Brussels, 27/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Over several years, the European Parliament (EP) has consistently called for a European civil protection force along the lines of the recommendations of the 2006 Barnier report. With the adoption in Strasbourg on 27 September of the own initiative report by Elisabetta Gadini (EPP, Italy), MEPs made the point once again. They call on the Commission to submit proposals as quickly as possible on creating a European civil protection force that will enable the EU to gather together what is needed to provide civil protection and immediate assistance to victims in emergencies, building on the existing role and capabilities of European civil protection forces and remedying current weaknesses and blockages. With this vote, the EP gives its response to the Commission communication, Towards a stronger European disaster response: the role of civil protection and humanitarian assistance, dating from October 2010.
Given the exponential increase in the numbers of natural disasters (they have become five times more frequent in recent times, Parliament notes), responding as quickly as possible to an emergency is a necessity.
According to Gardini, the technology exists to improve prevention, yet we are still responding in an ad hoc manner. She says that policies have to be developed for prevention, with member states pooling resources, and to predict risk situations. This must be done in full compliance with the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, she argues. The ball is now in the Commission's court: it is due to bring forward a legislative proposal by October. The EP believes that humanitarian aid and civil protection have to be strengthened and that it is imperative that the EU budget support initiatives to prepare for disasters. Michèle Striffler (EPP, France), permanent rapporteur for humanitarian aid, was pleased that the draft budget for 2014-2020 allocates €455 million to the financial instrument for civil protection.
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva gave assurances that the EP resolution would inform the Commission's legislative proposal. “We want pre-organised reaction, which integrates member states civil protection systems from the bottom up, improvement of these systems, then collective, coordinated deployment of resources.” The proposal will concentrate on the full cycle of disaster response - preparation in terms of risk analysis, prevention, deployment, reconstruction and lessons to be learnt, she said. (AN/transl.rt)