Council of the
European Union
Brussels, 24 May 2019
(OR. en)
9407/19
PROCIV 34
JAI 547
'I/A' ITEM NOTE
From:
Presidency
To:
Permanent Representatives Committee/Council
No. prev. doc.:
9293/19
Subject:
Report from the Romanian Presidency on the main achievements at EU
level in the field of civil protection
1.
Delegations will find attached a Presidency Report on the main achievements at EU level in
the field of civil protection.
2.
COREPER is advised to invite the Council to take note of the report.
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ANNEX
Report from the Romanian Presidency
on the main achievements at EU level in the field of civil protection
This report outlines the main achievements at the EU level in the field of civil protection during the
Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The first half of 2019 was marked by the adoption
1 and first phase of implementation
2 of the
amended Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) Decision. In March 2019, negotiations also
started on another legislative proposal
3 to amend the UCPM, related to financial aspects for the next
multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
In line with the 18-month programme of the Council
4, Romania promoted civil protection activities,
with a priority focus on the management of high-impact, low-probability (HILP) events throughout
the negotiation of the amendments to the UCPM and during its Presidency, by facilitating the
implementation process of legal provisions related to HILP. To that end, the Romanian Presidency
organised a workshop on European preparedness and response to HILP events in Bucharest on
30-31 January 2019.
Another related topic on the agenda was cooperation between the EU and NATO in the field of civil
protection, with a workshop and a table-top exercise held in Brussels on 21-22 February 2019.
1
Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2019
amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism,
OJ L 77, 20.3.2019, p. 1.
2
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/570 of 8 April 2019 laying down rules for the
implementation of Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council
as regards rescEU capacities and amending Commission Implementing Decision
2014/762/EU, OJ L 99, 10.4.2019, p. 41.
3
Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No
1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (7271/19, COM(2019) 125 final,
7 March 2019).
4
14518/18.
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Ten years after their last meeting, the Civil Protection Directors-General of the Partner Countries of
the Union for the Mediterranean gathered in February 2019 in Barcelona and identified areas to
strengthen cooperation in the field of civil protection.
The EU statement for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (13-17 May 2019, Geneva)
was agreed, following examination by the Working Party on Civil Protection (PROCIV) and the
Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA).
The implementation of the 2017 Action Plan to enhance preparedness against chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) security risks, and the protection of European critical
infrastructure were also addressed.
Finally, the UCPM was activated a number of times in response to natural and man-made disasters
around the globe, both inside and outside the EU.
1.
Decision (EU) 2019/420 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending
Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism
Following political agreement reached in December 2018, the amended Union Civil Protection
Mechanism was adopted on 13 March 2019 and entered into force on 21 March 2019. The
amending Decision strengthens the existing mechanism by introducing several new measures,
including the establishment of rescEU — a European reserve of civil protection capacities which
can be activated when national capacities are overwhelmed. To ensure that Europe is prepared for
the forest fire season, the new legislation included a transition phase during which Participating
States can receive financing for aerial firefighting capacities which they commit to the UCPM
(‘rescEU transition’).
On 8 April 2019, the first implementing act was adopted, focused on the initial composition of
rescEU and the transitional period. A number of Participating States have committed their
capacities as part of rescEU transition in order to have them ready for this year's forest fire season.
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At their informal meeting in Bucharest on 9-10 April 2019, the Directors-General for civil
protection continued discussions on practical aspects of the implementation of rescEU capacities,
including the need to develop swiftly rescEU capacities and ‘no-regrets measures’ for the
emergency medical response and to cope with CBRN incidents.
2.
Proposal for a Decision amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection
Mechanism
On 7 March 2019 the Commission submitted another legislative proposal to amend the Union Civil
Protection Mechanism, in preparation for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF)
2021-2027.
The Commission’s proposal increases the budget of the UCPM by more than three times - from
EUR 368.5 million for 2014-2020 to EUR 1.4 billion for 2021-2027, in order to reinforce the
collective capacity of the Member States and the EU to prevent, prepare for and respond to
disasters, by developing rescEU capacities, setting up a civil protection knowledge network,
co-financing the cost of adapting, repairing, transporting and/or operating European Civil Protection
Pool capacities, etc.
While around two thirds of the current budget come from Heading 3 - Security and Citizenship, and
one third from Heading 4 – Global Europe, the new financial appropriations are under the new
Heading 5: ‘Security and Defence’.
