1. Union Civil Protection Mechanism, state-of-play
Franziska Otte
Policy Officer
DG ECHO.B1
Civil Protection Horizontal Issues

2. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated over 300 times since 2001 to respond to emergencies The Mechanism pools response capacities from 34 participating states The Mechanism can be deployed inside the EU and around the world Joint disaster prevention and preparedness actions

3. EU Member States + 6 additional states (Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey)
Blue: water-related capacities
Yellow: search and rescue
Red: medical
Blue: maritime/marine pollution
Green: firefighting
Grey: CBRN
Brown: support

4. “We need more solidarity not for solidarity's sake but for the sake of efficiency. This is true in the case of our civil protection mechanism. When fires rage in one European country, all of Europe burns.The most striking images from this summer were not only those of the formidable fires but of the Swedish people greeting Polish firefighters coming to their aid – Europe at its best.”
Jean-Claude Junker, State of the Union speech
12 September 2018

5. State of play in the legislative process
12/12/2018 Political agreement
12/02/2019 EP adoption after 1st reading
07/03/2019 Council adoption
13/03/2019 Official signature in Strasbourg
20/03/2019 Publication in OJ
21/03/2019 Entry into force
Starting with a look back…
On 23 November 2017, the Commission adopted a proposal for a revised Union Civil Protection Mechanism to better deal with disasters in Europe.
The package consisted of:
a legislative proposal – an amendment of the existing UCPM Decision 1313/2013
the Communication “Strengthening EU Disaster Management: rescEU Solidarity with Responsibility”.
The proposal was based on 2 pillars:
Pillar I: Strengthen response – rescEU (solidarity)
Pillar II: Strengthen prevention and preparedness (responsibility)
It also aimed at the simplification of administrative rules to make the reaction to emergencies more efficient.

6. Response Capacities rescEU Lo-Hi National Capacities Local Capacities
Impact
Lo-Hi
rescEU 4
Safety net
European CP Pool 3
Mutual assistance 2
National Capacities
First responders
A glance at the overall architecture of preparedness and response at EU level…
European Civil Protection Pool ( new name, previously called the European Emergency Response Capacity) continues to be the central piece of the UCPM. This is where Member States pre-commit national response capacities. The revision increased the incentives for committing assets to the Pool (slide 6 provides more details).
rescEU is the most significant new element. It is a reserve of civil protection capacities at European level to be used as a last resort: when Member States can't cope with a disaster themselves and require EU assistance and when capacities in the European Civil Protection Pool are insufficient to respond to a disaster. In such situations, the Commission could decide to deploy rescEU capacities to support Member States' actions.
rescEU ownership, command and co-financing rates were the key contentious elements in the legislative negotiations.
rescEU transition. Setting-up a fully operational rescEU will take time, therefore a transitional arrangements have been foreseen until 2025.
Spontaneous offers – non-pool assets. The Commission wanted to discontinue co-financing of assets that are not in the Pool. However, co-legislators reinstated this possibility.
Composition of rescEU capacities. Risks, capacities and gaps vary over time, so there is a need for flexibility. The Commission is empowered to adopt implementing acts defining the rescEU capacities, taking into account the identified risks, overall capacities and gaps.
The EU co-financing for the development and deployment of response capacities vary - depending on whether it’s a Pool, rescEU or spontaneous offers. They also vary for the deployment to emergencies within and outside the EU (not shown on the slide).
Capacities study on:
Module requirements/Capacity definitions
Cost of capacities
Risk-based capacity gaps
Capacity Goals
Local Capacities
First responders
Probability

7. Prevention Disaster Risk Management Cycle The ‘Balancing Mechanism’
Further Develop
Submit summaries of By
Risk Assessments
By 31/12/2020
(and every 3 years)
Risk Management Capabilities
Risk Management Plans
[For cross-border risks & Lo Hi risks – where appropriate]
Describe prioritiy prevention/ preparedness measures
COM to further develop guidelines by 22/12/2019
The ‘Balancing Mechanism’
For MS prone to similar type of disasters, the Commission may
For MS frequently requesting assistance for the same type of disaster, the Commission may
For MS requesting assistance 3 times within 3 consecutive years, the Commission shall
ARTICLE 6 OF THE REVISED UCPM DECISION
Member States should share with the Commission on a regular basis summaries of their risk assessments and the assessment of their risk management capability, focussing on key risks. In addition, Member States should share information on prevention and preparedness measures, particularly those needed to address key risks having cross-border impacts as well as where appropriate low probability risks with a high impact. The Commission together with the Member States should further develop guidelines to facilitate the sharing of information on disaster risk management. Such guidelines should help to promote comparability, in particular where Member States face similar risks or cross-border risks.
Balancing Mechanism:
These provisions are about further strengthening the prevention culture and the “responsibility” element.
In order to enhance prevention and preparedness planning and coordination among Member States, the Commission, in cooperation with Member States, should be able to establish specific consultation mechanisms.
Moreover, the Commission should be able to request information on prevention and preparedness measures related to specific risks when frequent requests for assistance have been made by a Member State. The Commission should assess such information with a view to maximising overall Union support to disaster risk management and strengthening Member States’ levels of prevention and preparedness.
Establish Specific Consultation Mechanisms, including for cross-border and Low Probability risks with High impact (Lo Hi)
Request additional information on prevention/ preparedness measures
Request additional information on prevention/ preparedness measures
If appropriate
If appropriate
Propose deployment of expert team
Propose deployment of expert team
Make recommendations
Make recommendations

8. New UCPM specific objectives
(Art. 3.1) UCPM shall support, complement and facilitate coordination of MS action in pursuit of the following common specific objectives:
New (e) increase the availability and use of scientific knowledge on disasters
New (f) step up cooperation and coordination activities at cross-border level and amongst Member States prone to the same types of disasters

9. New Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network
Network of civil protection and disaster management actors and institutions – based on existing structures
Facilitates training, exchange of good practice and expertise among civil protection and emergency management personnel
Stimulates research and innovation
Strengthens cooperation with international organisations in training
The Network is about strengthening the training and knowledge component in disaster risk management.
The Network will be based on existing structures: centres of excellence, universities, researchers and other experts, young professionals and experienced volunteers. Further co-operation on training, research and innovation should also be strengthened with international organisations.

10. Next steps The objective is to be ready:
For the 2019 forest fire season
Ongoing work:
Implementing acts under preparation
Guidelines on reporting on risk management activities under preparation
Define other capacities (other than AFF) needed as rescEU

11. Thank you for your attention
Recitals call for better synergies with other Union policies and instruments
Such as:
Actions under the EU Floods Directive
Actions under the Sendai Framework for Actions
Knowledge available in JRC’s DRMKC (Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre)