Article 1 
A Community action programme (hereinafter called 'the programme`) in the field of civil protection is hereby established in order to contribute to the protection of persons, environment and property in the event of a natural or technological disaster, without prejudice to the internal division of competences in Member States. The programme is intended to support and supplement Member States' efforts within the framework of their action on national, regional and local levels in matters of civil protection, as well as to facilitate cooperation between Member States in this field. This programme excludes any measures aimed at the harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States or of the organising of the national preparedness of the Member States. Article 2 1. The programme shall start on 1 January 1998 and end on 31 December 1999. 2. A plan to implement the programme, established for two years and to be reviewed annually, shall be adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 4 and on the basis, inter alia, of the information supplied by Member States to the Commission. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme shall be ECU 3 million. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. 3. Actions under the programme, the financial arrangements and an indicative allocation of resources are set out in the Annex. Article 3 1. The plan for implementing the programme shall contain the individual actions to be undertaken. 2. Individual actions shall be selected primarily on the basis of the following criteria: (a) contribution to lessening the risk and damage to persons, environment and property in the event of a natural or technological disaster; (b) contribution to increasing the degree of preparedness of those involved in civil protection in the Member States, in order to increase their ability to respond to an emergency; (c) contribution to improving techniques and methods of response: pilot projects; (d) contribution to public information, education and awareness, so as to help citizens to protect themselves more effectively. 3. Each individual action shall be implemented in close cooperation with the competent authorities. 4. Each action shall take account of the results of the Community and national research in the relevant fields. 5. The Commission and Member States shall contribute to the consistency of the programme with other Community actions. Article 4 For the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall be assisted by a Committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be adopted by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the Treaty for the adoption of decisions which the Council is to take on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote. The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event: (a) the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of three months from the date of communication; (b) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in (a). Article 5 The Commission shall evaluate annually the progress in implementing the plan and present a written evaluation report to the committee referred to in Article 4 accordingly. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 2 
1. The programme shall start on 1 January 1998 and end on 31 December 1999. 2. A plan to implement the programme, established for two years and to be reviewed annually, shall be adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 4 and on the basis, inter alia, of the information supplied by Member States to the Commission. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme shall be ECU 3 million. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. 3. Actions under the programme, the financial arrangements and an indicative allocation of resources are set out in the Annex. Article 3 1. The plan for implementing the programme shall contain the individual actions to be undertaken. 2. Individual actions shall be selected primarily on the basis of the following criteria: (a) contribution to lessening the risk and damage to persons, environment and property in the event of a natural or technological disaster; (b) contribution to increasing the degree of preparedness of those involved in civil protection in the Member States, in order to increase their ability to respond to an emergency; (c) contribution to improving techniques and methods of response: pilot projects; (d) contribution to public information, education and awareness, so as to help citizens to protect themselves more effectively. 3. Each individual action shall be implemented in close cooperation with the competent authorities. 4. Each action shall take account of the results of the Community and national research in the relevant fields. 5. The Commission and Member States shall contribute to the consistency of the programme with other Community actions. Article 4 For the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall be assisted by a Committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be adopted by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the Treaty for the adoption of decisions which the Council is to take on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote. The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event: (a) the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of three months from the date of communication; (b) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in (a). Article 5 The Commission shall evaluate annually the progress in implementing the plan and present a written evaluation report to the committee referred to in Article 4 accordingly. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 3 
1. The plan for implementing the programme shall contain the individual actions to be undertaken. 2. Individual actions shall be selected primarily on the basis of the following criteria: (a) contribution to lessening the risk and damage to persons, environment and property in the event of a natural or technological disaster; (b) contribution to increasing the degree of preparedness of those involved in civil protection in the Member States, in order to increase their ability to respond to an emergency; (c) contribution to improving techniques and methods of response: pilot projects; (d) contribution to public information, education and awareness, so as to help citizens to protect themselves more effectively. 3. Each individual action shall be implemented in close cooperation with the competent authorities. 4. Each action shall take account of the results of the Community and national research in the relevant fields. 5. The Commission and Member States shall contribute to the consistency of the programme with other Community actions. Article 4 For the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall be assisted by a Committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be adopted by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the Treaty for the adoption of decisions which the Council is to take on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote. The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event: (a) the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of three months from the date of communication; (b) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in (a). Article 5 The Commission shall evaluate annually the progress in implementing the plan and present a written evaluation report to the committee referred to in Article 4 accordingly. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 4 
For the implementation of the programme, the Commission shall be assisted by a Committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be adopted by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the Treaty for the adoption of decisions which the Council is to take on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote. The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event: (a) the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of three months from the date of communication; (b) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in (a). Article 5 The Commission shall evaluate annually the progress in implementing the plan and present a written evaluation report to the committee referred to in Article 4 accordingly. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 5 
The Commission shall evaluate annually the progress in implementing the plan and present a written evaluation report to the committee referred to in Article 4 accordingly. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 6 
This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 1997. For the Council The President F. BODEN (1) OJ C 142, 8. 6. 1995, p. 19 and OJ C 202, 12. 7. 1996, p. 9. (2) OJ C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 258. (3) OJ C 301, 13. 11. 1995, p. 3. (4) OJ C 100, 2. 4. 1996, p. 111. (5) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 3; OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (6) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5.