The proposal removes Annex I, which provides for a budgetary breakdown, allocating 20 % of the
financial envelope to prevention, 50 % to preparedness and 30 % to response (+/- 8 percentage
points for each). This breakdown can currently be adjusted by more than 8 and up to 16 percentage
points by way of delegated acts. The amendment is justified by the need for more flexibility related
to the unpredictable nature of disasters.
Finally, the proposal amends the article on visibility and awards, in order to align it with the
standard language related to corporate communication used in all the new MFF proposals.
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The Romanian Presidency took up the file and started the negotiations in the PROCIV Working
Party.
On 27 March 2019 Coreper approved the decision to consult the Committee of the Regions and the
European Economic and Social Committee on an optional basis. Consultation letters to both
committees were sent on 1 April 2019.
3.
Presidency priority topic: EU and Member States’ preparedness for high-impact,
low-probability (HILP) events
The Romanian Presidency organised the workshop ‘Preparing for High-Impact, Low-Probability
Events – Way ahead’ (Bucharest, 30-31 January 2019).
The meeting gathered around 100 experts from 33 UCPM Participating States, several Commission
departments, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), NATO and the US. The aim of
the workshop was for participants to reflect on principles and criteria for a common understanding
of HILP events, to discuss and share experiences and good practices, and to examine which
preparedness and response measures should be considered at EU level to manage the potential
consequences of HILP events, thus facilitating the implementation of the UCPM provisions
referring to HILP.
Based on the answers provided in advance by the national civil protection authorities to a
questionnaire prepared by the Romanian Presidency and the workshop’s discussions, a set of
actions was identified, to be implemented at local, national and EU level, to ensure effective
preparedness for and response to HILP events and to create the basis for resilience:
•
the adoption of ‘
no regret’ measures, such as: the development of tools for anticipation of
future events and future scanning/monitoring, correct situational awareness and expertise at
the scene, well-equipped and informed first responders, adaptive solutions/organisation of
first responders, a good understanding of the causes, location identification;
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•
appropriate means and capacities to intervene, specialised capabilities to be developed under
rescEU to cope with HILP events, sufficient means to cope with long-lasting emergency
situations;
•
management plans for dispatching resources, solutions for individual and mass
evacuation/displacements, and for the management of mass casualties and deaths;
•
the deployment of all available resources (public, private, community) at local, national,
regional and international level in an organised, coordinated manner;
•
use of other advanced technologies for disaster management (e.g. artificial intelligence,
drones, collaborative mapping, social media sentiment analysis, alternative technologies for
search and rescue (SAR), hazard mapping, damage assessment, etc.).
Several criteria were mentioned for a common understanding of HILP events, such as:
•
unpredictability of the event;
•
complexity (cascade effects, which might pose a threat to national security or disrupt
government continuity, or resulting in a social, environmental, economic, public health or
critical infrastructure breakdown) and characteristics and severity of the impact (including
long-term negative impact – e.g. economic losses, impact on critical infrastructure);
•
duration (long-lasting consequences going beyond the national capacity to handle the event);
•
scale (mass casualties, mass fatalities, mass displacement, psychological effects, etc.)
overwhelming the national capacities to respond (including solidarity capacity through the
voluntary pool);
•
geographical spread (area affected/trans-boundary consequences);
•
particularities of the necessary response measures and capacities (e.g. if highly specialised,
very expensive intervention assets are needed which are scarce at EU level);
•
invocation of the solidarity clause (Article 222 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union), activation of EU Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) arrangements,
or a request for international assistance, etc.
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Discussions were also held on specific HILP response capabilities to be developed at EU-level
under rescEU. Several capacities were mentioned as possible cost-effective and long-lasting
solutions, such as:
•
emergency medical capacities (Emergency Medical Teams - EMT3; medical evacuation
(Medevac) air transport capacities for victims who are highly contagious/in a critical
condition/have severe burns; stockpiles);
•
CBRN capacities (detection; multidisciplinary teams including experts; sensors/drones;
decontamination; laboratory capacity; specialised transport; upgrading to operate in search
and rescue context; mass decontamination of persons and vehicles) and stockpiles (protective
equipment; antidotes), management of nuclear waste;
•
mass shelter capacities;
•
large emergency communication equipment (platforms; telecom voice and data services;
satellite communication).
