Amended proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection
C 212 E/28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 7. 2000 Amended proposal for a Council Decision establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection (1) (2000/C 212 E/02) COM(1999) 400 final - 98/0354(CNS) (Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC-Treaty on 30 July 1999) (1) OJ C 28, 3. 2. 1999, p. 29. INITIAL PROPOSAL AMENDED PROPOSAL THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Unchanged Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 308 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Having regard to the opinion of Committee, the Economic and Social Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, (1) Whereas the actions taken by the Community in this field since 1985 it possible progressively to develop coop- eration between the Member the adopted since 1987 (1) and the Council resolutions Decision of 19 December 1997 (2) a Community Action Programme in the field of Civil Protection constitutes the basis for this cooperation; States; whereas establishing (1) Whereas it is necessary to continue and to step up the actions taken by the Community in this field since 1985 to make it possible progressively to develop greater and more effective and progressive cooperation between the Member States; whereas the resolutions adopted since 1987 (1) and the Council Decision of 19 December 1997 (2) establishing a Community Action Programme in the field of Civil Protection constitutes the basis for this cooperation; (2) Whereas the individual actions undertaken by the Community to implement the programme contribute to the protection of persons, environment and property in the event of natural and technological disasters; (2) Whereas the individual actions undertaken by the Community to implement the programme contribute to the protection of persons, environment and property in the event of natural and technological disasters and a more rational relationship with nature, which in future may make to prevent many disasters, including floods; it possible (3) Whereas the Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable devel- opment (3) presented by the Commission foresees that the Community’s activities will be stepped up in particular in the field of environmental emergencies, whereas the same programme to take for account of scientific research and technological devel- opment; ___________ (1) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, activities these calls Unchanged ___________ (1) OJ C 176, 4. 7. 1987, p. 1; OJ C 44, 23. 2. 1989, p. 3; OJ C 315, 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. 14. 12. 1990, p. 1; OJ C 313, 10. 11. 1994, p. 1. (2) OJ L 8, 14. 1. 1998, p. 20. (3) OJ C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 5. (2) OJ L 8, 14. 1. 1998, p. 20. 25. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 212 E/29 INITIAL PROPOSAL AMENDED PROPOSAL (4) Whereas the Community Action Programme will continue to help to develop cooperation in this field even more effectively; whereas the programme should be based to a large extent on experience already gained in this field; (4) Whereas the Community Action Programme will continue to help to develop cooperation in this field even more effectively; whereas the programme should be based to a large extent on experience already gained in this field and continue to develop this experience; cooperation supports (5) Whereas, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, Community supplements national policies in the field of Civil Protection in order effective; whereas pooling of to make experience and mutual assistance will help to reduce the loss of human life, injuries and economic and environ- mental damage throughout the Community; them more and and them more cooperation supports (5) Whereas, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, Community supplements national policies in the field of Civil Protection in order effective; whereas pooling of to make experience and mutual assistance will help to reduce the and loss of human life, injuries, material damage economic and environmental damage throughout the Community, making the objectives of social cohesion, solidarity and European citizenship more tangible; special (6) Whereas the isolated and ultraperipheral regions of the their Union have geography, terrain and social and economic conditions which have an adverse effect and make it difficult to deliver aid and means of assistance in the event of major danger; characteristics because of Unchanged (7) Whereas the Community Action Programme will provide transparency as well as consolidate and strengthen the different actions in continued pursuit of the objectives of the Treaty; (8) Whereas action to prevent risks and damage as well as provide information and prepare those responsible for and involved in Civil Protection in the Member States is important and increases the degree of preparedness for accidents; whereas to undertake Community action to improve techniques and methods of response and rehabilitation after emergencies; is also important it (9) Whereas it is also important to undertake action targeted at the general public so as to help European citizens to protect themselves more effectively; (9) Whereas it is also important to undertake action targeted at the general public so as to help European citizens to protect themselves more effectively; whereas they should realise that this task is a shared responsibility and be made aware of health and environmental protection problems; (10) Whereas an advisory committee will assist the Unchanged Commission in managing the action programme; (11) Whereas the provisions of this Decision take over from 1 January 2000, from the action programme set up through the Council Decision of 19 December 1997 and ending on 31 December 1999; (12) Whereas the Treaty does not provide, for the adoption of this Decision, powers other than those of Article 308, C 212 E/30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 7. 2000 INITIAL PROPOSAL AMENDED PROPOSAL HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Article 1 A Community action programme in the field of Civil 1. Protection (hereinafter called áthe programmeí) is hereby estab- lished for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004. A Community action programme in the field of Civil 1. Protection, (hereinafter including environmental emergencies, called áthe programmeí) is hereby established for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004. The programme is intended to support, supplement 2. Member States’ efforts at national, regional and local levels for the protection of persons, environment and property in the event of natural and technological disasters. The aim is also to facilitate cooperation and mutual assistance between Member States in this field. 