Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social committee and the Committee of the Regions - Improving the Community Civil Protection Mechanism
Date: 2005-04-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, civil defence

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 20.4.2005 
COM(2005) 137 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Improving the Community Civil Protection Mechanism 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Improving the Community Civil Protection Mechanism 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

1. 

Background and purpose 

1.1.  Background 

The Community Civil Protection Mechanism supports and facilitates the mobilisation of vital 
civil  protection  assistance  for  the  immediate  needs  of  disaster-stricken  countries.  Its 
contribution builds on lessons learned and experience gained from providing assistance in a 
broad range of previous disasters both inside and outside the EU, including floods in Central 
Europe  (2002)  and  France  (2003),  the  Prestige  accident  (2002),  the  earthquakes  in  Algeria 
(2003), Iran (2003) and Morocco (2004), the forest fires in France and Portugal (2003, 2004) 
and  the  explosion  in  Asunción  (2004).  Most  recently,  Sweden  and  Albania  called  upon  the 
Mechanism for assistance in dealing with the consequences of respectively a major storm and 
snowstorms. 

The  Mechanism  responded  rapidly  and  efficiently  to  the  tsunami  emergency  that  hit  South 
Asia in December 2004. The intervention of the Mechanism in South Asia – the largest since 
its creation – has revealed further facets of Europe’s disaster response that were less clearly 
displayed in previous emergencies.  

There is widespread recognition of the need to further strengthen the Union’s civil protection 
response  capacity.  In  view  of  this,  the  Commission  has  proposed  the  creation  of  a  Rapid 
Response  and  Preparedness  Instrument  for  Major  Emergencies1  to  provide  the  legal 
framework for financing of civil protection operations. The present Communication outlines 
further measures to strengthen the contribution of the Union in this area.  

1.2.  Requests from the Council and the European Parliament 

In  its  extraordinary  meeting  of  7  January  2005,  the  General  Affairs  and  External  Relations 
Council decided to examine possible improvements of the Mechanism, including its analytical 
capacity, and to investigate the possibility of developing an EU rapid response capability to 
deal with disasters. Moreover, the EU Action Plan, adopted on 31 January 2005 following the 
Indian  Ocean  tsunami,  outlines  several  key  areas  for  action  relating  directly  to  civil 
protection.  

The Council’s requests coincide with calls from the European Parliament for “the creation of 
a  pool  of  specialised  civilian  civil  protection  units,  with  appropriate  material,  which  should 
undertake  joint  training  and  be  available  in  the  event  of  natural,  humanitarian  or 

1 

COM(2005) 113, 6.4.2005. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
 
 
                                                 
environmental disasters, or those associated with industrial risks, within the Union or in the 
rest of the world”2. 

Simultaneously,  several  Member  States  have  tabled  proposals  for  improving  the  civil 
protection  response  capacity  of  the  EU.  While  the  detail  of  the  Member  States’  proposals 
differs, there appears to be agreement to build on the existing Mechanism rather than creating 
additional and duplicate structures. 

1.3. 

Purpose of the present Communication 

The  present  Communication  focuses  specifically  on  the  Community  Civil  Protection 
Mechanism, which can be mobilised both internally within the EU and in third countries. It 
provides an overview of how the Commission proposes to respond to the Council’s requests 
involving civil protection, by taking steps at two distinct levels. 

Immediate action will concentrate on improving the Mechanism and maximising the impact 
of  its  assistance  within  the  existing  legal  framework.  The  measures  proposed  in  section  3 
should  allow  for  a  clearer  demonstration  of  European  solidarity  in  the  immediate  future 
without altering the existing legal instruments.  

In addition, structural reforms of the Mechanism are  proposed, aimed at developing a more 
robust civil protection capability that enables the Union to react more rapidly and effectively 
to  any  type  of  disaster  in  the  future.  These  reforms,  set  out  in  section  4,  will  require 
amendment of the Council Decision establishing the Mechanism. 

In  proposing  these  measures  to  reinforce  the  Mechanism,  the  Commission  also  aims  at 
increasing  the  synergies  and  complementarities  between  the  Mechanism  and  other 
instruments  that  can  be  mobilised  to  deal  with  the  variety  of  disasters  that  the  EU  is 
confronted with, both internally and externally, thus contributing to improving the coherence 
of the overall EU disaster response capacity. 

1.4. 