Following discussions during the workshop, the PROCIV Working Party tasked the Commission
with prioritising the necessary implementing acts containing HILP provisions, starting with the
development of emergency medical response and CBRN capacities.
It is expected that upcoming EU Council Presidencies will build upon the work done to improve the
effectiveness of the UCPM when EU and Member States are confronted with HILP events or with
their impact.
4.
EU-NATO cooperation in civil protection
The Romanian Presidency and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats,
based in Helsinki, together organised the workshop ‘EU/NATO cooperation in civil protection’
(Brussels, 21-22 February 2019). The workshop was attended by 70 high-level experts from EU
Member States, mainly healthcare service providers, civil protection and public order services, and
EU and NATO officials with in-depth knowledge of civil protection.
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The main objectives were: to highlight EU-NATO cooperation in civil protection, including when
confronted with hybrid threats; to identify the ways and areas in which the EU Member States’
health care systems are vulnerable to hybrid threats; and to analyse cross-border cooperation in the
event of an incident with multiple victims.
It also included a table-top exercise based on an HILP medical emergency with multiple victims
and a hybrid threat scenario – which explicitly showed that the assistance provided based on Article
42(7) of the Treaty on European Union and following the activation of the UCPM would help in the
first instance, but — as the epidemic starts spreading out – there may not be sufficient help, due to
the precedence given to protecting national interests; in addition, the stockpiles of basic and
specialised medical materials that would be needed in the case of an airborne pandemic is
insufficient.
There was general agreement among the participants that:
•
The vulnerabilities and gaps identified need to be addressed by pooling resources as soon as
possible, especially by stockpiling the relevant materials. rescEU should include the
preparation of medical capacities to respond to possible severe medical shortcomings as was
portrayed in the scenario (Note: the response needs to be calculated according to the needs of
the EU as a whole and not of the individual Member States).
•
Cooperation between the EU and NATO should be strengthened, through exercises at all
levels, engaging the UCPM, Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and Euro-
Atlantic Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (EADRCC) more closely, as the pooling of
resources is an efficient mean to prevent and respond to HILP events.
As civil protection is part of national security, the need to increase the individual and collective
capacity of EU Member States to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters, especially when
consequences are multiplied by hybrid threats, was underlined.
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5.
Third meeting of Civil Protection Directors-General of the Partner Countries of the
Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) (Barcelona, 11-12 February 2019)
The meeting, co-organised and co-chaired by the UfM and the Commission, was focused on the
following topics:
•
increasing the resilience of Mediterranean countries – cooperation between operational and
scientific communities;
•
enhancing preparedness through capacity development;
•
strengthening citizens' awareness and involvement in disaster prevention, preparedness and
response by empowering volunteers and young people;
•
promoting efficient international assistance in the event of a disaster, including proper
implementation of Host Nation Support.
6.
Disaster risk reduction
The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held on 13-17 May in Geneva, gathered together
participants from various sectors, mostly at ministerial level. The meeting took stock of the progress
in implementation of the 2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and gave further
recommendations for policy makers. Its outcomes will contribute to the High-Level Political Forum
(New York, July/September 2019) and to the UN Climate Change Summit in September 2019.
The PROCIV Working Party, in consultation with the COHAFA Working Party, agreed on the
statement, which was delivered at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction by the
Commission on behalf of the EU and its Member States.
5
5
8022/1/19 REV 1.
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7.
EU risk management capability
Under the 2013 UCPM Decision (Article 6), Participating States were required to provide the
Commission with an assessment of their risk management capability, consisting of a self-
assessment to carry out risk assessments, risk management planning and implement prevention and
preparedness measures
6. On that basis, the Commission prepared an overview of EU risk
management capability in 2018.
The overview and its key conclusions were presented at the 42nd meeting of the Directors-General
for Civil Protection of the European Union, of the European Economic Area and of the candidate
countries (Bucharest, 9-10 April 2019).
Lessons learned from the process will be incorporated into the new guidelines, to be further
developed according to the amended UCPM Decision.
8.
Response to emergencies
Since the beginning of January 2019, the UCPM has been activated
nine times (eight requests for
assistance outside the EU and one inside the EU).
40
30
21
20
18
18
18
8
13
11
9
16
12
13
14
10
6
12
2
10
11
11
9
8
4
6
8
10
8
7
6
8
3
5
4
4
4
1
1
0
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
Internal
External
6
The deadline for the first submissions expired in August 2018, three years after the
finalisation of the relevant guidelines.
