Call for measures to ensure quick and effective response to disasters

Date: 25/05/2000

By Renée Cordes

THE EU executive will next week stress the need to improve the coordination of national efforts to tackle environmental and other civil disasters.

A report drawn up by Commission President Romano Prodi, environment chief Margot Wallström and regional policy supremo Michel Barnier will insist that better communication between member states is essential to ensure a quick, effective response to emergencies. It will also call for training for officials on the ground in member states to be bolstered.

The report is due to be adopted by the full Commission next Tuesday (30 May), and could be followed up later with proposals for legislation and a request for additional EU funding to be earmarked for emergency relief.

The push for action follows a spate of recent disasters such as last year's accident involving the Maltese-flagged tanker Erika, which spilled tonnes of oil into the sea, and this month's Dutch fireworks explosion which killed 20 people and injured more than 950.

While the Commission has responded separately to each of these cases by, for example, proposing harmonised ship inspection procedures, officials argue that a more systematic approach is needed to safeguard citizens.

Consumer organisations have welcomed the move to improve coordination of responses to emergencies, but argue that it would be more effective for countries to share information on a regular basis to prevent similar disasters in future.

"There is always room for improvement at the national and European level in terms of responding to emergencies," said Joanna Dober of the EU consumer lobby group BEUC. "But it is more important to minimise the risk of these ever happening again."

The EU executive will stress the need to improve the coordination of national efforts to tackle environmental and other civil disasters at a meeting on 30.5.00.