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: 1999-04-28
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, civil defence, environmental risk prevention, natural disaster, natural hazard

C 169/14

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16.6.1999

3.6.
The Committee supports the Commission’s proposal
to review the implementation of the recommendation after

two years. If need be, the case for a framework directive could
be examined then.

Brussels, 28 April 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI

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’ (1)

(1999/C 169/06)

On 9 February 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 235 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 9 April 1999. The rapporteur
was Mrs zu Eulenburg, with Mr Liverani and Mr Wilkinson acting as co-rapporteurs.

At its 363rd plenary session (meeting of 28 April 1999), the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion with 87 votes in favour and three abstentions.

1. The Commission proposal

actions, etc.). The Commission proposes the allocation of an
annual budget of 2 million euros for this programme.

1.1.
Civil protection measures, which are provided for in
the Treaty Article 3f, are necessary to deal with major natural
disasters such as floods, earthquakes, landslides and forest fires
which devastate areas of the European Union time and again.
Since 1985 the Community has therefore been working to
establish effective mechanisms, based on the principle of
subsidiarity, for reinforcing co-operation between civil protec-
tion players in the EU.

1.2.
In 1998, following the adoption by the Council of a
two-year civil protection action programme (1998-99), the
Commission launched several major projects in close cooper-
ation with the civil protection authorities in the Member
States. The purpose of all these projects is to establish common
rules and guidelines and provide for networking between
experts in the relevant fields.

1.3.
The civil protection action programme now proposed
by the Commission will cover the period 2000-2004 and will
help to ensure that the results of the aforementioned major
projects have a greater and more lasting effect. It will also
help launch new major projects in the fields of prevention,
preparedness, response and restoration and will contribute to
the continuation of existing good practices (establishment of
common rules and guidelines, training, pilot projects, support

(1) OJ C 28, 3.2.1999, p. 29.

2. General comments

2.1.

Introduction

2.1.1.
No matter what the causes of a disaster may be, it is
a fact that the effects — and thus the threat which the disaster
poses to man and his natural environment — are for ever
increasing and, because of their complexity, are becoming
more and more difficult to assess and contain.

2.1.2.
It is not possible to react effectively and efficiently to
a disaster unless the response has been planned well in advance
on the basis of a comprehensive risk assessment and unless
the measures to be taken by the organizations, institutions and
government bodies involved have been coordinated and
carefully rehearsed.

2.1.3.
Disasters obviously know no national frontiers. If EU
citizens, who are exposed to a wide range of risks, are to be
effectively protected and far-reaching threats to the environ-
ment are to be averted or at least minimised, assistance must
not be jeopardised by Member States failing to cooperate or
adopting different plans of action.

16.6.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 169/15

2.2. Objectives of the action programme

Full support is given to the objectives of the pro-
2.2.1.
gramme as listed in point 7 of the Commission’s explanatory
memorandum. These objectives tally with the criteria indicated
in Article 3(2).

At a time when resources are becoming increasingly
2.2.2.
scarce, it would seem vital to exploit synergies and involve
other bodies and institutions in providing efficient assistance.
Efforts made by the EU to this effect should be supported.

2.3. Content of the action programme

2.3.1.
cal development should be taken into consideration.

The Committee thinks that research and technologi-

2.3.2.
Since the response to a disaster has to be based on a
comprehensive and sound risk analysis if it is to be effective
and efficient, Member States should be encouraged to support
research projects which investigate the cross-border effects of
natural and technological disasters.

2.3.3.
If civil protection in the EU is to be developed
properly, it would seem expedient to carry out a comprehen-
sive risk analysis as the basis for adequate precautionary
measures.

This should be overseen by an external group of
2.3.4.
experts from the relevant areas of science, government bodies
and NGOs. An addition to this effect should be included in the
action programme.

Since disasters are much easier to deal with if
2.3.5.
Member States’ citizens are able to help themselves, public
information, training and awareness campaigns in this area are
to be endorsed.

2.3.6.
Consideration should also be given to involving the
general public more in permanent organizational structures,
since this would allow potential to be exploited which would
otherwise be left untapped.

2.4. Legal bases

The legal bases for civil protection should be
2.4.1.
reviewed, especially in the light of Community enlargement,
since Article 235 of the EC Treaty might not be sufficient in
future.

Brussels, 28 April 1999.

2.4.2.
Creating a legal basis which can also be used in
future, too, for Community civil protection activities should
not, however,
lead to a move away from the subsidiarity
technical guidelines and guidelines for
principle, even if
responding to disasters would basically make sense — at least
in the event of cross-frontier disasters or protective measures.

In addition, national plans and measures should
2.4.3.
continue to be supported and promoted by Community-wide
cooperation.

2.4.4.
It is necessary, with a view to the future, to review
the present legal bases for an action programme jointly and
possibly discuss the need for additional provisions.

2.5. Future outlook

2.5.1.
The Committee thinks it appropriate to give some
thought to the future outlook for civil protection work after a
period of assessment.

Steps must be taken to ensure that knowledge and
2.5.2.
experience acquired in the course of the action programme is
put into practice after the programme has ended.

3. Summary of the opinion

3.1.
As the experiences of recent years clearly show,
disasters and their effects on society have become increasingly
complex in Europe, too.

3.2.
Comprehensive risk analyses are available only rarely
and cannot therefore provide a sound basis for civil protection
planning.

3.3.
For this reason it makes sense to not simply focus
research into disasters on risk prevention. Interdisciplinary risk
analyses must also be given priority.

3.4.
In addition, synergies must be exploited in every
respect, i.e. other Community policies and measures must be
applied to civil protection.

In the event of a disaster the initial assistance comes
3.5.
from the local population. This means that EU citizens must
be taught how to help themselves more and must be made
more aware of the fact that civil protection concerns each and
every one of us.

3.6.
Cooperation between Member States in the field of
civil protection should also be promoted beyond the period
covered by the planned action programme.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI