Civil protection: Community action programme 2000-2004

OBJECTIVE: to establish a community action programme in the field of civil protection for the period 2000-2004. CONTENT: this proposal seeks to replace the current programme in the field of civil protection ending on 31 December 1999 and covers the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004. The proposed programme seeks, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, to supplement the efforts made by the Member States at national, regional or local level to promote civil protection and to facilitate cooperation and mutual assistance between the Member States in this field. More specifically, the programme seeks to: - support Member States in the prevention of risk and attack on persons, the environment and property in the event of natural or technological disaster; - support efforts made to increase the level of preparation of those responsible for civil protection in the Member States in order to improve their ability to intervene in the event of an emergency; - perfect intervention techniques and methods; - promote information, education and sensitisation of the public in order to improve their self-protection. The Community action proposed in the programme is not intended to replace the efforts made by Member States in the field of civil protection but to back them up in order to make them more effective. It is directed at those responsible for civil protection in the Member States but stresses the need to inform citizens. The Commission would be responsible for implementing the programme, with the help of a consultative committee of representatives from the Member States. The implementation of the programme would take the form of a three-year action plan, to be reviewed each year. However, if the need arises, the Commission would be able to organise other actions in addition to those for which provision is made in the three-year programme. An Annex details the scope of the action to be undertaken under the programme and the Community contribution to it. This varies between 50% and 75% of the cost of the programme, depending on the type of action (projects of general interest of European importance, 75% of the costs; seminars, training courses and exchanges of experts, 75% of the experts? travel costs up to 100% of the costs of coordinating the system; miscellaneous exercises, 50% of the costs; pilot projects which aim to strengthen the ability to intervene in the early stages of a crisis, 50% of the costs, capped at EUR 200 000 per project). Provision is made for the programme to be evaluated at mid-term and at the end of the proposed programme. It should be noted that the financial statement of the proposal makes provision for an annual budget of EUR 2 million for the implementation of the programme.