Decision (EU) 2019/420 amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Summary:

Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union - formally adopted on 13 March 2019 - which introduces targeted changes to Decision No 1313/2013/EU on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).

Further information:

Council Decision No 1313/2013/EU governs the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), aimed at supporting, coordinating and supplementing the action of Member States in the field of civil protection to prevent, prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters within and outside the European Union. The UCPM was first established in 2001.

Despite the understanding that the UCPM became a useful tool to mobilise and coordinate the assistance provided by the Participating Countries, different assessments also identified the need for improving the legislation in certain areas, in particular regarding operational experience. This was major factor leading to the targeted revision proposed by the European Commission in November 2017. The initiative aimed at achieving three objectives:

• Reinforcing the collective ability to respond to disasters and to address identified capacity gaps by creating a dedicated reserve of response capacities at EU level (rescEU), and enhancing the existing voluntary pool to be known as European Civil Protection Pool (ECPP);
• Strengthening the prevention and preparedness action as part of the risk management cycle and improving coherence with other EU policies dealing with disaster risk prevention and management;
• Simplifying the administrative procedures to ensure rapid access to assistance.

The draft law was published alongside a Communication on 'Strengthening EU Disaster Management'. The European Parliament adopted its position on 31 May 2018, followed by the Council of the European Union on 25 July. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text was reached on 12 December. The Parliament formally endorsed the draft law on 12 February 2019, followed by the Council on on 7 March. The act was signed on 13 March by the co-legislators, published in the Official Journal on 20 March and applied from the following day.

• Primary Source

News

Kathimerini, 23/11/2017: European Commission announces new initiative for natural disaster management http://www.ekathimerini.com/223550/article/ekathimerini/news/european-commission-announces-new-initiative-for-natural-disaster-management

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Official

EUR-Lex: COM(2017)772: Proposal for a Decision amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2017:772:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Union Civil Protection Mechanism: prevention; European Civil Protection Pool; rescEU https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2017/0309(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Revision of Decision 1313/2013/EU for a fully-fledged European Union Civil Protection Mechanism with own operational capacities https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-environment-public-health-and-food-safety-envi/file-eu-civil-protection-mechanism

European Commission: Press Release, 23/11/2017: rescEU: a new European system to tackle natural disasters https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_17_4731

European Commission: Memo, 23/11/2017: rescEU: European Commission proposes to strengthen EU disaster management: Questions and Answers https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_17_4732

European Parliament: Press Release, 17/05/2018: Environment Committee MEPs vote to upgrade EU civil protection capacity https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180517IPR03708/

European Parliament: Press Release, 31/05/2018: RescEU: MEPs vote to upgrade EU civil protection capacity https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180528IPR04447/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 25/07/2018: Civil protection: Council agrees negotiating mandate on strengthening civil protection cooperation https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/07/25/civil-protection-council-agrees-negotiating-mandate-on-strengthening-civil-protection-cooperation/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 19/12/2018: Civil protection: Council confirms agreement with European Parliament https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/19/civil-protection-council-confirms-agreement-with-european-parliament/

European Parliament: Press Release, 12/02/2019: Civil protection: Parliament strengthens EU disaster response capability https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190207IPR25206/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 07/03/2019: Civil protection: Council adopts new rules to strengthen support in case of disasters https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/03/07/civil-protection-council-adopts-new-rules-to-strengthen-support-in-case-of-disasters/

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