2. The programme is intended to support, supplement and step up Member States’ efforts at national, supra-regional, regional and local levels for the prevention and the protection of persons, environment and property in the event of danger or actual natural and technological disasters. The aim is also to facilitate cooperation, exchange of experience and mutual assistance between Member States in this field. Article 2 Unchanged The Commission shall implement the actions under the 1. programme. the 2. A three-year rolling plan to implement the programme, to be reviewed annually, shall be adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 4 and on the basis inter alia to the information supplied by Member States of Commission. The Commission may, when necessary, arrange additional actions the programme. Such additional actions shall be assessed in the light of the priorities set and the financial resources available. to those under Actions under the programme and financial arrangements 3. for Community contribution are set out in the Annex. Article 3 The rolling plan to implement 1. contain the individual actions to be undertaken. the programme shall Individual actions shall be selected primarily on the basis 2. of the following criteria: (a) contribution to preventing the risks and damage to persons, environment and property in the event of natural and tech- nological disasters; (b) contribution to increasing the degree of preparedness of those involved in Civil Protection in the Member States, to increase their ability to respond to an in order emergency; (b) contribution to increasing the degree of preparedness of those primarily responsible for and most directly involved in in Civil Protection at all order to increase their ability to respond to an emergency; levels in the Member States, detecting and studying the immediate and underlying causes of disasters and publishing the conclusions of such a study; 25. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 212 E/31 INITIAL PROPOSAL AMENDED PROPOSAL (c) contribution to improving techniques and of response and rehabilitation after emergencies; (c) contribution to improving the means and methods of fore- casting, techniques and procedures of response and reha- bilitation after emergencies, by means of pilot projects; (d) contribution public awareness, so as to help citizens to protect more effectively. information, to education and themselves Unchanged Each individual action shall be implemented in close at national, 3. cooperation with the regional and local level in the Member States. authorities competent 4. Where relevant, actions under the present programme shall seek to contribute to the integration of civil protection objectives in other Community and Member States policies and actions. 4. Where relevant, actions under the present programme shall seek to contribute to the integration of civil protection objectives in other Community and Member States policies and actions, particularly when the environmental impact of instal- lations and activities is being assessed. Each action shall 5. Community and national research in the relevant fields. take account of the results of the Unchanged Article 4 the For implementation of 1. the Commission shall be assisted by an advisory committee the Member States and representatives of composed of chaired by the representative of the Commission. programme, the 2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote. 3. The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. The Commission shall take the utmost account of the inform the the manner in which its opinion has been 4. opinion delivered by the committee and shall committee of taken into account. The Commission may also refer other matters relating to 5. Civil Protection to the advisory committee. Article 5 The Commission shall evaluate the implementation of the programme at mid-term and before its end, and report by 30 September 2002 and 31 March 2004 to the Council and the European Parliament. Article 6 This Decision shall apply with effect from 1 January 2000. Article 7 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. C 212 E/32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 7. 2000 FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION (1) ANNEX ORIGINAL TABLE Action Financing arrangements A. Major projects of general interest Major projects of general interest for all Member States or a number of them and involving a process for enhancing Civil Protection capabilities for dealing with disasters in certain significant aspects, such as: Maximum Community financial contribution: 75% of the total costs of the action. - prevention; - preparedness; - response; - restoration; - information of the public, so as to help the citizens to protect themselves more effectively as well as to contribute to safety in connection with the free movement of citizens within the Community. B. Training 1. Workshops and courses (1) Organisation of workshops or training courses bringing together high-level experts, technical specialists and tech- nicians from the Member States permitting, within each discipline, the mutual sharing of experience by means of discussions in specific terms of their methods, techniques and means with a view to: - increasing their degree of preparedness; - creating the conditions for the establishment of a human network permitting more effective operational cooperation between Member States in case of emergency. 2. Exchange of experts and technicians the secondment of experts, to the Organisation of emergency services of another Member State in order to allow the experts to gain experience or appraise different techniques used or to study the approaches taken within other emergency services or other relevant bodies. Organisation of exchanges of Member States’ experts, specialists and technicians enabling them to present or to follow short training courses. Maximum Community financial contribution: 75 % of the total cost of the action, with a ceiling of 75 000 EUR per action. Maximum 75 % of expenses and 100 % of system the experts’ travel and subsistence the costs of coordinating the (1) The specific actions eligible to other Community instruments will not be financed in the frame of this programme. 25. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 212 E/33 Action Financing arrangements Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the costs of participating observers from other Member States and for organising the associated workshops, preparing the exercise and the final report, etc. Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the total cost of each pilot project, with a ceiling of 200 000 EUR for each project. 3. Exercises (1) to The exercises are intended to compare methods, stimulate cooperation between Member States and to back up progress in coordination of the national Civil Protection services, with a view to improving inter alia the effectiveness and speed of response in case of emergency. C. Other actions 1. Pilot projects (1) (2) Projects designed to increase the capacity for and speed of response in the initial stages of crises in the different regions of Member States. These projects are aimed mainly at improving means, techniques and procedures also in the isolated and ultraperipheral regions. Their scope should be such as several Member States and it is intended to give them the maximum dissemination and demonstration throughout the Union for their implementation. to interest all or The greatest possible encouragement should be given to multinational projects. 