Scope of the present Communication 

This  Communication  focuses  exclusively  on  civil  protection  assistance  in  the  framework  of 
the  Mechanism.  Civil  protection  is  about  immediate  relief  in  the  first  hours  and  days  of  a 
disaster3. Like EC humanitarian aid, its purpose is to save lives and alleviate the effects of a 
disaster during the first days. It differs from EC humanitarian aid, however, in four respects: 
civil protection assistance can address the environmental consequences of disasters as well as 
their humanitarian impact; civil protection assistance is provided through teams, experts and 
equipment provided by the Governments participating in the Mechanism, rather than through 
the humanitarian organisations (United Nations specialised agencies, Red Cross organisations 
and  NGOs)  used  by  ECHO;  civil  protection  assistance  may  be  delivered  both  inside  and 
outside the EU, and the Mechanism can be used also as a tool for facilitating and supporting 
CFSP crisis management operations.  

2 
3 

European Parliament Resolution on the recent tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean, 13 January 2005. 
It  typically  includes  search  and  rescue,  emergency  medical  assistance,  fire  fighting,  shelter,  food  and 
water. Depending on the nature of the disaster, it often also includes more technical types of assistance, 
such  as  fire  fighting  aircraft  (in  case  of  forest  fires),  pumping  capacity  (floods),  ships  to  combat 
pollution  (oil  spills)  and  detection  and  decontamination  facilities  (chemical,  biological  or  nuclear 
incidents). 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
This Communication covers the entire range of emergencies in which the Mechanism can be 
activated, including those occurring outside the EU.  While different procedures are in place 
for disasters occurring in third countries4 and in Member States, they also present a number of 
common challenges which can be usefully addressed in a single Communication. 

This  Communication  does  not  address  the  protection  of  critical  infrastructure  and  related 
preparedness measures, nor does it focus on measures limiting the mid-term consequences of 
terrorist attacks which are necessary to safeguard the area of Freedom, Security and Justice. 
These  are  dealt  with  in  the  proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  Establishing  the  Specific 
Programme “Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism”, adopted 
on 6 April 20055. 

Nor does it include the financial assistance awarded to Member States or candidate countries 
affected  by  a  major  disaster  under  the  existing  EU  Solidarity  Fund  and  the  new  Solidarity 
Fund proposal adopted on 6 April 20056. The latter is aimed at providing financial assistance 
to  contribute  to  a  rapid  return  to  normal  living  conditions  in  the  affected  regions  and  to 
contribute  to  financial  compensation  for  the  victims  of  terrorism.  It  also  covers  immediate 
medical  assistance  and  measures  to  protect  the  population  against  imminent  health  threats, 
including the cost of vaccines, drugs, medical products, equipment and infrastructure during 
an emergency.  

2. 

The existing civil protection framework  

2.1.  The legal instruments for civil protection 

The framework for cooperation in the field of civil protection currently consists of two legal 
instruments.  

The Community Civil Protection Mechanism7, established in October 2001, is an operational 
instrument  designed  to  enhance  preparedness  and  to  mobilise  immediate  civil  protection 
assistance  in  the  event  of  disasters.  It  can  be  activated  in  case  of  natural  and  man-made 
disasters,  including  nuclear  incidents.  Today,  30  States  –  the  EU-25,  Bulgaria,  Romania, 
Liechtenstein,  Norway  and  Iceland  –  participate  in  the  Mechanism.  It  receives  a  financial 
allocation on a year-by-year basis. 

The civil protection action programme8 provides funding of activities that aim at preventive 
action, preparedness and an effective response. It expires at the end of 2006. 

For  2007  onwards,  the  Commission  has  adopted  a  proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation 
Establishing  a  Rapid  Response  and  Preparedness  Instrument  for  Major  Emergencies.  This 
proposal  is  intended  to  constitute  the  new  legal  basis  for  granting  Community  financial 
support to civil protection actions and measures in the field of preparedness and the response 

4 

5 
6 
7 
8 

For interventions in third countries, see in particular Article 6 of the Council Decision of 23 October 
2001  establishing  a  Community  mechanism  to  facilitate  reinforced  cooperation  in  civil  protection 
assistance interventions (2001/792/EC, Euratom). 
COM(2005) 124, 6.4.2005. 
COM(2005) 108, 6.4.2005. 
Council Decision 2001/792/EC, Euratom. 
Council Decision of 9 December 1999 establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil 
protection (1999/847/EC). 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
to  disasters  occurring  within  the  EU  and  the  countries  participating  in  the  Mechanism.  The 
legal basis for financial support to civil protection activities outside the EU is provided by the 
Proposed Instrument for Stability. 

