environmental  damage  throughout  the
Community;

loss  of  human 

in  order 

life, 

the 

in 

Whereas  the  Community  action  programme  will  provide
transparency  as  well  as  consolidate  and  strengthen  the
different  actions  in  continued  pursuit  of  the  objectives  of
the  Treaty;

Whereas  action  to  prevent  risks  and  damage  as  well  as
provide  information  and  prepare  those  responsible  for
and  involved  in  Civil  Protection  in  the  Member  States  is
important  and  increases  the  degree  of  preparedness  for
accidents;  whereas 
important  to  undertake
is  also 
Community  action  to  improve  techniques  and  methods
of  response  and  rehabilitation  after  emergencies;

it 

Whereas  it  is  also  important  to  undertake  action  targeted
at  the  general  public  so  as  to  help  European  citizens  to
protect  themselves  more  effectively;

Whereas 
Commission  in  managing  the  action  programme;

committee  will 

advisory 

an 

assist 

the

Whereas  the  provisions  of  this  Decision  take  over  from
1  January  2000,  from  the  action  programme  set  up
through  the  Council  Decision  of  19  December  1997  and
ending  on  31  December  1999;

(˛)(cid:217)OJ  C  176,  4.7.1987,  p.  1;  OJ  C  44,  23.2.1989,  p.  3;  OJ

C  315,  14.12.1990,  p.  1;  OJ  C  313,  10.11.1994,  p.  1.

(ˇ)(cid:217)OJ  L  8,  14.1.1998,  p.  20.
(—)(cid:217)OJ  C  138,  17.5.1993,  p.  5.

Whereas  the  Treaty  does  not  provide,  for  the  adoption
of  this  Decision,  powers  other  than  those  of  Article  235,

C  28/30

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

3.2.1999

HAS  ADOPTED  THIS  DECISION:

Article  1

1.(cid:218)(cid:217)A  Community  action  programme  in  the  field  of
civil  protection  (hereinafter  called  "the  programme’)  is
hereby  established  for  the  period  1  January  2000  to  31
December  2004.

is 

to 

local 

levels 

intended 

support  and
2.(cid:218)(cid:217)The  programme 
supplement  Member  States’  efforts  at  national,  regional
and 
the  protection  of  persons,
environment  and  property  in  the  event  of  natural  and
technological  disasters.  The  aim  is  also  to  facilitate  coop(cid:220)
eration  and  mutual  assistance  between  Member  States  in
this  field.

for 

Article  2

1.(cid:218)(cid:217)The  Commission  shall  implement  the  actions  under
the  programme.

to 

three(cid:220)year 

implement 

2.(cid:218)(cid:217)A 
the
rolling  plan 
programme,  to  be  reviewed  annually,  shall  be  adopted,
in  accordance  with  the  procedure  laid  down  in  Article  4
and  on  the  basis  inter  alia  of  the  information  supplied  by
Member  States  to  the  Commission.  The  Commission
may,  when  necessary,  arrange  additional  actions  to  those
under  the  programme.  Such  additional  actions  shall  be
assessed  in  the  light  of  the  priorities  set  and  the  financial
resources  available.

individual  action  shall  be 

3.(cid:218)(cid:217)Each 
in
close  cooperation  with  the  competent  authorities  at
national,  regional  and  local  level  in  the  Member  States.

implemented 

relevant, 

4.(cid:218)(cid:217)Where 
present
programme  shall  seek  to  contribute  to  the  integration  of
civil  protection  objectives 
in  other  Community  and
Member  States  policies  and  actions.

actions  under 

the 

5.(cid:218)(cid:217)Each  action  shall  take  account  of  the  results  of  the
Community  and  national  research  in  the  relevant  fields.

Article  4

the 

implementation  of 

For 
the
Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  an  advisory  committee
composed  of  representatives  of  the  Member  States  and
chaired  by  the  representative  of  the  Commission.

the  programme, 

The  representative  of  the  Commission  shall  submit  to  the
committee  a  draft  of  the  measures  to  be  taken.  The
committee  shall  deliver  its  opinion  on  the  draft,  within  a
time  limit  which  the  chairman  may  lay  down  according
to  the  urgency  of  the  matter,  if  necessary  by  taking  a
vote.

The  opinion  shall  be  recorded 
in
addition,  each  Member  State  shall  have  the  right  to  ask
to  have  its  position  recorded  in  the  minutes.

the  minutes; 

in 

financial
3.(cid:218)(cid:217)Actions  under 
arrangements  for  Community  contribution  are  set  out  in
the  Annex.

the  programme  and 

Article  3

The  Commission  shall  take  the  utmost  account  of  the
opinion  delivered  by  the  committee  and  shall  inform  the
committee  of  the  manner  in  which  its  opinion  has  been
taken  into  account.

1.(cid:218)(cid:217)The  rolling  plan  to  implement  the  programme  shall
contain  the  individual  actions  to  be  undertaken.

The  Commission  may  also  refer  other  matters  relating  to
civil  protection  to  the  advisory  committee.

2.(cid:218)(cid:217)Individual  actions  shall  be  selected  primarily  on  the
basis  of  the  following  criteria:

a)(cid:217)contribution  to  preventing  the  risks  and  damage  to
persons,  environment  and  property  in  the  event  of
natural  and  technological  disasters;

b) contribution  to  increasing  the  degree  of  preparedness
of  those  involved  in  civil  protection  in  the  Member
States,  in  order  to  increase  their  ability  to  respond  to
an  emergency;

c) contribution  to  improving  techniques  and  methods  of

response  and  rehabilitation  after  emergencies;

d) contribution  to  public 

information,  education  and
awareness,  so  as  to  help  citizens  to  protect  themselves
more  effectively.

Article  5

The  Commission  shall  evaluate  the  implementation  of
the  programme  at  mid(cid:220)term  and  before  its  end,  and
report  by  30  September  2002  and  31  March  2004  to  the
Council  and  the  European  Parliament.

Article  6

This  Decision  shall  apply  with  effect  from  1  January
2000.

Article  7

This  Decision  is  addressed  to  the  Member  States.

3.2.1999

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C  28/31

ANNEX

FINANCIAL  ARRANGEMENTS  FOR  THE  COMMUNITY  CONTRIBUTION(cid:216)(˛)

Action

Financing  arrangements

A.(cid:217)Major  projects  of  general  interest

Major  projects  of  general  interest  for  all  Member
States  or  a  number  of  them  and  involving  a  process
for  enhancing  civil  protection  capabilities 
for
dealing  with  disasters  in  certain  significant  aspects,
such  as:

-(cid:217)prevention;

-(cid:217)preparedness;

-(cid:217)response;

-(cid:217)restoration;

-(cid:217)information  of  the  public,  so  as  to  help  the
citizens  to  protect  themselves  more  effectively
as  well  as  to  contribute  to  safety  in  connection
with  the  free  movement  of  citizens  within  the
Community.

B.  Training

1.  Workshops  and  courses (˛)

training  courses
Organisation  of  workshops  or 
bringing 
technical
togehter  high(cid:220)level  experts, 
specialists  and  technicians  from  the  Member  States
permitting,  within  each  discipline, 
the  mutual
sharing  of  experience  by  means  of  discussions  in
specific  terms  of  their  methods,  techniques  and
means  with  a  view  to:

-(cid:217)increasing  their  degree  of  preparedness;

-(cid:217)creating  the  conditions  for  the  establishment  of
a  human  network  permitting  more  effective
operational  cooperation  between  Member  States
in  case  of  emergency.

2.(cid:217)Exchange  of  experts  and  technicians

Organisation  of  the  secondment  of  experts  to  the
emergency  services  of  another  Member  State  in
order  to  allow  the  experts  to  gain  experience  or
appraise  different  techniques  used  or  to  study  the
approaches  taken  within  other  emergency  services
or  other  relevant  bodies.

