Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Proposal for a Council Decision on a Civil Protection Mechanism in the event of emergencies"
Date: 2001-04-04
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: civil defence, military cooperation, military intervention, state of emergency

12.9.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 253/17

awarding contracts and tendering, etc., must be tailored to the
situation in the sector. At the same time it would emphasise
that for that very reason (financial) checks are necessary on a
large scale (ex-ante, in itinere and ex-post) in order to ensure
that proper use is made of resources;

20.
calls on the Commission to demand evidence of
compliance with the commitments which have been entered
in order to
into, particularly in the beneficiary countries,
ensure that the agreements are implemented.

Brussels, 4 April 2001.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a Council Decision on a Civil
Protection Mechanism in the event of emergencies’

(2001/C 253/06)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Proposal for a Council Decision for Civil Protection Mechanism in event of
emergencies [COM(2000) 593 final — 2000/0248 (CNS)];

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 24 October 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee of the Regions
on the matter;

having regard to the decision of the President of the Committee of the Regions of 27 November 2000 to
instruct Commission 4 — Spatial Planning, Urban Issues, Energy, Environment — to draw up the relevant
opinion;

having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on a Proposal for a Council Decision
establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection (COM(1998) 768 final) (CdR
104/99 fin) (1);

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 8/2001 rev.) adopted by Commission 4 on 9 February 2001 for
which the rapporteur was Mr Koukoulo´ poulos (EL, PES),

adopted the following opinion unanimously at its 38th plenary session on 4 and 5 April 2001 (meeting
of 4 April).

VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE
REGIONS

Introduction

1.
The COR takes note of the Proposal for a Council
Decision establishing a Community mechanism for the coordi-
nation of Civil Protection intervention in the event of emerg-

(1) OJ C 293, 13.10.1999, p. 53.

is to ensure greater
encies. The purpose of this proposal
protection of citizens, the environment and property in the
event of natural, technological and environmental emerg-
encies, including accidental marine pollution, occurring within
or outside the European Union, by creating a new Community
mechanism for Civil Protection intervention.

The general aim of the proposed mechanism is to
2.
provide assistance in emergency situations and to facilitate
coordination of aid interventions within the Community when

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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a request is received from a Member State, and outside the
Community when an applicant country submits a request for
such aid. The mechanism is open to the participation of
applicant central and eastern European countries (CEECs) and
associated countries (Cyprus, Malta and Turkey) under certain
conditions.

General context of the Commission proposals

3.
The Resolution of 8 July 1991 on improving mutual
aid between Member States in the event of natural or
technological disaster (1) constitutes the basis of the existing
system for dealing with emergency situations in the European
Union.

In addition, the Commission has undertaken a series
4.
of initiatives in the field of civil protection, based on the
principle of subsidiarity, most of which form part of the
five-year Community action programme (2000-2004) (2). The
activities include the operational Civil Protection structure
on 24-hour call within the Directorate-General
the
Environment. This
ready to facilitate or
structure
coordinate assistance from other Member States to the
requesting Member State, to collect validated information
and disseminate it to the Member States. However, it lacks
the capacity to coordinate assistance.

for

is

More specific measures called for

8.
The main measures which the Commission proposal
appears to regard as essential here, in addition to the necessary
political commitments, are as follows:

9.
Pre-identification of intervention resources and provision
of aid: the identification in advance of the intervention teams
available within the Civil Protection services of the Member
States at very short notice (generally within 2-24 hours
after the emergency occurs) and which can be mobilised
immediately (their composition varying according to the type
of emergency and the specific needs involved).

10.
Training programme to improve response capability:
the establishment of a training programme to improve the
ability of these teams to work jointly and to promote optimum
complementarity between them. The programme will include
joint training courses and exercises, and opportunities for
team members to be seconded for short periods to teams in
other Member States.

11.
Assessment and coordination teams with the aim
of improving on-the-scene efficiency and coordination and
determining the most appropriate means of dealing with the
emergency as well as, where necessary,
liaising with the
relevant authorities of the country requesting assistance.

Experience in recent years and the major disasters in
5.
which certain regions of the European Union were badly hit
have shown that the present Community system lacks the
capacity to mobilise significant and sufficient resources from
Member States and to support coordination of the necessary
interventions.

Establishment of a common emergency communi-
12.
cation system: developing a common operational emergency
communication system between the Civil Protection adminis-
trations of the Member States and the relevant services of the
Commission.

6.
There is therefore a clear need to establish a significantly
in
reinforced Community mechanism for
emergency situations resulting from natural, technological
or environmental disasters,
including accidental marine
pollution.

interventions

takes account of

The Commission proposal

the
7.
Presidency Conclusions
from the Santa Marı´a da Feira
European Council of 19 and 20 June 2000, which called
upon the Commission to lose no time in submitting
proposals in the area of Civil Protection. The proposal to
establish the mechanism is intended to supplement
the
existing Community action programme (2000-2004) of the
Commission and to strengthen mutual assistance between
the Member States.

(1) OJ C 198, 8.7.1991, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 327, 21.12.1999, p. 53.

The above-mentioned intervention teams will form the
13.
the mechanism. However, managing
core component of
emergencies always calls for great flexibility, which means that
the Member States and third countries must be given the
chance to request other resources such as specialised personnel
and special equipment that they may need to deal with the
emergency in question.

