Brussels, 28/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - In Aix-en-Provence on 29-31 July, the French presidency of the EU is organising a seminar on “Feedback and perspectives on training, transport, equipment and mutual assistance in Europe”. This event aims to dress up a balance sheet of European cooperation in civil protection and strengthen crisis response capacity. A presidency press release explained that in an effort to better structure the deployment of civil protection resources, the seminar will provide an opportunity to promote the principle of mutual training and assistance in the European Union and member states. This assistance will consist in “member states agreeing on a voluntary basis to establishing standby periods in which they would make civil protection teams available to intervene in crises”. The seminar will also provide an opportunity to discuss the creation of a European civil protection training college. The French presidency stresses that developing common training programmes is essential for strengthening the interoperability of these future European civil protection modules. (O.L./trans/rh)