Report on progress on implementation of article 6 of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Preventing and managing disaster risk in Europe

Summary:

Report published by the European Commission on 12 March 2024, reporting on the application of Article 6 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU which sets out the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

Further information:

Article 196 TFEU sets out that the European Union (EU) must encourage cooperation between Member States in order to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and protecting against natural or man-made disasters. In 2001, the EU established a Community-wide civil protection mechanism, focusing on disaster response. Since then, the European Commission has coordinated mutual support between Member States.

Decision No 1313/2013/EU established the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) to consolidate this work and step up emergency readiness at all levels. The Mechanism provides the operational backbone for the collective response both within and outside the EU. Demand for assistance under the UCPM has increased dramatically over the years. The Mechanism has also supported and complemented national action on disaster prevention and preparedness. As set out in Article 6 of the UCPM Decision, it is essential to put in place effective and coherent disaster risk management, with a due emphasis on prevention.

The Article introduces a general framework on disaster prevention with the aim of achieving a higher level of protection and resilience against disasters and at fostering a culture of prevention that also considers the likely impacts of climate change. The UCPM Decision requires the Commission to report periodically on progress in implementing Article 6. This is the first report and includes recommendations for a "future-proofed" disaster risk management. The accompanying staff working document provides more detailed information on implementation and the Commission’s analysis of disaster risk management (DRM) summary reports provided by Member States and Participating States between 2020 and 2022.