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The emergencies which resulted in activation of the UCPM were as follows:
•
Biological/medical:
Democratic Republic of the Congo – Ebola outbreak – Support to
World Health Organisation (WHO) (5 April)
•
Floods:
Iran (8 April)
•
Preparedness/advisory:
Bolivia - Preparedness mission (3 January)
and
Georgia – Preparedness mission (12 February)
•
Marine pollution:
France – Grande America Vessel on fire - Oil spills (10 March)
•
Storms (Cyclones, Hurricanes):
Mozambique – Cyclone (20 March);
India – Cyclone -
- Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) (22 May)
•
Environmental emergency:
Solomon Islands (13 March)
•
Forest Fires:
Guatemala (14 May)
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) also monitored and shared information on
forest fires in Norway and Sweden at the end of April.
So far, in 2019 there have been seven European Union Civil Protection (EUCP) missions, with
42 experts and seven ERCC liaison officers deployed. Out of those, six experts were EU experts
assigned to the UN and WHO, and one was from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control (ECDC).
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The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) was activated in response to
23 requests
for satellite mapping, producing more than
200 maps. In addition, the European Maritime Safety
Agency (EMSA) responded with specialised oil-spill satellite mapping to one request for satellite
maps in a marine pollution case.
UCPM activations inside the EU
France – Marine pollution – March 2019
On 10 March, the vessel Grande America (Italian flagged) caught fire in the Gulf of Biscay, close to
French shores. Consequently, several oil spills were detected and 30 containers were left at sea. On
12 March, the vessel was reported sunk and most of the cargo/containers were dispersed in the sea.
France issued requests for assistance using the Common Emergency Communication and
Information System (CECIS) Marine Pollution, on 12 March for satellite imagery, and on 13 March
for two oil spill response vessels and two drones for aerial surveillance.
On 12 March, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)’s CleanSeaNet service was activated
and two response vessels were deployed by EMSA. On 25 March, the total amount recovered was
estimated at 38 tonnes of solid hydrocarbon and 474 mᶟ of liquid pollution (hydrocarbon mixed with
seawater). On 19 April, France closed the emergency in CECIS Marine Pollution.
UCPM activations outside the EU
a.
Bolivia – Preparedness mission – January 2019
On 3 January, the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit (JEU) requested one environmental expert
from the UCPM to support an assessment mission to develop a national disaster risk reduction
strategy in Bolivia. The EU expert was deployed to La Paz as part of the Capacity for Disaster
Reduction Initiative (CADRI) mission from 14 to 28 January. It consisted of field visits to three
regions at risk of snowfall (Oruro), flooding (Beni), and drought and fire (Tarija) and provided
analysis and recommendations on local infrastructure and preparedness measures. The mission’s
preliminary findings and recommendations were presented to 100 governmental officials in La Paz
on 28 January.
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b.
Georgia – Preparedness mission – February 2019
On 12 February, a request for assistance was received from Georgia to assess its current civil
protection system and develop a roadmap for the creation of a training centre for firefighters,
rescuers and local crisis managers. The ERCC deployed an EUCP team of 12 experts to Georgia
from 13-21 March.
The outcome of their assessment was presented on 20 March in Tbilisi in the presence of high-level
representatives from different departments. The mission ended on 22 March and the final report is
being finalised. The Emergency Management Service of Georgia will report to the European
Commission on the follow-up to the recommendations within one year.
c.
Mozambique – Tropical Cyclone – March 2019
Between 14 and 15 March, Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall as a category four cyclone near
Beira City (Sofala Province). The high winds and heavy precipitation caused flash flooding and
subsequent deaths, destruction of livelihoods and properties, leaving more than 600 people dead and
an estimated 1.85 million people in need in Mozambique.
The UCPM was activated on 20 March following a request for assistance from Mozambique’s
National Authorising Office.
In total, nine Participating States contributed with offers of assistance through the UCPM, out of
which five provided in-kind assistance. Six Participating States contributed by sending
modules/response capacities that provided healthcare, clean water and communications support to
the affected population in and around Beira, of which four were modules from the European Civil
Protection Pool (ECPP). Almost EUR 4 million in transport co-financing was requested by the
Participating States, for the first time under the new legislation.
