Brussels, 10/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - Parliament has paved the way for increased European cooperation and coordination in order to strengthen preparedness for natural and man-made disasters in the EU and the world at large, which will allow a swifter and more efficient response. In Strasbourg on Tuesday 10 December, the EP approved by an overwhelming majority (608 votes to 78, with 10 abstentions) the agreement negotiated with the Council on new EU civil protection legislation. The Council will now ratify this agreement in first reading on the draft decision of the Parliament and the Council for an EU civil protection mechanism. This will be done at the end of the month, without debate.
The revised legislation will include measures for pooling risk assessments, setting up an Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and creating a pool of intervention resources available to member states. Elisabetta Gardini (EPP, Italy) the rapporteur welcomed this progress and said that “we've taken a small step forward but it is a concrete one towards a safer European Union. Within this mechanism, member states and the appropriate authorities will be able to cooperate beyond borders in order to better prepare and respond more efficiently to disasters”. She explained that this progress had been made “in an area where the average EU citizen wants more Europe”. Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response said that “this vote brings us a step closer to a predictable and reliable civil protection system at the European level”.
For the first time, member states will be able to make a joint effort to assess if there are genuine gaps in response capacities all around Europe, and to address them with the help of EU seed financing up to 20% of the costs of necessary investment. To promote a culture of risk prevention, the new legislation will require the member states to share a summary of their risk assessments and to refine their risk management planning. The text advocates more training to be available for civil protection personnel operating outside their home countries, more exchanges of civil protection and prevention experts and closer cooperation with neighbouring countries. For a stronger and more efficient response, the legislation envisages the creation of a voluntary pool of member states' assets (teams, equipment) available for immediate deployment as part of a joint European intervention. The Commission will be responsible for facilitating and coordinating the deployment of these resources on the ground. The new 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre was inaugurated in May 2013. It will draw up an immediate response plan and invite member states to deploy whatever capacity is required (see EUROPE 10847). For the 2014-2020 period, the civil protection budget is €368,428 million. The revised legislation will enter into force at the beginning of 2014. The Commission and members states are currently drawing up detailed application provisions, so that the revised legislation can be applied as efficiently as possible by all those involved. (AN/transl.fl)