EN
European Economic and Social Committee
NAT/774
Union Civil Protection Mechanism - amendment
OPINION
European Economic and Social Committee
Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism
COM(2019) 125 final – 2019/0070 (COD)
Rapporteur: Panagiotis Gkofas
Referral |
Parliament, 14/03/2019 Council, 27/03/2019 |
Legal basis |
Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union |
Section responsible |
Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment |
Adopted in section |
23/05/2019 |
Adopted at plenary |
19/06/2019 |
Plenary session No |
544 |
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions) |
171/01/04 |
1.Context
1.1A new Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) was approved on 13 March 2019 by the Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision 1313/2013/EU. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism provides a framework for cooperation and assistance in the event of major emergencies inside and outside the EU. Since 2001, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated more than 300 times. All EU Member States, two EEA countries (Iceland and Norway), as well as Montenegro, Serbia, FYROM and Turkey, are party to the Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as the United Nations (Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030) and relevant international organisations. The act provides for the setting up of an additional pool of resources, rescEU, to provide assistance in situations where overall existing capacities are insufficient. RescEU will include in particular aerial means to combat forest fires, as well as resources to respond to medical emergencies and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents. The Civil Protection Knowledge Network for training and knowledge-sharing will also be a strategic factor in preparedness and prevention.
1.2With this amendment, risk prevention should be improved by requiring Member States to further develop their assessment of their risk management capability and their risk management planning, in particular when Member States are simultaneously affected by the same type of disasters, whether natural or man-made, or linked to unexpected climate changes or unpredictable, strong earthquakes with high rate of recurrence, causing loss of human life and massive destruction of ecosystems, civil and public infrastructures, economic activities and small businesses 1 .