Organisation  of  exchanges  of  Member  States’
experts,  specialists  and  technicians  enabling  them  to
present  or  to  follow  short  training  courses.

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution:  75(cid:216)%
of  the  total  costs  of  the  action.

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution:  75(cid:216)%
of  the  total  cost  of  the  action,  with  a  ceiling  of
ECU  75(cid:216)000  per  action.

Maximum  75(cid:216)%  of 
travel  and
the 
subsistence  expenses  and  100(cid:216)%  of  the  costs  of
coordinating  the  system.

experts’ 

(˛)(cid:217)The  specific  actions  eligible  to  other  Community  instruments  will  not  be  financed  in  the  frame  of  this  programme.

C  28/32

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

3.2.1999

Action

Financing  arrangements

3.  Exercises (˛)

The  exercises  are  intended  to  compare  methods,  to
stimulate  cooperation  between  Member  States  and
to  back  up  progress  in  coordination  of  the  national
civil  protection  services,  with  a  view  to  improving
inter  alia  the  effectiveness  and  speed  of  response  in
case  of  emergency.

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution:  50(cid:216)%
of  the  costs  of  participating  observers  from  other
Member  States  and  for  organising  the  associated
workshops,  preparing  the  exercise  and  the  final
report,  etc.

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution:  50(cid:216)%
of  the  total  cost  of  each  pilot  project,  with  a  ceiling
of  ECU  200(cid:216)000  for  each  project.

C.  Other  actions

1.  Pilot  projects (˛)(cid:216)(ˇ)

Projects  designed  to  increase  the  capacity  for  and
speed  of  response  in  the  initial  stages  of  crises  in
the  different  regions  of  Member  States.  These
projects  are  aimed  mainly  at 
improving  means,
techniques  and  procedures  also  in  the  isolated  and
ultraperipheral  regions.  Their  scope  should  be  such
as  to  interest  all  or  several  Member  States  and  it  is
intended  to  give  them  the  maximum  dissemination
and  demonstration  throughout  the  Union  for  their
implementation.

The  greatest  possible  encouragement  should  be
given  to  multinational  projects.

2.  Support  actions (˛)

Support  actions  for  the  development  of  particular
civil  protection  aspects(cid:216)(ˇ).

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution:  50(cid:216)%
of  the  total  cost  of  each  action,  with  a  ceiling  of
ECU  30(cid:216)000  per  action

3.  Conferences  and  events (˛)

Conferences  and  other  Civil  Protection  events
which  are  open  to  a  large  audience,  and  involving
several  Member  States.

Maximum  Community  financial  contribution  30(cid:216)%
of  the  total  cost  of  the  arrangement  with  a  ceiling
of  ECU  50(cid:216)000  per  action.

4.  Information  and  other  actions

and
information,  publications 
Distribution  of 
exhibition  material 
the
on 
production 
of 
field  of  civil
in 
Community  cooperation 
protection.  Other  actions  aiming 
to  a  better
appreciation  of  the  results  of  the  civil  protection
activities, 
statistics,  economic  analysis.
such  as 
Evaluation  of  the  programme.

the 

D.  Mobilisation  of  expertise

Mobilisation  of  expertise  to  intervene  in  the  event
of  an  emergency  situation  to  reinforce  the  system
set(cid:220)up  by  the  authorities  of  a  Member  State  or  a
third  country 
technological
facing  natural  or 
disasters.

Community  financial  contribution:  100(cid:216)%  of  the
costs.

Community  financial  contribution:  100(cid:216)%  of  the
costs  for  the  experts’  missions.

(˛)(cid:217)The  only  eligible  actions  are  those  interesting  all  Member  States  or  a  significant  number  of  them.
(ˇ)(cid:217)The  only  eligible  actions  must  be  in  accordance  with  the  priorities  yearly  defined  within  the  management  committee.