2.2.  The role of the Mechanism 

The  operational  heart  of  the  Mechanism  is  the  Monitoring  and  Information  Centre  (MIC), 
which  is  based  in  the  European  Commission  in  Brussels.  Through  the  MIC,  which  is 
accessible 24 hours a day, the Commission can facilitate the mobilisation of civil protection 
resources from the Member States in the event of an emergency. 

Any  country  affected  by  a  major  disaster  –  inside  or  outside  the  Union  –  can  request 
assistance  through  the  MIC.  The  MIC  immediately  forwards  the  request  to  a  network  of 
national  contact  points.  They  inform  the  MIC  whether  they  are  in  a  position  to  offer 
assistance. The MIC compiles the responses and informs the requesting State of the available 
assistance. The affected country selects the assistance it needs and establishes contact with the 
assisting  countries.  The  MIC  can  also  offer  technical  support,  including  improved  access  to 
satellite  images,  and  acts  as  an  information  centre,  collecting  data  and  distributing  regular 
updates to all participating countries. 

Different procedures apply when intervening inside and outside the Union. For interventions 
inside  the  EU  the  requesting  State  co-ordinates  the  contributions  received  through  the 
Mechanism.  The  coordination  of  European  civil  protection  assistance  interventions  outside 
the  EU  is  ensured  by  the  Commission  and  the  Presidency  operating  in  close  consultation. 
Such interventions may either be conducted as an autonomous assistance intervention or as a 
contribution  to  an  intervention  led  by  an  international  organisation.  For  these  interventions, 
the  MIC  ensures  close  coordination  with  ECHO  as  well  as  UN  OCHA  (Office  for  the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), which is mandated to ensure the overall coordination 
of international relief efforts. For interventions outside the EU, the MIC can dispatch within a 
few hours experts to assess the needs on site, to coordinate the civil protection operations and 
to liaise with the competent authorities and international organisations. The decision to send 
assessment  experts  is  taken  in  close  consultation  with  the  Presidency.  There  are  specific 
procedures for the use of the Mechanism in support of CFSP crisis management operations9. 

The  Mechanism  also  works  towards  enhanced  preparedness.  It  is  supported  by  a  database 
with  information  on  the  national  civil  protection  capabilities  available  for  assistance 
interventions. The Mechanism also receives the contents of the military database, compiled by 
the EU Military Staff (EUMS), giving it a broad picture of all resources available to manage 
the  consequences  of  disasters.  Experts  and  team  leaders  included  in  the  civil  protection 
database  are  invited  to  participate  in  a  training  programme  with  courses,  exercises  and  an 
exchange of experts system. A Common Emergency Communication and Information System 
(CECIS) is currently being implemented to ensure efficient information sharing between the 
MIC and the national contact points.  

9 

The Joint Council - Commission Declaration of 29 September 2003 sets out specific rules for the use of 
the Mechanism in CFSP crisis management operations. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
3. 

Improving the Community Civil Protection Mechanism 

The  Action  Plan  identifies  four  areas  for  possible  improvement  of  the  Mechanism:  better 
preparation  of  civil  protection  interventions,  reinforcing  the  analytical  and  assessment 
capacity,  enhancing  coordination  and  improving  the  assistance  to  EU  citizens  affected  by 
disasters  outside  the  Union.  The  following  measures  can  be  taken  within  the  existing  legal 
framework.  

3.1.  Reinforcing preparedness 

The investment made in recent years in training, exercises and preparedness has helped ensure 
an  effective  mobilisation  of  civil  protection  assistance  to  disaster-stricken  countries  both 
inside and outside the EU. The Action Plan requests further work on establishing scenarios, 
strengthening  training  programmes  and  enhancing  interoperability,  including  civil-military 
interoperability. 

The assessment of civil protection capabilities 

In  recent  months  the  Commission  has  worked  on  scenarios  to  help  identify  the  resources 
Member States can make available in the event of a major terrorist attack in another country. 
The  exercise  allows  the  Member  States  to  determine  the  gaps  and  weaknesses  in  European 
civil protection assistance and is an indispensable step towards improving the interoperability 
of the available means. 

