Information regarding the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related Acts, signed at Nice on 26 February 2001
Date: 2003-01-31
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: European Communities, Treaty of Nice, Treaty on European Union

31.1.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 24/11

existing in other areas of the Union. For that reason and
taking into account the socio-economic situation of some of
these territories compared with the rest of the European
Union and the additional cost involved in achieving safety
levels similar to those elsewhere in the Union, measures
ensuring adequate assistance should be provided.

isolated,

2. It is necessary to encourage the execution of joint projects
between outermost,
insular, remote and sparsely
populated regions, geared to the identification of common
risks, exchange of information and procedures for a more
uniform approach to risk assessment; all this is required in
order to draw up and implement integrated strategies and
actions to provide each territory with appropriate early-
warning systems, and appropriate land use planning on
the basis of the different risks.

3. Planning for emergencies should provide for and take into
account those issues arising from existing risks, the demo-
graphic, socio-economic and geographical characteristics of
the territory, and the particular socio-economic vulnerability
to disaster of the outermost, isolated, insular, remote and
sparsely populated regions.

4. Recognition is given to the fundamental

importance of
communications in emergency management, both within
the region (sometimes problematic because of its geographic
features and terrain) and with other parts of the country and
other neighbouring regions. There is a need for redundant
and reliable voice, data and image communications, which
allow for effective coordination of
interventions in any
situation.

5. Emphasis is laid on the advisability of having specialised
intervention teams in those Member States with outermost,
isolated, insular, remote or sparsely populated areas, and on
the fact that effective implementation of the mechanism to
facilitate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance
interventions allows the rest of
the European Union to
make a contribution to solidarity.

6. Given the special importance of the tourism sector on the
it is important to
economy in some of these territories,
conduct
self-protection
measures for visitors. These campaigns could be coordinated
at Community level.

information

campaigns

on

7. The Member States are invited to take better advantage of
the use of existing Community programmes, in particular
Interreg III, to develop measures that are complementary to
those of the Community Action Programme in the field of
Civil Protection.

8. The Member States concerned are invited as far as possible
to report on the follow-up to this Resolution to the
Commission, who will report
further to the Committee
for the action Programme and for the Mechanism in the
field of Civil Protection.

9. This Resolution does not prejudge specific measures that
may be taken in favour of outermost regions as defined
in Article 299 paragraph 2 of the Treaty.

Information regarding the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European
Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related Acts, signed at Nice
on 26 February 2001

(2003/C 24/04)

The Treaty on European Union, signed at Nice on 26 February 2001 (1), will enter into force on 1
February 2003 in accordance with Article 12(2) thereof, the last Instrument of ratification having been
deposited on 18 December 2002.

(1) OJ C 80, 10.3.2001, p. 1.