14.
Civil protection authorities in the Member States, as
well as non-governmental organisations and other relevant
bodies (e.g. at local and regional level) could provide such
resources, which would be coordinated by the relevant Com-
munity bodies and deployed under the aegis of the civil
protection authorities of the national, regional and provincial
authorities, according to competences assigned by laws and
regulations in each Member State. The Commission proposal
states that it is essential to provide for a reliable scientific and
technical network that can contribute to the assessment of
hazards. Furthermore, it would seem appropriate to establish
a national register of voluntary organisations with suitable
equipment.

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Views of the COR on the proposals

15.
Given that even major emergencies take place at local
or regional level and that their effects are felt over a long
period, the COR would draw attention to the need to establish
an institutional framework for dealing effectively with the
natural, technological and environmental disasters that recur-
rently strike the European Union and third countries, observing
the principle of subsidiarity while also taking account of the
need to promote mutual aid. This political framework will
aim:

23.
to distinguish between civil protection operations
within the framework of crisis management and other types
of disaster relief operations, since the latter have specific
characteristics, as noted in the Presidency conclusions of the
European Council
in Santa Marı´a da Feira (19-20 June
2000) (1);

to address — at

local and regional

24.
level — the
medium and long-term effects of disasters (reconstruction, re-
establishment of activities and services, dealing with the social
and psychological effects on the population and vulnerable
groups, development setbacks in the region affected);

to promote the sharing of experience and technology

16.
by the Member States and local and regional authorities;

finally, to provide particular support by making special
25.
arrangements for regions in Europe that have been hit by
serious disasters and to take specific measures to protect and
provide relief for the wider social groups whose conditions
and quality of life have been directly affected by these events.

17.
to increase the development of long-term planning
strategies (techniques for predicting extreme weather con-
ditions, anti-flood systems, facilities for managing earthquakes,
etc.);

COR recommendations

18.
to develop networks that link and provide immediate
communication between the Member States and local and
regional authorities facing such problems;

19.
to undertake joint, coordinated efforts to address the
grave social problems that follow serious disasters, especially
in remote and isolated parts of the EU, where particular
geographical,
social and economic features
exacerbate the impact of a disaster and give rise to specific
assistance needs when a serious emergency arises;

topographic,

20.
to support the work of interdisciplinary groups with
the aim of producing studies to predict extreme weather
conditions and to assess environmental risks;

21.
to place greater emphasis on using and further
developing applications of modern technology that can help
to mitigate the effects of disasters, and in particular lower
casualty numbers;

There should be further consideration and study of the
26.
specific problems faced by European regions that have been
repeatedly struck by major disasters and which are shown by
scientific and statistical evidence to face an increased risk of
the same type or other types of disaster re-occurring, by
drawing up a European Charter of new risk areas to consolidate
the regional civil protection plans.

formal
The Decision should include a number of
27.
measures and provide for funding — which may have a
regional dimension — to strengthen joint awareness, methods
and practices with a view to facilitating concerted action by
the new teams to intervene, mount-rescue operations, provide
assistance, evaluate the impact and deal with emergency needs.

Key officials and experts who are familiar with local
28.
conditions, and with the practical difficulties of actually
implementing the new measures, should be encouraged to
participate in the intervention teams by the use of appropriate
means.

29.
A distinction should be drawn between civil protection
operations within the framework of crisis management oper-
ations and other types of disaster relief operations, since the
latter have specific characteristics.

to improve the organisation of mutual aid between EU
22.
citizens in cases of natural, technological and environmental
disasters;

(1) SN 200/2000 ADD 1, 19-20.6.2000, p. 19.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

12.9.2001

30.
In every Member State, and in respect of the subsidiarity
principle, the regional and local authorities should set up
centres for collecting the material resources needed for crisis
management and assistance, and provide for coordination of
operational teams in order to mobilise significant and sufficient
resources to deal with serious emergencies.

31.
The European Commission is clear in its desire to
integrate the existing programme of measures with the pro-
posed mechanism. The COR supports this as a means of
ensuring greater cohesion and complementarity between the
existing programme of measures and measures that will be
taken under the proposed new mechanism.

Brussels, 4 April 2001.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT

Draft opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Communication from the Commission to
the European Parliament, the Council — Innovation in a Knowledge-Based Economy’

(2001/C 253/07)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council —
Innovation in a Knowledge-Based Economy (COM(2000) 567 final);

having regard to the Commission Staff Working Paper — Trends in European innovation policy and the
climate for innovation in the Union (SEC (2000), 1564);

having regard to the decision of the Commission of 26 September 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult it on this matter;

having regard to the decision of the Bureau of the Committee of the Regions on 13 June 2000 and the
President’s decision on 15 November 2000 to instruct Commission 6 (Employment, Economic Policy,
Single Market, Industry and SMEs), in collaboration with Commission 5 (Social Policy, Public Health,
Consumer Protection, Research and Tourism), to draw up an opinion on the subject;

having regard to its Opinion on the Green Paper on Innovation (COM(95) 688 final) (1);

having regard to its Opinion on the First Action Plan for Innovation in Europe (COM(96) 589 final) (2);

(1) OJ C 182, 24.6.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 244, 11.8.1997, p. 9.