This  work  needs  to  be  taken  forward  quickly  and  expanded  to  natural  and  other  disasters 
where civil protection is most likely to be mobilised. In order to do so, the full participation of 
all  Member  States  is  required.  The  Commission  calls  upon  the  few  Member  States  which 
have not yet done so, to provide full information quickly. 

The Commission will continue to liaise with the EU Military Staff (EUMS) to help achieve a 
meaningful assessment of all available means for civil protection10. 

A modular approach 

As part of the expanded scenarios exercise, the Commission proposes that each participating 
country  should  identify  in  advance  rapidly  deployable  and  self-sufficient  modules,  which  it 
can  make  available  –  subject  to  confirmation  in  each  case  –  to  a  European  civil  protection 
intervention. Once the key modules have been clearly defined, they will be invited to attend 
relevant training courses and to participate in exercises. 

In the future, this would mean that the MIC would request Member States to mobilise specific 
modules. This approach will enable the MIC to compose coherent packages of civil protection 
assistance and to target more precisely the specific needs arising in each emergency.  

This modular approach would be a logical development of the current system, where certain 
teams are available in most Member States to be deployed at short notice. It has the additional 

10 

In  its  Communication  ‘Reinforcing  EU  Disaster  and  Crisis  Response’,  the  Commission  makes 
proposals  to  strengthen  the  links  between  the  Commission  and  the  EU  Military  Staff,  including  the 
detachment of liaison officers to the Civil-Military Cell - COM(2005) 153, 20.4.2005. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
benefit  of  allowing  full  advantage  to  be  taken  of  the  different  types  of  expertise  that  are 
available in the Member States. 

The  development  of  modules  would  also  be  an  important  measure  to  strengthen  the 
international  capacity  for  disaster  response,  and  would  allow  the  EU  to  contribute  specific 
pre-defined packages of civil protection assistance  in third countries.  In the development of 
the modular approach, attention will be given to ensuring compatibility and complementarity 
with modules and standards developed in the framework of the UN. 

Training and exercises 

Training courses and simulation exercises assist in enhancing interoperability and developing 
a common intervention culture. Current efforts in this field need to be further developed and, 
where  necessary,  intensified.  This  may  include  special  training  and  exercises  on  specific 
issues (e.g., assessment methodologies) or for specific target groups. Participation of military 
counterparts in training courses and exercises should be encouraged to promote civil-military 
interoperability.  Coherence  and  synergies  with  existing  training  efforts  in  the  UN  and  Red 
Cross  systems  will  be  explored  in  order  to  foster  a  common  operational  culture  and 
interoperability. Cross-participation in exercises will be encouraged.  

3.2.  Analysis and assessment of needs 

Early warning and analysis 

Valuable time can be gained by reinforcing the links between the MIC and early warning and 
duty systems existing at EU and UN level. The centre needs to receive all available alerts for 
natural  disasters  in  order  to  determine  swiftly  whether  they  could  lead  to  a  request  for 
assistance and reduce the time needed to prepare a civil protection intervention. 

The  MIC  should  also  be  in  a  position  to  continuously  monitor  developments  relevant  to 
disasters,  making  maximum  use  of  all  available  information  sources11.  New  developments 
and  incoming  reports  need  to  be  analysed  immediately  in  order  to  determine  their  potential 
impact  and  evaluate  the  possible  civil  protection  needs.  The  scientific  and  technological 
resources  available  at  European  level,  including  information  and  surveillance  systems,  will 
provide an essential contribution to this work. 

In  order  to  do  so,  the  MIC  will  need  to  ensure  a  genuine  ‘around  the  clock’  duty  system12, 
thus  assuring  immediate  reaction  to  emergencies,  with  sufficient  staff  as  back-up  to  ensure 
adequate staffing at all stages of an event.  

Strengthening the on site assessment of needs 

One of the key lessons emerging from the recent tsunami disaster is the need to reinforce the 
assessment capacity at the scene of a disaster in order to identify specific needs in matters in 
which  civil  protection  is  specialised.  Such  capacity  will  obviously  operate  in  close 

11 

12 

Existing  information  sources  include,  for  instance,  the  EU  delegations,  the  RELEX  crisis  room,  the 
ECHO  crisis  room  and  experts,  ECURIE,  facilities,  such  as  GDAS,  available  through  the  Joint 
Research Centre and DG Research and the UNDAC alert system. 
At present while the MIC provides a 24 hour, 7 day a week response capacity, this is done on the basis 
of  staff  being  on  standby,  ready  for  service  within  30  minutes,  in  cooperation  with  the  Security 
Directorate of the Commission. 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
                                                 
cooperation and complementarity with ECHO humanitarian emergency response field teams 
as  well  as  with  UN  and  other  assessment  teams  on  site.  A  reinforced  EU  civil  protection 
needs  assessment  capacity  should  be  designed  to  reinforce  existing  global  capacity  both  by 
streamlining the EU contribution to UN efforts and by developing additional capacity within 
the Union. 

Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, the MIC should in future be capable of sending 
out small assessment teams of approximately 5 members rather than individual experts. This 
requires that Member States inform the MIC in advance of all experts they can make available 
for short-term missions and that they confirm the availability of these experts in the very early 
stages of an emergency. 

Moreover,  the  assessment  methodologies  and  standards  need  to  be  reviewed,  taking  into 
account accepted methodologies and standards developed by the UN and others, in order to 
develop a consistent approach to the assessment of civil protection needs in the framework of 
the Mechanism.  

The  quality  of  the  assessment  can  be  further  improved  by  specific  training  for  assessment 
experts. The  training would  focus  in particular on coordination with UN, ECHO, IFRC  and 
other experts and on assessment methodologies and standards. 

Finally, as already agreed  by  the  Council on 4 October 2004, the Commission will develop 
common  insignia  to  identify  personnel  on  site  as  part  of  the  Mechanism.  This  will  help 
develop  a  sense  of  belonging  to  an  EU  civil  protection  force  and  create  a  more  visible  EU 
presence on the scene of a disaster. 

3.3.  Enhanced coordination 

The Council has asked the Commission to propose ways to improve the coordination of the 
contributions of Member States, both as an autonomous Union operation and as a collective 
contribution by the EU to an operation led by another organisation.  

Providing European civil protection assistance in a coordinated way 

Above all, a fully concerted response from the EU requires that Member States work together 
through  the  Mechanism.  The  response  to  the  South  Asia  emergency  revealed  sharp 
differences in the approaches of the Member States. A firm commitment to work together at 
European  level  –  in  support  of  the  United  Nations  and  the  affected  country  –  is  needed  to 
allow the full potential of the Mechanism to be reached.  

Pursuing complementarities and coordination with the United Nations 

When intervening in third countries, the Union must be able to supplement efforts undertaken 
by  the  national  or  local  authorities  and  provide  a  comprehensive  contribution  to  the 
international relief effort coordinated by  the UN.  For interventions  outside the EU, the lead 
role of UN OCHA in coordination is fully recognised. Throughout the South Asia disaster, the 
Mechanism has worked in close consultation with UN OCHA and its staff on site. Existing 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
cooperation and coordination with the UN, based on the agreement reached in 200413, will be 
further  developed  in  all  key  operational  areas  of  disaster  response,  both  on  site  and  at 
headquarters.  The  Commission  will  ensure  full  implementation  of  the  agreement  with  UN 
OCHA in order to maximise the use of available resources and ensure a coordinated response 
to disasters in third countries. 

Pursuing complementarities and coordination with humanitarian aid 

In many disaster situations, civil protection intervenes in response to humanitarian needs and 
contributes  to  the  wide  humanitarian  response.  It  is  therefore  essential  to  ensure  that  civil 
protection interventions are closely coordinated with humanitarian aid actors at all stages of 
the operational response. 

At  Community  level,  the  Mechanism  works  closely  with  ECHO,  both  on  site  and  at 
headquarters,  to  ensure  a  comprehensive  European  emergency  response  to  sudden  disasters. 
Commission operating procedures already emphasise and will continue to reinforce synergies 
and complementarities between EC humanitarian assistance and civil protection, building on 
their  specific  roles  and  comparative  advantages.  Work  already  initiated  on  joint  lessons 
learned  and  operational  linkage  from  planning  to  implementation  phase  will  be  furthered  to 
ensure a proper joined-up response whenever the two instruments are mobilised for the same 
disaster. 

Strengthening the operational planning capacity 

The  operational  planning  capacity  of  the  MIC  needs  to  be  reinforced.  This  will  allow  the 
Centre to play a more central role in planning and coordinating the transportation, distribution 
and delivery of Member States’ civil protection assistance both inside and outside the EU. 

