Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community action programme in the field of civil protection
Date: 2004-07-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, civil defence

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 20.07.2004 
COM(2004)512 final 

2004/0162(CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION  

amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community 
action programme in the field of civil protection  

(presented by the Commission) 

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1. 

2. 

3. 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

In December 1999 the second Community action programme in the field of 
civil  protection  was  adopted  by  Council  Decision  1999/847/EC1.  It  aims  at 
ensuring  better  protection  for  people,  the  environment  and  property  in  the 
event of natural and technological disasters across the Community. Indeed, it 
provides for a range of projects, exchanges of experts, workshops and other 
actions  endorsing  cooperation  and  mutual  assistance  between  the  Member 
States’  civil  protection  services.  The  action  programme  supports  and 
supplements  Member  States’  efforts  at  national,  regional  and  local  levels. 
Within the current programme, the Commission is focussing its efforts on a 
limited  number  of  major  projects  with  a  wider  European  impact.  Emphasis 
has been put on a few major projects concerning prevention, information of 
the  public,  crisis  management,  disaster  medicine  and  networking  of  the 
various volunteer associations active on the ground. 

Several events during the past years have highlighted the need for an action 
at the European level such as the Prestige accident, the forest fires during the 
summer 2003 and the floods in the south of France at the end of 2003. These 
accidents have all brought together assistance coming from several Member 
States  and  they  showed  the  need  for  a  joint  preparation  and  reciprocal 
information.  Moreover,  EU  citizens  need  to  be  better  informed  about 
possible accidents and how to react. The projects aiming at educating young 
people have proven particularly successful.  

As the current Community action programme in the field of civil protection 
expires on 31 December 2004, it is proposed to extend it for a period of two 
in  December  2006.
years,  starting  from  January  2005  and  ending 

1  

OJ L 327, 21.12.1999 p. 53–57. 

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2004/0162(CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION  

amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community 
action programme in the field of civil protection  

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 
Article 308 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,2 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,3 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Council  Decision  1999/847/EC  of  9  December  1999  establishing  a 
Community  action  programme  in  the  field  of  civil  protection4provided  for 
Community  action  in  the  field  of  prevention,  preparedness  and  response  to 
natural  and  man-made  disasters  both  at  land  and  sea  for  the  period  from  1 
January 2000 to 31 December 2004. 

Recent events, such as the floods in Central and Eastern Europe in the summer 
of 2002, the Prestige accident in Spain in November 2002 and the heat wave 
and extensive forest fires in southern Europe in the summer of 2003 show that 
the  action  undertaken  at  Community  level  in  the  field  of  civil  protection 
pursuant to Decision 1999/847/EC should be continued. 

In order to avoid a gap between the expiry of Decision 1999/847/EC and the 
date of application of a new legal basis the action programme established by 
Decision 1999/847/EC needs to be extended for a period of two years. 

(4) 

Decision 1999/847/EC should therefore be amended accordingly, 

2  
3  
4 

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OJ L 327, 21.12.1999, p. 53. 

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HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Decision 1999/847/EC is amended as follows: 

Article 1 

(a) In Article 1(1) “31 December 2004” is replaced by “31 December 2006”;  

(b) The first subparagraph of Article 2(3) is replaced by the following: 

”The  financial  reference  amount  for  the  implementation  of  the  programme  shall  be 

EUR  7,5  million  for  the  period  1  January  2000  to  31  December  2004  and  EUR  4,8 

million for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2006”. 

This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Article 2 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

Policy area: Environment 

Activity: Policy development 

TITLE OF ACTION: EXTENDING THE COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL 

PROTECTION FOR THE PERIOD 2005/2006 

1. 

BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S) 

07 03 06 01 

2. 

OVERALL FIGURES 

2.1. 

Total allocation for action (Part B): € 4.8 million  

2.2. 

Period of application: 2005 - 2006 

2.3. 

Overall multi annual estimate of expenditure: 

(a) 

Schedule  of  commitment  appropriations/payment  appropriations  (financial 
intervention) (see point 6.1.1) 

€ million (to three decimal places) 

Year 2005 

2006 

2007 

Total 

Commitments 

Payments 

2.4 

1.5 

2.4 

2.4 

- 

0.9 

4.8 

4.8 

(b) 

Technical  and  administrative  assistance  and  support  expenditure  (see  point 
6.1.2) 

Commitments 

Payments 

Subtotal a+b 

Commitments 

Payments 

2.4 

1.5 

2.4 

2.4 

- 

0.9 

4.8 

4.8 

(c) 

Overall  financial  impact  of  human  resources  and  other  administrative 
expenditure 
(see points 6.2 and 6.3) 

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Commitments/ payments 

478 800 

478 800 

957 600 

TOTAL a+b+c 

Commitments 

Payments 

2.878.800 

2.878.800 

5.757.600 

1.978.800 

2.878.800 

900.000 

5.757.600  

2.4. 

Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective 

[X]  Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming. 

[…]  Proposal  will  entail  reprogramming  of  the  relevant  heading  in  the 

financial perspective. 

[…]  Proposal  may 

require  application  of 

the  provisions  of 

the 

Interinstitutional Agreement. 

2.5. 

Financial impact on revenue: 

[X]  Proposal  has  no  financial  implications  (involves  technical  aspects 

regarding implementation of a measure) 

OR 

[…]  Proposal has financial impact – the effect on revenue is as follows: 

3. 

BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS 

Type of expenditure 

New 

EFTA 
contribution 

Contributions 
form applicant 
countries 

Heading in 
financial 
perspective 

Non-comp 

Diff 

NO 

YES 

NO 

No [03] 

4. 

LEGAL BASIS  

Council Decision of 9 December 1999 establishing a Community Action Programme 
in the field of civil protection (1999/847/EC) , OJ L 327, 21.12.1999, p. 53. 

5. 

DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS 

5.1. 

Need for Community intervention  

5.1.1.  Objectives pursued 

Recent emergencies such as the floods in Southern France in 2002, the heat wave and 
extensive  forest  fires  in  southern  Europe  in  the  summer  of  2003  and  the  terrorist 

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attack  in  Madrid  in  March  2004  as  well  as  the  earthquakes  in  Algeria,  Iran  and 
Morocco  show  that  there  is  a  need  to  continue  the  action  undertaken  in  the  field  of 
civil protection.  

A  global  evaluation  of  the  three  current  instruments,  Civil  Protection  Action 
Programme, Community Mechanism and Marine Pollution framework, is ongoing in 
order to identify possible future areas for common action in this field. This may result 
in a new instrument which will cover the period 2007-2013. 

Therefore, considering that the current Community action programme expires on 31 
December 2004 it needs to be extended for a period of two year until 31 December 
2006.  

The  Civil  Protection  Action  Programme  “is  intended  to  support  and  supplement 
Member  States'  efforts  at  national,  regional  and  local  levels  for  the  protection  of 
persons,  property  and  in  so  doing  environment,  in  the  event  of  natural  and 
technological  disasters,  without  prejudice  to  the  internal  division  of  competence  in 
Member States. The aim is also to facilitate cooperation, exchange of experience and 
mutual assistance between Member States in this field.” 

It aims at the enhancement of civil protection capabilities of Member States, EEA and 
candidate countries for dealing with disasters, and in particular: 

–  prevention,  forecasting,  detection,  preparedness  for  response  and  immediate 

aftercare, and analysis of the socioeconomic implications of disasters, 

–  workshops,  training  courses,  exchange  and  secondment  of  experts,  and  exercises 

intended to stimulate civil protection cooperation, 

–  actions and pilot projects to increase capacity, speed and efficiency in emergency 
situations  and  support,  information  and  awareness-raising  activities  including 
conferences with a civil protection theme, 

–  mobilisation  of  experts  to  reinforce  and  assist  Member  States  or  third  countries 

facing natural disasters or technological accidents, 

This  proposal  on  the  table  will  provide  the  extension  of  current  Civil  Protection 
Action Programme for the years 2005-2006.  

5.2. 

Action envisaged and budget intervention arrangements 

After the adoption of the decision the Commission will establish the rolling plan for 
the two 

years, 2005-2006, and subsequently launch Call for proposals.  

The actions covered by the present legislative proposal are carried out in accordance 
with  the  Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the 
Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities. 

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5.3.  Methods of implementation 

The  programme  is  managed  directly  by  the  Commission  through  Call  for  proposals 
and accompanying measures. 

6. 

IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE 

6.1. 

Impact on human resources 

Types of post 

Staff to be assigned to 
management of the action using 
existing and/or additional 
resources 

Number of permanent posts 

Total 

Description of tasks deriving from the 
action 

Officials 
temporary staff 

or 

Total 

A 

B 

2 

1 

C 

0,5 

3,5 

Desk officers and management 

Study contracts, payments, informatics 

Secretarial support 

2 

1 

0,5 

3,5 

6.2. 

Overall financial impact of human resources 

Type of human resources 

Amount (€) 

Method of calculation *  

Officials 

Temporary staff 

378 000 

2A x 108 000  

1B x 108 000 

0,5C x 108 000 

Total 

378 000 

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months. 

6.3.  Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action 

Budget line 

(number and heading) 

Amount € 

Method of calculation 

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Overall allocation (Title 07) 

07031 – Committees 1 

07030 – Experts meetings 

07010 – Missions 

42 000 

2 meetings x 28 members x 750 €  

42 000 

56 experts x 750 

16 800 

6-8  missions  per  year  (min  600€;  max 
1000€/day) 

Other expenditure (specify) 

3days x 800 x 7 missions 

Total 

 100 800 

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months. 

1 Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs. 

I. 

II. 

Annual total (6.2 + 6.3) 

Duration of action 

III. 

Total cost of action (I x II) 

478 800 € 

2 years 

957 600 € 

All  administrative  and  Human  Resources  requirements  will  be  covered  from  within 
the Budget allocates to the managing DG’s in the framework of the annual allocation 
procedure. 

7. 

FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION 

7.1. 

Follow-up arrangements 

A  global  evaluation  of  the  three  current  instruments,  Civil  Protection  Action 
Programme,  Mechanism  and  Marine  Pollution  framework  is  ongoing  in  order  to 
identify possible future areas for common action in this field.  

For  the  future  the  Commission  is  considering  the  possibility  to  streamline  the  three 
instruments into one single framework. 

8. 

ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES 

The  proposed  activities  only  consist  of  grants  and  expenditure  on  expert  meetings. 
The  latter  will  be  subject  to  the  Commission’s  usual  control  mechanisms  and 
therefore there is no need for supplementary anti-fraud measures. 

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