Community action programme in the field of civil protection

1) OBJECTIVE

To set up an action programme to foster cooperation among the Member States in the field of civil protection.

2) COMMUNITY MEASURES

Council Decision 98/22/EC of 19 December 1997 establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection.

3) CONTENTS

National civil protection services have been built up following the natural and technological disasters which have hit the Member States in recent years. Civil protection now involves almost five million professionals and volunteers around Europe.

Community cooperation on civil protection helps to achieve the objectives of the Treaty by reflecting the concerns of the Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, presented by the Commission.

Community cooperation in this field began in 1985 with specific actions, notably on forest fires, earthquakes, flooding and accidents caused by chemicals. The Community action programme adopted here continues this action.

The Council Decision sets up a Community programme to protect the environment, people and property in the event of natural or technological disaster. Its purpose is to step up cooperation on civil protection between Member States. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, Community cooperation supplements national action in order to make the national programmes more effective.

Funding for specific actions is subject to certain criteria; the actions must:

• lessen risk and damage to persons, property and the environment;
• increase the degree of preparedness of those involved in civil protection: training courses, exchanges of experts, simulation exercises;
• improve response techniques: developing and adapting new technologies to the requirements of civil protection;
• promote information and raise public awareness of the rules of self-protection: travelling exhibitions, distribution of information material.

The programme is set up for two years, from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 1999, with a budget of ECU 3 million. The Commission must produce an evaluation report on specific action taken.

Last updated: 13.03.2001