Strengthening on site coordination 

For  interventions  outside  the  EU,  the  strengthened  capacity  at  headquarters  should  be 
paralleled  with  an  equally  strong  coordination  capacity  on  site.  Improved  coordination  of 
European  civil  protection  assistance  would  require  a  stronger  on-site  coordination  of  the 
European contribution. This would strengthen the capacity of the local authorities and the UN 
to  co-ordinate  relief  efforts  by  ensuring  a  single  point  of  contact  for  all  EU  civil  protection 
assistance.  The  coordination  could  cover  the  arrival,  distribution  and  delivery  of  European 
civil  protection  assistance,  as  well  as  coordination  with  external  actors,  including  UN 
agencies, local and international NGOs.  

Coordination with military counterparts 

The use of military resources in support of civil protection operations outside the EU must be 
based  on  the  relevant  international  rules,  notably  the  Guidelines  of  1994  on  the  Use  of 
Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) in Disaster Relief (the so-called Oslo Guidelines) 
and  the  UN  Guidelines  on  the  Use  of  MCDA  in  Complex  Emergencies  of  2003,  and  must 
respect the overall coordination role of the UN, where present. 

13 

Exchange of letters between UN OCHA and the Commission of the European Communities concerning 
their  cooperation  in  the  framework  of  disaster  response  (in  case  of  simultaneous  interventions  in  a 
country affected by a disaster), 27-28 October 2004. 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
                                                 
The tsunami emergency has nevertheless highlighted the potential value of military assets in 
major disasters and the need to ensure better coordination with military counterparts. Where 
the  use  of  military  assets  is  necessary  and  appropriate  under  international  guidelines,  the 
Mechanism must be in a position to rely on military means to support its civilian assistance 
efforts.  

It is recalled that the Council adopted on 17 May 2004 the modalities for making the military 
database available to the Mechanism. These include procedures for the use of military means 
in the framework of the Mechanism in case of terrorist attacks inside the Union. They provide 
that  the  Mechanism  forwards  all  requests  for  assistance  to  the  designated  national  civil 
protection  contact  points,  which  will  then  facilitate  answers  on  the  availability  of  military 
assets and capabilities in their response to requests for assistance. Similar procedures should 
be adopted for other types of disasters so that military means can be mobilised more quickly 
and usefully in case of need. 

Access to EU military assets can also be improved through better use of the EU database of 
military  assets.  The  Commission  Communication  ‘Reinforcing  EU  Disaster  and  Crisis 
Response’14  outlines  how  the  development  of  specific  planning  scenarios  with  the  Civil-
Military Cell would also contribute to this objective.  

Strengthening coordination inside the Commission 

Experience  in  South  Asia  has  highlighted  the  importance  of  coordination  between  the 
Commission  services.  On  20  October  2004,  the  Commission  announced  the  creation  of 
ARGUS and a Central Crisis Centre15. The Commission is also actively examining its internal 
procedures  to  ensure  that,  during  an  emergency,  it  can  respond  in  the  most  effective  and 
coherent manner. 

Financing transportation 

Better coordination of European civil protection interventions also requires the possibility to 
make use of all available assistance to meet the needs of the affected country. As experience 
during  the  tsunami  emergency  demonstrated,  there  is  a  clear  need  to  enhance  the 
transportation  capacity  for  European  civil  protection  assistance.  The  Council  Decision 
establishing  the  Mechanism  already  allows  the  MIC  to  facilitate  transportation  of  civil 
protection assistance. The proposed Rapid Response and Preparedness Instrument, if adopted, 
would enable a contribution to be made to the costs of such transportation for disasters in the 
EU or in countries participating in the Mechanism16. The costs associated with transportation 
of  civil  protection  assistance  to  countries  outside  the  EU  are  addressed  in  the  proposed 
Instrument for Stability. 

3.4.  Ensuring the Mechanism serves the needs of the CFSP 

The Feira European Council identified civil protection as one of the priority areas in which 
EU  capacity  for  civilian  crisis  management  should  be  strengthened.  The  Community  Civil 
Protection  Mechanism  plays  a  central  role  in  building  up  this  capacity.  The  Commission 
recalls the Joint Declaration of 29 September 2003, which sets out procedures for the use of 

14 
15 
16 

COM(2005) 153, 20.4.2005. 
COM(2004) 701, 20.10.2004. 
COM(2005) 113, 6.4.2005. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
                                                 
the Mechanism in CFSP operations. The Commission will continue to work with the Council 
to ensure that the Mechanism fully meets the needs of future operations under the CFSP. 

