Press Release: Commission proposes to strengthen EU Civil Protection capabilities and disaster intervention teams

The European Commission has decided to propose the setting up of a Community mechanism to co-ordinate interventions of national civil protection teams inside and outside the European Union. This mechanism, based on the principle of mutual assistance, is intended to allow early identification and mobilisation of operational resources in case of natural or technological disasters. The Commission believes the proposed mechanism can contribute to save lives and better protect or limit damage to the environment in such cases of emergency. On this basis, the Commission will now prepare a communication accompanied by a proposal to the Council. Since last autumn, the Union and neighbouring countries have been struck by a large number and a great variety of natural and technological disasters including: earthquakes in Greece and Turkey, storms in North Europe, France, Germany and Austria, the Erika oil spill in Brittany, Danube pollution and the disaster in a Dutch Fireworks warehouse, etc.

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

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