Two EUCP teams were deployed to Mozambique together with four ERCC liaison officers and one
ECDC epidemiologist. The first team arrived in Mozambique on 23 March, and was replaced by the
second team in mid-April. The two teams combined consisted of 16 experts representing nine
different Participating States. In addition, the UCPM also provided two hydrology experts from the
United Nations Disaster and Coordination (UNDAC) team.
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41 maps were produced by the European Commission’s Copernicus emergency satellite mapping
service and the Presidency launched a monitoring page in the Integrated Political Crisis Response
(IPCR) platform, constantly fed with operational information by the ERCC.
This was one of the biggest UCPM operations outside the EU, given the number of EU
rescuers/staff deployed (more than 300) and the length of deployment (more than six weeks). It was
by far the largest medical component deployed under the UCPM: four Emergency Medical Teams
(EMTs), with more than 170 doctors and nurses.
Nevertheless, preliminary lessons indicate that an earlier deployment of the ERCC liaison officers
and the full EUCP team would have facilitated both increased visibility of the response and better
coordination of the UCPM operations during the first response phase.
d.
Solomon Islands – Environmental emergency - March 2019
The bauxite bulk carrier MV Solomon Trader was grounded at Lavagu Bay in the Solomon Islands
on 4 February. The vessel, leaking oil since 15 February, was carrying approximately 750 tonnes of
hydrocarbons, of which an estimated 100 tonnes have already leaked into the surrounding marine
environment.
Given the complexity of the operation, the national authorities requested additional support from the
UN. Subsequently, the ERCC received a request for assistance from the UN Environment/OCHA
Joint Unit (JEU) for one ecologist and one eco-toxicologist with specific expertise in oil spillages.
As no nominations were received through CECIS, the ERCC closed the emergency on 19 March.
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e.
DRC – Ebola outbreak – Support to WHO – April 2019
On 4 April, WHO made a request for assistance through the ERCC for experts in Ebola medical
evacuation (medevac) preparedness, isolation bubbles and consumables.
One Participating State offered three experienced experts, who provided two training courses on the
use of the Medevac EpiShuttle system to relevant stakeholders in Beni on 25 and 27 April. A
second round of specific training is scheduled for the beginning of June in Goma/Beni and Geneva,
the latter in the form of training of trainers. In addition, the same Participating State donated three
additional EpiShuttles.
Since the Ebola outbreak in DRC in May 2018, the ERCC is keeping Participating States informed
of the development of the situation on a weekly basis through the information transmission case in
CECIS and through regular meetings.
f.
Iran – Floods – April 2019
An extended period of severe weather in northern and south-western parts of Iran have resulted in
devastating flooding in Lorestan, Khuzestan and Golestan provinces. On 8 April, the UCPM was
activated following a request from the Iranian authorities for assistance in the form of medical care,
water and sanitation, shelter, non-food items, rescue equipment and tools.
An ERCC Liaison Officer was deployed to Tehran on 23 April to coordinate with the national
authorities and facilitate the arrival and distribution of EU assistance from five Participating States.
All EU assistance has been distributed to the affected provinces by the Iranian Red Crescent.
In the absence of an EU delegation in Tehran, the Presidency supported the mission and organised a
briefing with the EU embassies on site. The ambassadors were briefed on operational developments
and the need for further in-kind assistance was emphasised.
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre also shared a dam release simulation report
with the Iranian authorities, in preparation for a worst-case scenario.
14 maps were produced by the European Commission's Copernicus Emergency Management
Service, and the Romanian Presidency launched a monitoring page on the IPCR platform.
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g.
Guatemala – Forest Fires – May 2019
On 14 May the UCPM was activated based on the request for assistance received from the
Government of Guatemala related to the ongoing forest fires affecting this country. The request
involved technical expertise in the form of civil protection experts to provide strategic, analytical
and logistical support with a view to optimising the response operations. An EUCP team of eight
experts and one ERCC liaison officer was deployed as of 19 May for approximately two weeks. At
the time of the report, the mission is still ongoing.
h.
India – Tropical Cyclone - Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) – May 2019
The UN Resident Coordinator in India has requested assistance from the UCPM in support of a
PDNA in Odisha, India, following the tropical cyclone FANI. The request is for one expert in the
area of telecommunications damage assessment. Nominations were still ongoing at the time of this
report.
_________________
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