3.5. 

Improved assistance to EU citizens  

Finally,  the  Council  also  highlighted  the  need  to  improve  assistance  to  European  citizens 
affected  by  disasters  outside  the  EU  and  called  for  discussion  of  the  role  which  could  be 
played by existing instruments in this respect. 

Experience in South Asia has shown that cooperation between civil  protection and consular 
authorities can be mutually beneficial when intervening outside the Union. Through its 24/24 
hours network linking the Member States’ administrations, the Mechanism can provide useful 
operational assistance, in particular by exchanging information on victim identification teams, 
repatriation  and  (medical)  evacuation  needs  of  all  Member  States.  Moreover,  the  MIC 
encouraged Member States to make use of the aircraft bringing civil protection assistance to 
repatriate  European  citizens  on  their  return,  thus  building  a  bridge  between  traditional  civil 
the 
protection  assistance  and  consular  cooperation.  Where  appropriate  and  useful, 
Commission is ready to make the Mechanism available for such new tasks.  

4. 
capability 

Longer  term  actions  to  develop  the  European  Union’s  civil  protection 

The Council has requested the Commission to formulate proposals enabling the Union to take 
a qualitative step forward in its civil protection activities and to develop stronger capacities. 
The  EU  Action  Plan  of  31  January  2005  identifies  the  specific  issues  to  be  considered, 
including the pooling of resources, relations with the MIC and ECHO and between Member 
States (e.g., via an online information system), coordination of military resources to support 
civil protection interventions and the coordinating structures to be put in place on site.  

The Mechanism, which has proved capable of mobilising civil protection assistance quickly 
in  a  wide  range  of  situations,  can  contribute  to  the  overall  EU  rapid  response  capability.  In 
addition  to  the  improvements  suggested  above,  structural  reforms  of  the  Mechanism  are 
proposed to strengthen its response capacity. 

4.1. 

Pooling civil protection resources 

The  existing  Council  Decision  establishing  the  Community  Civil  Protection  Mechanism 
enables  the  Member  States  to  pool  civil  protection  resources  on  a  European  scale.  As 
mentioned above, the scenario-based assessment of capabilities will enable Member States to 
identify shortcomings in the current civil protection assistance capacity available through the 
Mechanism.  

Where  the  combined  national  assets  and  capabilities  are  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  possible 
needs,  further  steps  need  to  be  taken  to  develop  additional  civil  protection  capabilities  at 
national level or to ensure better pooling of resources at European level. This requires a clear 
legal  basis  and  a  willingness  of  Member  States  to  make  more  civil  protection  resources 
available for assistance to other countries and to share information on these resources. 

The  new  instrument  amending  the  Council  Decision  on  the  Mechanism,  to  be  proposed  in 
2005,  should  provide  a  basis  for  the  establishment  of  quantitative  targets  for  the  civil 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
 
protection resources available at European level to assist Member States and third countries in 
need.  

4.2.  Towards a pro-active approach 

When  it  comes  to  interventions  outside  the  EU,  recent  experience  shows  that  valuable  time 
can  be  lost  between  the  occurrence  of  the  disaster  and  the  receipt  of  a  formal  request  for 
assistance.  

The  strengthening  of  the  analytical  capacity  of  the  MIC  can  pave  the  way  for  a  more  pro-
active  approach  when  learning  of  disasters.  In  the  future,  the  MIC  should  be  mandated  to 
inform  a  third  country  –  through  EC  Delegations,  EC  experts  on  site  or  other  diplomatic 
channels – of the possibility of requesting assistance whenever there is a clear need for civil 
protection  assistance.  This  will  help  minimising  the  delay  between  the  occurrence  of  a 
disaster and the delivery of assistance. If the affected country declines to request assistance, 
no further steps can be taken. 

4.3. 

Standby modules 

Today, each Member State decides on an ad hoc and voluntary basis whether or not it is in a 
position to provide the requested civil protection assistance. This system makes the speed of 
European  civil  protection  assistance  dependent  on  national  decision-making  in  25  Member 
States. 

In the future, based on the modular approach described in section 3.1, Member States could 
take  an  additional  step  by  agreeing  to  keep  a  small  number  of  key  modules  on  permanent 
standby for European civil protection interventions. Moreover, Member States could reach a 
political  agreement  –  in  advance  of  any  emergency  –  to  mobilise  these  standby  civil 
protection  modules  whenever  the  appropriate  European  authority  requests  their  immediate 
deployment. This would ensure that a few key modules are at all times ready to be sent and 
significantly shorten the time needed for the mobilisation of civil protection assistance. 

