2008/73/EC,Euratom: Commission Decision of 20 December 2007 amending Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom as regards rules for the implementation of Council Decision 2007/779/EC, Euratom establishing a Community civil protection mechanism (notified under document number C(2007) 6464) (Text with EEA relevance )
Date: 2007-12-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU programme, civil defence, cooperation policy

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COMMISSION DECISION

of 20 December 2007

amending Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom as regards rules for the implementation of Council
Decision 2007/779/EC, Euratom establishing a Community civil protection mechanism

(notified under document number C(2007) 6464)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/73/EC, Euratom)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic
Energy Community,

(4)

Having regard to Council Decision 2007/779/EC of 8
November 2007, Euratom establishing a Community civil
protection mechanism (1), and in particular Article 12 thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom of 29
December 2003 laying down rules for the implemen-
tation of Council Decision 2001/792/EC, Euratom estab-
lishing a Community mechanism to facilitate reinforced
cooperation in civil protection assistance intervention (2)
should be amended to incorporate implementing rules
rules
concerning
should cover the main characteristics of civil protection
modules such as their tasks, capacities, components, and
deployment time, and define their appropriate degree of
self-sufficiency and interoperability.

European civil protection. These

(5)

(6)

of the self-sufficiency requirements for civil protection
modules. Any arrangements for the incorporation of
teams in civil protection
technical assistance support
modules should be made prior to the transmission of
general information on the modules to the Commission.

Civil protection modules should be capable of working
self-sufficiently for a given period of time. It is therefore
necessary to define general requirements for self-suffi-
ciency and, where appropriate,
specific requirements
that may vary in function of the type of intervention
or the type of module concerned. Account should be
taken of common practice of the Member States and
of international organisations such as extended self-suffi-
ciency periods for urban search and rescue modules or
tasks between the offering and the
the sharing of
requesting country for
supporting the operation of
modules having an aerial component.

Measures are needed at Community and participating
state levels
to enhance the interoperability of civil
protection modules, notably regarding training and
exercises.

The measures provided for
accordance with the opinion of
Civil Protection,

in this Decision are in
the Committee for

Civil protection modules made of national resources
from one or more Member States on a voluntary basis
constitute a contribution to the civil protection rapid
response capability called for by the European Council
in the Conclusions of its meeting of 16 and 17 June
2005 and by the European parliament in its Resolution
of 13 January 2005 on the tsunami disaster. For civil
protection modules to be able to contribute responding
to major emergencies, their main characteristics should
meet certain general requirements.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom is amended as follows:

1. In Article 2, the following definitions are added:

Technical assistance support teams fulfilling support tasks
are needed on site to support Community assessment
and/or coordination teams in the areas of setting-up
and running offices,
subsistence
and transport. For this purpose it is necessary to define
general
technical assistance support
teams. Such teams may also contribute to the fulfilling

telecommunications,

requirements for

(1) OJ L 314, 1.12.2007, p. 9.
(2) OJ L 87, 25.3.2004, p. 20.

‘(c) “intervention teams” means the human and material
resources including civil protection modules (as referred
to in Articles 3a, 3b and 3c) set-up by the Member States
for civil protection interventions.

(d) “technical assistance support teams” means the human
and material resources set-up by the Member States to
fulfil support tasks.’

(1)

(2)

(3)

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2. The following Articles 3a, 3b, and 3c are inserted:

‘Article 3a

(i)

logistics, equipment and staff enabling the setting-up of a
base of operations and the beginning of the mission
without delay upon arrival on site.

Subject to the development of additional modules, civil
1.
protection modules shall be in accordance with the general
requirements listed in Annex II.

2.
Compliance with the self-sufficiency requirements shall
be guaranteed by the offering Member State by any of the
following:

Technical

2.
in
accordance with the general requirements listed in Annex III.

assistance

shall be

support

teams

3.
Civil protection modules as well as technical assistance
support teams may be composed of resources provided by
one or more Member States.

4. Where a civil protection module or a technical
assistance support team are composed of more than one
component,
civil protection
module or technical assistance support team in an inter-
vention may be limited to the components necessary for
that intervention.

the deployment of

that

Article 3b

(a)

including in the civil protection module the necessary
staff, equipments and consumables;

(b) making the necessary arrangements on the site of

operations;

intervention

(c) making the necessary prearrangements to combine a non
technical
self-sufficient
assistance support team in order to comply with the
requirements referred to in Article 3c prior
to the
provision of
civil protection
information on the
module concerned in accordance with Article 3(1).

team with

a

The period for which self-sufficiency must be guar-
the mission may not be shorter

3.
anteed at
than either of the following:

the onset of

1.
The following elements of self-sufficiency shall apply to
the individual civil protection modules as specified in Annex
II:

(a) 96 hours;

(a) appropriate shelter for the prevailing weather;

(b) the periods laid down in Annex II

for specific civil

protection modules.

(b) power generation and lighting covering the consumption
of the base of operation and of the equipment required
to fulfil the mission;

Article 3c

The Member States shall take the necessary measures to
ensure that the following requirements are met:

(c) sanitation and hygiene
personnel of the module;

facilities destined for

the

(a) civil protection modules have the capability to operate

with other civil protection modules;

(d) availability of food and water for the personnel of the

module;

(b) technical assistance support teams have the capability to
operate with other technical assistance support teams
and with civil protection modules;

(e) medical or paramedical staff, facilities and supplies for

the personnel of the module;

(f) equipment storage and maintenance of the equipment of

the module;

(g) equipment

for the communication with the relevant
partners, notably those in charge of the coordination
on site;

(h) local transportation;

(c) components of a civil protection module have the
capability to operate together as one civil protection
module;

(d) components of a technical assistance support team have
the capability to operate together as one technical
assistance support team;

(e) civil protection modules and technical assistance support
teams, when deployed outside the EU, are able to operate
with
capabilities
disaster
international
supporting the affected state;

response

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(f)

team leaders, deputy team leaders and liaison officers of
civil protection modules and technical assistance support
teams participate in appropriate training courses and
exercises organised by the Commission in accordance
with Article 5(5) of Decision 2007/NNN/EC, Euratom.’

6. Annex II, as set out in Annex I to this Decision, is added.

7. Annex III, as set out in Annex II to this Decision, is added.

3. In Article 11(1), the term ‘Annex’ is replaced by the term

‘Annex I’.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

4. In Article 24, the following point (e) is added:

‘(e) enhancing
modules.’

the

interoperability of

civil protection

5. In the title of the Annex, the term ‘Annex’ is replaced by the

term ‘Annex I’.

Done at Brussels, 20 December 2007.

For the Commission

Stavros DIMAS
Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

‘ANNEX II

General requirements for European civil protection modules (1)

1. High capacity pumping

Tasks

— Provide pumping:

(cid:127) in flooded areas,

(cid:127) to assist fire fighting by delivering water.

Capacities

— Provide pumping with mobile medium and high capacity pumps with:

(cid:127) an overall capacity of at least 1 000 m3/hour, and

(cid:127) a reduced capacity to pump 40 meters height difference.

— Ability to:

(cid:127) operate in areas and terrain that are not easily accessible,

(cid:127) pump muddy water, containing no more than 5 percent solid elements having particles

size up to 40 mm,

(cid:127) pump water up to 40 degrees C° for longer operations,

(cid:127) deliver water over a distance of 1 000 meters.

Main components

— Medium and high capacity pumps.

— Hoses and couplings compatible with different standards, including the Storz standard.

— Sufficient personnel to fulfil the task, if necessary on a continuous basis.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after acceptance of the offer.

— Ability to be deployed for a period of up to 21 days.

2. Water purification

Tasks

— Provide drinkable water, from surface water sources, according to the applicable standards

and at least to the level of the WHO standards.

— Perform water quality control at the outtake point of the purification equipment.

Capacities

— Purify 225 000 litres of water per day.

— Storage capacity equivalent to the production of half a day.

(1) The list of civil protection modules and the related requirements established in this Decision may be amended to include other types of

civil protection modules taking into account the experience gained by the Mechanism.

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Main components

— Mobile water purification unit.

— Mobile water storage unit.

— Mobile field laboratory.

— Couplings compatible with different standards, including the Storz standard.

— Sufficient personnel to fulfil the task, if necessary on a continuous basis.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements of Article 3b(1)(a) to (i) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after acceptance of the offer.

— Ability to be deployed for a period of up to 12 weeks.

3. Medium urban search and rescue

Tasks

— Search for, locate and rescue victims (1) located under debris (such as collapsed buildings

and transport incidents).

— Provide life-saving first aid as required, until handover for further treatment.

Capacities

— The module should have the ability to perform the following,

taking into account

acknowledged international guidelines, such as the INSARAG guidelines:

(cid:127) search with search dogs and/or technical search equipment,

(cid:127) rescue, including lifting,

(cid:127) cutting concrete,

(cid:127) technical rope,

(cid:127) basic shoring,

(cid:127) hazmat detection and isolation (2),

(cid:127) advanced life support (3).

— Ability to work on one site 24 hours per day for 7 days.

Main components

— Management

(command,

liaison/coordination,

planning, media/reporting,

assess-

ment/analysis, safety/security).

— Search (technical search and/or canine search, hazmat detection, hazmat isolation).

— Rescue (breaking and breaching, cutting,

lifting and moving, shoring, technical rope).

— Medical, including care of patients and of the team’s personnel and search dogs.

Self-sufficiency

— At least 7 days of operations.

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Operational in the affected country within 32 hours.

(1) Live casualty.
(2) Basic capacity, more extensive capacities are included in the “chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detection and sampling”

module.

(3) Patient care (first aid and medical stabilisation) from victim access to victim handover.

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4. Heavy urban search and rescue

Tasks

— Search for, locate and rescue victims (1) located under debris (such as collapsed buildings

and transport incidents).

— Provide life-saving first aid as required, until handover for further treatment.

Capacities

— The module should have the ability to perform the following,

taking into account

acknowledged international guidelines, such as the INSARAG guidelines:

(cid:127) search with search dogs and technical search equipment,

(cid:127) rescue, including heavy lifting,

(cid:127) cutting reinforced concrete and structural steel,

(cid:127) technical rope,

(cid:127) advanced shoring,

(cid:127) hazmat detection and isolation (2),

(cid:127) advanced life support (3).

— Ability to work 24 hours per day on more than one site for 10 days.

Main components

— Management

(command,

liaison/coordination,

planning, media/reporting,

assess-

ment/analysis, safety/security).

— Search (technical search, canine search, hazmat detection, hazmat isolation).

— Rescue (breaking and breaching, cutting,

lifting and moving, shoring, technical rope).

— Medical, including care of patients and of the team’s personnel and search dogs (4).

Self-sufficiency

— At least 10 days of operation.

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Operational in the affected country within 48 hours.

(1) Live casualty.
(2) Basic capacity, more extensive capacities are included in the “chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detection and sampling”

module.

(3) Patient care (first aid and medical stabilisation) from victim access to victim handover.
(4) Subject to medical and veterinary licensing terms.

5. Aerial forest fire fighting module using helicopters

Tasks

— Contribute to the extinction of large forest and vegetal fires by performing aerial fire

fighting.

Capacities

— Three helicopters with a capacity of 1 000 litres each.

— Ability to perform continuous operations.

Main components

— Three helicopters with crew, to guarantee that at least two helicopters are operational at

any time.

— Technical staff.

— 4 water buckets or 3 releasing kits.

— 1 maintenance set.

— 1 spare parts set.

— 2 rescue hoists.

— Communication equipment.

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Self-sufficiency

— Elements (f) and (g) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 3 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

6. Aerial forest fire fighting module using airplanes

Tasks

— Contribute to the extinction of large forest and vegetal fires by performing aerial fire

fighting.

Capacities

— Two airplanes with a capacity of 3 000 litres each.

— Ability to perform continuous operations.

Main components

— Two planes.

— Three crews.

— Technical staff.

— Field maintenance kit.

— Communication equipment.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (f) and (g) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 3 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

7. Advanced medical post

Tasks

— Perform patient profiling (triage) on the site of the disaster.

— Stabilise the condition of and prepare the patient for transport to the most suitable health

facility for final treatment.

Capacities

— Perform triage of at least 20 patients per hour.

— Medical team capable of stabilising 50 patients per 24 hours of activity, working in two

shifts.

— Availability of supplies for the treatment of 100 patients with minor injuries per

24 hours.

Main components

— Medical team per 12 hour shift:

(cid:127) triage: 1 nurse and/or 1 doctor,

(cid:127) intensive care: 1 doctor and 1 nurse,

(cid:127) serious, but not life-threatening injuries: 1 doctor and 2 nurses,

(cid:127) evacuation: 1 nurse,

(cid:127) specialised support personnel: 4.

— Tents:

(cid:127) tent(s) with interconnected areas for triage, medical care and evacuation,

(cid:127) tent(s) for the personnel.

— Command post.

— Logistic and medical supply deposit.

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Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

— Operational 1 hour after arrival on site.

8. Advanced medical post with surgery

Tasks

— Perform patient profiling (triage) on the site of the disaster.

— Perform damage control surgery.

— Stabilise the condition of and prepare the patients for transport to the most suitable

health facility for final treatment.

Capacities

— Perform triage for at least 20 patients per hour.

— Medical team capable of stabilising 50 patients per 24 hours of activity, working in two

shifts.

— Surgery team capable of damage control surgery for 12 patients per 24 hours of activity,

working in two shifts.

— Availability of supplies for the treatment of 100 patients with minor injuries per 24

hours.

Main components

— Medical team per 12 hour shift:

(cid:127) triage: 1 nurse and/or 1 doctor,

(cid:127) intensive care: 1 doctor and 1 nurse,

(cid:127) surgery: 3 surgeons, 2 operating nurses, 1 anaesthetist, 1 anaesthetist nurse,

(cid:127) serious, but not life-threatening injuries: 1 doctor and 2 nurses,

(cid:127) evacuation: 1 nurse,

(cid:127) specialist support personnel: 4.

— Tents:

(cid:127) tent(s) with interconnected areas for triage, medical care and evacuation,

(cid:127) tent(s) for surgery,

(cid:127) tent(s) for the personnel.

— Command post.

— Logistic and medical supply deposit.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

— Operational 1 hour after arrival on site.

9. Field hospital

Tasks

— Provide initial and/or

taking into account
follow-up trauma and medical care,
acknowledged international guidelines for foreign field hospital use, such as World
Health Organisation or Red Cross guidelines.

Capacities

— 10 beds for heavy trauma patients, possibility to expand the capacity.

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Main components

— Medical team for:

(cid:127) triage,

(cid:127) intensive care,

(cid:127) surgery,

(cid:127) serious, but not life-threatening injuries,

(cid:127) evacuation,

(cid:127) specialised support personnel,

(cid:127) and at least covering the following: generalist, emergency doctors, orthopaedic, paedia-
laboratory technician,

trician, anaesthetist, pharmacist, obstetrician, health director,
X-ray technician.

— Tents:

(cid:127) appropriate tents for the medical activities,

(cid:127) tents for personnel.

— Command post.

— Logistic and medical supply deposit.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 7 days after the request.

— Operational on site 3 hours after arrival on site.

— Operational for at least 15 days.

10. Medical aerial evacuation of disaster victims

Tasks

Capacities

— Transport disaster victims to health facilities for medical treatment.

— Capacity to transport 50 patients per 24 hour.

— Ability to fly day and night.

Main components

— Helicopters/planes with stretchers.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (f) and (g) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

11. Emergency temporary shelter

Tasks

— Provide emergency temporary shelter, including the essential services, mainly in the initial
stages of a disaster in coordination with existing structures, local authorities and inter-
national organisations until handover to local authorities or humanitarian organisations,
where the capacity remains necessary for longer periods.

— Where a handover takes place, train the relevant personnel (local and/or international)

before the pull out of the module.

Capacities

— Tent camp equipped for up to 250 persons.

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Main components

— Taking into account acknowledged international guidelines, such as the

SPHERE-guidelines:

(cid:127) tents with heating (for winter conditions) and camp beds with sleeping-bag and/or

blanket,

(cid:127) power generators and lighting equipment,

(cid:127) sanitation and hygiene facilities,

(cid:127) distribution of drinkable water, according to the WHO standard,

(cid:127) shelter for basic social activities (possibility to assemble).

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

— Generally, the mission should last at most 4 weeks, or a handover process would have

begun where necessary.

12. Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear detection and sampling (CBRN)

Tasks

— Carry out/confirm the initial assessment, including:

(cid:127) the description of the dangers or the risks,

(cid:127) the determination of the contaminated area,

(cid:127) the assessment or confirmation of the protective measures already taken.

— Perform qualified sampling.

— Mark the contaminated area.

— Prediction of the situation, monitoring, dynamic assessment of the risks, including recom-

mendations for warning and other measures.

— Provide support for immediate risk reduction.

Capacities

— Identification of chemical and detection of radiological hazards through a combination of

hand held, mobile and laboratory based equipment:

(cid:127) ability to detect alpha, beta and gamma radiation and to identify common isotopes,

(cid:127) ability to identify, and if possible, perform semi-quantitative analyses on common toxic

industrial chemicals and recognized warfare agents.

— Ability to gather, handle and prepare biological, chemical and radiological samples for

further analyses elsewhere (1).

— Ability to apply an appropriate scientific model to hazard prediction and to confirm the

model by continuous monitoring.

— Provide support for immediate risk reduction:

(cid:127) hazard containment,

(cid:127) hazard neutralisation,

(cid:127) provide technical support to other teams or modules.

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Main components

— Mobile chemical and radiological field laboratory.

— Hand held or mobile detection equipment.

— Field sampling equipment.

— Dispersion modelling systems.

— Mobile meteorological station.

— Marking material.

— Reference documentation and access to designated sources of scientific expertise.

— Secure and safe containment for the samples and waste.

— Decontamination facilities for the personnel.

— Appropriate personnel and protective

to sustain an operation in a
contaminated and/or oxygen deficient environment, including gas tight suits where appro-
priate.

equipment

— Supply of technical equipment for hazard containment and neutralisation.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.

(1) This process should, where possible, take account of the evidential requirements of the requesting state.

13. Search and rescue in CBRN conditions

Tasks

Capacities

— Special search and rescue using protective suits.

— Special search and rescue using protective suits, in accordance with the requirements of

the medium and heavy urban search and rescue modules as appropriate.

— Three people working simultaneously in the hot zone.

— Continuous intervention during 24 hours.

Main components

— Marking material.

— Secure and safe containment for the waste.

— Decontamination facilities for the personnel and the rescued victims.

— Appropriate personnel and protective equipment to sustain a search and rescue operation
in a contaminated environment, in accordance with the requirements of the medium and
heavy urban search and rescue modules as appropriate.

— Supply of technical equipment for hazard containment and neutralization.

Self-sufficiency

— Elements (a) to (i) of Article 3b(1) apply.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the acceptance of the offer.’

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ANNEX II

‘ANNEX III

General requirements for Technical Assistance Support Teams

Tasks

— Provide or arrange for:

(cid:127) office support,

(cid:127) telecommunication support,

(cid:127) subsistence support,

(cid:127) transport support on site.

Capacities

Main components

— Capable of assisting an assessment and/or coordination team, an on site operations
coordination centre, or of being combined into a civil protection module as referred to
in Article 3b 2c.

— The following support components, enabling all on site operations coordination centre
functions to be fulfilled, taking into account acknowledged international guidelines such
as UN guidelines:

(cid:127) office support,

(cid:127) telecommunication support equipment,

(cid:127) subsistence support equipment,

(cid:127) transport support on site.

Deployment

— Availability for departure maximum 12 hours after the request.’