FROM GAPS TO CAPS Risk Management Capability on Gaps Identification in the BSR Neringa Brogaitė-Karvelienė Fire and Rescue Department under MoI of Lithuania

GENERAL OBJECTIVE To facilitate future national assessments of risk management capability in accordance with the EU Decision on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism among the participating countries

AIMS Methodology for future assessments of capability among the Baltic Sea States with a special focus on cross-border dimensions; Dissemination of findings on actual disaster risk management capability and ways forward in assessing and improving such capability from a macro-regional and European perspective among key decision-makers of civil protection in the Baltic Sea countries; Production of a publication on ideas for future national assessments of risk management capability in the BSR; Involvement of experts and key actors in the field of capability assessment representing different sectors and levels of the civil protection systems of the participating countries.

EXPECTED RESULTS Enhanced capabilities for preparing and reviewing national capability assessments and risk assessments; Increased comparability between future national capability assessments; Enhanced awareness of cross-border hazards; Enhanced awareness and understanding for the cross-border needs; Enhanced preparedness.

PARTNERS Coordinator: Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (CO) Beneficiaries: Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) (AB1) Frederikssund-Halsnæs Brand- & Redningsberedskab (Denmark) (AB2) Estonian Rescue Board (AB3) Ministry of the Interior of Finland (AB4) Hamburg Fire and Rescue Service (Germany) (AB5) University of Iceland (AB6) State Fire and Rescue Service of Latvia (AB7) Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) (AB8) Main School of Fire Service in Warsaw (Poland) (AB9) Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) (AB10)

ADMINISTRATIVE OVERVIEW Duration of the project: 24 months Starting date: 1 January 2015 Ending date: 31 December 2016

TASKS TASK A: Management and reporting to the Commission Responsible leader – Fire and Rescue Department under MoI of Lithuania (CO): Management structure; Reporting; Administrative-financial coordination.

TASKS TASK B: Publicity Responsible leader – CBSS Secretariat: Publicity strategy; Preparation of necessary communication tools; Online and in print publication; Cross-sectorial communication; Initial platform and an action plan for further dissemination of project results.

TASKS TASK C: Risk management capability assessment methodology Responsible leader – University of Iceland: Methodology for risk management capability for BSR; Contribution to the ongoing process of methodology for risk management capability assessment at EU level.

TASKS TASK D: Comparison of evaluations of emergencies and exercises Responsible leader – Hamburg Fire and Rescue Service: Comparison of evaluations of previous incidents/emergencies and exercises; Conclusions on differences and similarities; Listing of best practises and main gaps; Defining common criteria for comparing evaluation.

PROJECT MEETINGS: Kick-off meeting for the selected projects ( 20 January 2015, Brussels ); Kick-off conference of the Project and of the thematic Tasks ( 24–25 March 2015, Iceland ); Second compulsory meeting in Brussels ( Commission decides ); Seminar No. 1 ( May 2015, Latvia ); Seminar No. 2 ( November 2015, Estonia ); Seminar No. 3 ( June 2016, Germany ); Final Seminar of Task C and Task D ( August 2016, Lithuania ); Final Conference of the Project ( October 2016, Sweden ).

PROJECT REPORTS: First progress report ( 30 September, 2015 ); Second progress report ( 31 May, 2016 ); Final report ( 1 February, 2017 );