Although  Member  States  would  agree  in  advance  to  send  these  teams  upon  receipt  of  a 
European request, provision could be made for situations of overriding national need. Groups 
of  Member  States  could  for  instance  share  the  burden  of  keeping  certain  key  modules  on 
standby, thus ensuring their permanent availability at European level. 

These units need to be rapidly deployable and fully self-sufficient. Clear agreement should be 
reached  with  the  Member  States  on  the  terms  and  conditions  of  their  deployment.  The 
interoperability  of  these  units,  which  would  constitute  the  core  of  each  European  civil 
protection intervention, can  be ensured through exercises and training. As  such, they would 
effectively be the nucleus of a European civil protection force.  

4.4.  Reinforcing the logistical basis 

The Mechanism should be provided with the appropriate logistical means. The proposal for a 
Council Regulation Establishing a Rapid Response and Preparedness Instrument provides the 
possibility  to  finance  the  costs  of  hiring  equipment  that  is  necessary  to  ensure  a  rapid 
European response and which cannot be obtained from the Member States. Examples could 
include  aircraft  or  equipment  to  combat  forest  fires  during  the  summer  months.  For 
interventions  outside  the  Union,  possible  synergies  with  the  UN  need  to  be  explored,  in 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
particular  with  the  UN  Joint  Logistics  Centre  (UN  JLC)  and  the  UN  Central  Register  for 
Disaster Management Capacities. 

In its Communication on Reinforcing EU Disaster and Crisis Response17, the Commission has 
proposed  a  feasibility  study  into  the  establishment  of  a  common  logistical  platform  for 
directly managed operations outside the EU. 

4.5. 

Promoting international coordination of disaster response 

Mandated  to  facilitate  the  mobilisation  of  civil  protection  assistance  from  30  European 
countries, the Community Mechanism has access to a vast range of response capabilities. In 
addition  to  general  disaster  relief,  these  include  a  unique  set  of  advanced  technical 
capabilities,  ranging  from  decontamination  kits  to  specialised  fire  fighting  equipment.  This 
assistance  can  provide  a  valuable  complement  to  other  international  humanitarian  relief 
efforts in various types of disasters. 

Building upon the added value of European civil protection assistance and in support of the 
lead  role  of  the  UN,  the  Mechanism  should  aim  at  enhancing  international  coordination  in 
order to maximise the use of available resources and facilitate a fully coordinated response to 
disasters  in  third  countries.  This  would  include  contributing  to  the  development  and 
refinement of operational procedures for on site coordination and needs assessment. It would 
require  a  more  active  international  role  for  the  Mechanism,  based  upon  close  coordination 
with  UN  OCHA  and  taking  proper  account  of  the  mandates  of  other  international 
organisations. 

5. 

Conclusion 

Section 3 of this Communication has identified measures that can be taken quickly to improve 
the  performance  of  the  Mechanism.  Section  4  makes  a  set  of  proposals  for  the  future 
development of the Mechanism which will require an amendment of the Council Decision on 
the Mechanism.  

The  proposals  made  under  each  of  these  sections  have  financial  implications.  Preparedness 
activities  and  actions  within  the  EU  are  covered  by  the  proposal  for  a  Rapid  Response  and 
Preparedness  Instrument  that  was  adopted  by  the  Commission  on  6  April  200518.  Actions 
outside  the  EU  will  be  covered  by  the  Stability  Instrument19.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  these 
instruments are still to be adopted by the Council. 

The human resources implications of these proposals will be addressed in the context of the 
annual  allocation  exercise  matching  resources  allocation  with  priorities  defined  at  political 
level.  A  detailed  breakdown  of  the  overall  resources  needed  to  carry  out  the  activities 
described  above  is  provided  in  the  financial  statement  attached  to  the  proposal  for  a  Rapid 
Response and Preparedness Instrument. To the extent that these needs are not fully met it may 
be necessary to review the extent of the activities proposed. 

The Commission invites the Council and the European Parliament to endorse the orientations 
set out in this Communication and to give their support to the proposals it contains. 

17 
18 
19 

COM(2005) 153, 20.4.2005. 
COM(2005) 113, 6.4.2005. 
COM(2004) 630, 29.9.2004. 

EN 

13 

   EN