2. Support actions (1) Support actions for the development of particular Civil Protection aspects (2). Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the total cost of each action, with a ceiling of 30 000 EUR per action. 3. Conferences and events (1) Conferences and other Civil Protection events which are open to a large audience, and involving several Member States. 4. Information and other actions Distribution of information, publications and production of exhibition material on the Community cooperation in the field of Civil Protection. Other actions aiming to a better appreciation of the results of the civil protection activities, such as statistics, economic analysis Evaluation of the programme. D. Mobilisation of expertise Mobilisation of expertise to intervene in the event of an emergency situation to reinforce the system set-up by the authorities of a Member State or a third country facing natural, technological disasters. Maximum Community financial contribution: 30 % of the ceiling of total 50 000 EUR per action. arrangement with a cost of the Community financial contribution: 100 % of the costs Community financial contribution: 100% of the costs for the experts’ missions. (1) The only eligible actions are those interesting all Member States or a significant number of them. (2) The only eligible actions must be in accordance with the priorities yearly defined within the management committee. C 212 E/34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 7. 2000 AMENDED TABLE Action Financing arrangements A. Major projects of general interest Major projects of general interest for all Member States or a number of them and involving a process for enhancing Civil Protection capabilities for dealing with disasters in certain significant aspects, such as: Maximum Community financial contribution: 75 % of the total costs of the action. - prevention; - preparedness; - response; - restoration; - information of the public, so as to help the citizens to protect themselves more effectively as well as to contribute to safety in connection with the free movement of citizens within the Community. B. Training 1. Workshops and courses (1) Organisation of workshops or training courses bringing together high-level experts, technical specialists and tech- nicians from the Member States, at local regional or supraregional level, permitting, within each discipline, the mutual sharing of experience by means of discussions in specific terms of their methods, techniques and means with a view to: - increasing their degree of preparedness; - creating the conditions for the establishment of a human network permitting more effective operational in case of cooperation between Member States emergency. 2. Exchange of experts and technicians Maximum Community financial contribution: 75 % of the total cost of the action, with a ceiling of 75 000 EUR per action. the secondment of civil protection Organisation of experts, including experts of NGOs fully integrated in the civil protection systems of to the emergency services of another Member State in to gain experience or order appraise different to study the approaches taken within other emergency services or other relevant bodies. techniques used or the Member States, to allow the experts Maximum 75 % of expenses and 100 % of system the experts’ travel and subsistence the costs of coordinating the Organisation of exchanges of Member States’ experts, specialists and technicians enabling them to present or to follow short training courses. 3. Exercises (1) to The exercises are intended to compare methods, stimulate cooperation between Member States and to back up progress in coordination of the national Civil Protection services, with a view to improving inter alia the effectiveness and speed of response in case of emergency. Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the costs of participating observers from other Member States and for organising the associated workshops, preparing the exercise and the final report, etc. 25. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 212 E/35 Action Financing arrangements C. Other actions 1. Pilot projects (1) (2) Projects designed to increase the capacity for and speed of response in the initial stages of crises in the different regions of Member States. These projects are aimed mainly at improving means, techniques and procedures also in the isolated and ultraperipheral regions. Their scope should be such as several Member States and it is intended to give them the maximum dissemination and demonstration throughout the Union for their implementation. to interest all or The greatest possible encouragement should be given to multinational projects. 2. Support actions (1) Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the total cost of each pilot project, with a ceiling of 200 000 EUR for each project. Support actions for the development of particular Civil Protection aspects (2). Maximum Community financial contribution: 50 % of the total cost of each action, with a ceiling of 30 000 EUR per action. Maximum Community financial contribution: 30 % of the ceiling of total 50 000 EUR per action. arrangement with a cost of the Community financial contribution: 100 % of the costs 3. Conferences and events (1) Conferences and other Civil Protection events which are open to a large audience, and involving several Member States. 4. Information and other actions Distribution of information, publications and production of exhibition material on the Community cooperation in the field of Civil Protection. Other actions aiming to a better appreciation of the results of the civil protection activities, such as statistics, economic analysis Evaluation of the programme, as well as participation in other exhibitions and events for the distribution of material the which devote particular attention to prevention, importance the resources, implementation of safety standards, raising the alarm in and potentially emergency situations. rescue plans conserving dangerous situations, natural of D. Mobilisation of expertise Mobilisation of expertise to intervene in the event of an emergency situation to reinforce the system set-up by the authorities of a Member State or a third country facing natural, technological or environmental disasters. Community financial contribution: 100 % of the costs for the experts’ missions. (1) The only eligible actions are those interesting all Member States or a significant number of them. (2) The only eligible actions must be in accordance with the priorities yearly defined within the management committee