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EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENV. C3 :\transpa\en\object

General objective

To increase the protection of people, of the environment and of property in the event of natural and technological disasters

Specific intra-Community objectives•To support the efforts made at national, regional and local levels for the prevention of the disasters, the preparation of the actors of civil protection and for the intervention in case of disasters.

• To contribute to the information of the public with a view to increasing the level of self-protection of the European citizens.

•To establish a framework which allows, where necessary, effective and rapid co-operation between national civil protection services.

International objective

To contribute to give coherence to the actions undertaken at international level in the field of civil protection.

YEAR MEMBER STATES KIND OF DISASTERS/PLACE No. OF DEAD PEOPLE

1980 Italy Earthquakes, Irpinia 27391953 The NetherlandsFloods, Zeeland 20001963 Italy Landslide, Longarone 17591987 Greece Hot humid days, Attica 15001976 Italy Earthquake, Frioul 9771994 SU/FIN/EST Ferry accident Estonia 8651962 Spain Floods, Barcelone 5001967 Portugal Storm, Lisbon 5001953 Greece Earthquake, Ionian Islands 4551959 France Dam, Fréjus 4211962 Germany Tidal wave and flooding, Hambourg 4001973 Spain Floods, Murcia 3501967 Belgium Fire in the department store "L'Innovation" 3251968 Italy Earthquake, Belice 2961988 United Kingdom Terrorist attack on Pan Am Jumbo over Lockerbie 2701985 Italy Dam, Cavalese 2691956 Belgium Mine disaster at Marcinelle 2621978 Spain Explosion of a gas tank truck, Tarragona 2161987 Belgium Ferry Herald of free enterprise, Zeebrugge 1931988 United Kingdom Noth Sea Piper Alpha oil platform explosion 1671998 Italy Mud flows, Campania 1591990 Sweden Fire on the ship Scandinavian Star 1581991 Italy Collision of ferry with tanker at Livorno 1471989 Portugal Aircraft crash at Santa Maria, Azores 1451976 United Kingdom Landslide at a colliery 1441959 Spain Dam and floods, Ribadelago (Zamora) 1441970 France Avalanches, Val d'Isère and St Servais 120

1952 United Kingdom SMOG 12000

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENV. C3 p:\transpa\english/prodi - 23.2.2000

Declaration of President Prodi (15.2.2000)…

Finally, the last commitment is for a better life quality. We opened this chapter with the white paper on food safety: now big steps have to be made in the field of environment. The case of the ERIKA tanker, the poisoning of the Danube show the urgency to intervene at the European level to protect Environment. The moment has arrived to conceive, and then to achieve, the institutions of an emergency structure of European Civil Protection. In too many cases we are requested to do that after the disaster has occurred. I believe that it is appropriate to start to think to these matters before disasters occur.

These are the challenges beyond us……….

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENV. C3 p:\transpa\english/propcivprot - 23.2.2000

Proposals for reinforcing

1. President PRODI

2. Commissioner WALLSTRÖM

3. Commissioner BARNIER

4. European Parliament Resolutions

5. Portuguese presidency

6. French presidency (“proposals”)

* * *

Post-Helsinki process

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENV.C3 p:transpa/english/capro5.

Implementation of the Community Action Programme 2000-2004

Priorities

• Prevention

• Information of the public

• New technologies (SERIMA)

• Communication during crisis

• System of exchange of experts

• Disaster medicine

COMMUNITY CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL PROTECTION

Other activities

• Mutual assistance• Operational manual• Commission 24h/24 cell• Secondment of experts

• Enlargement

• International activities• Euromed project

• Implementation of 1.1.2.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ENV. C3 20.3.2000

CONCLUSIONS/PRIORITIES

1. Long-term processes initiated.

2. Strong involvement of Member States through the principles of lead country and core groups.

3. Implementation of the action programme 2000-2004.

4. Implementation of the results of the projects carried out.

Contacts and Further Information

Civil Protection Unit:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/marin/mp01_en.htm

Accidental Marine Pollution: