Annexes to COM(2001)707 - Civil protection - State of preventive alert against possible emergencies - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2001)707 - Civil protection - State of preventive alert against possible emergencies. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2001)707  |
| date | November 29, 2001 |
4. Research activities
4.1. Mobilising Europe's potential for research and technological development
Improving Europe's capacity to respond to emergencies arising from biological or chemical terrorist attacks requires a mobilisation of its research and technology development potential. Knowledge on new biological hazards and how to deal with them is fragmented across different actors in Europe.
In the short term, a joint evaluation should be undertaken of the current state of knowledge, of existing research capabilities and of additional research needs. The Research Council of 30 October 2001 endorsed the Commission's initiative to convene a group of national experts on research in the field of defence against biological and chemical threats. The group's mandate will be to compile an inventory of ongoing research activities in this field, to determine research gaps, and to define needs and opportunities for co-ordination of national research initiatives in this field. The group's first meeting is planned for 12 December 2001.
In line with the objective of creating a true European Research Area, the new Framework Programme for Research and Development (2002 - 2006) will provide the means for supporting co-ordination of national research efforts and for supporting research that presents a clear European added value. Bio-defence research would gain a lot from bringing together national research activities and resources in fields of common interest.
Under the heading of anticipation of the EU's scientific and technological needs, the new Framework Programme, as proposed by the European Commission, will incorporate the means to respond to urgent research challenges in support of Community policies such as public health or justice and home affairs. New threats linked to bio-terrorism are a good illustration of the benefits of providing flexibility in programming EC research. Relevant research with a longer term perspective could be funded under thematic priorities "Genomics and biotechnology for health" and "Food safety and health risks".
4.2. Making available the competence of the Joint Research Centre
Through the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission has its in-house scientific and technical expertise in the nuclear, chemical and biological fields. The JRC often operates in networks with national laboratories and research centres.
Its long-standing work on behalf of the Euratom Safeguards Office and the International Atomic Energy Agency has made the JRC a centre of reference on nuclear safeguards in the EU. It further operates the European Non Proliferation Information Management and Analysis Centre (IAC), which collects and validates scientific and technical information needed for decision-making in warfare agent non-proliferation.
In the biological field, the JRC has initiated and co-ordinates a bio-response working group with specialist analytical capabilities comprising state-of-the-art laboratories in member states and world experts in detection and fingerprinting of transgenic DNA strains. The group is set to meet on 2 and 3 December to consider scenarios for emergency response. One of the topics for discussion will be the use of transgenic plants to produce vaccines will be considered for the production of smallpox and other vaccines, in light of recent developments in the USA. The JRC will use its own facilities and those of the bioresponse working group of the European Network of GMO Laboratories it co-ordinates, to detect and identify relevant transgenic strains in the context of addressing biological attacks to the food chain (agri-terrorism).
In the chemical field, the JRC will make its collection of open-source intelligence on the presence of chemical agents covered by the Chemical Weapons Convention available upon request to all authorised services of the European Commission and Member States.
Building on its foresight expertise, the JRC will immediately launch two studies: one to determine the new scientific issues and questions related to bioterrorism and one to assess the technological, social, economic and psychological vulnerabilities of our modern societies with regard to possible terrorist attacks.
4.3. Global monitoring for environment and security
The Commission has just adopted a communication (COM 2001/609 of 23 October 2001) regarding the setting up of a global surveillance system for environment and security. The Council of the EU and likewise the European Space Agency approved the action plan, which consists of preparing for autonomous and operational capacity of the EU in this area. The field of civil protection will be one of the main figurehead users of GMES services. This spatial application is a priority for the next Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration activities (2002-2003). The development of a pilot project could be envisaged, in particular to demonstrate how GMES answers the needs of civil protection, and especially for anti-terrorist measures.
5. Actions in other fields
Across the vast range of activities and policies covered by the Commission, there are many valuable inputs that the civil protection mechanism may draw upon.
5.1. Security of energy facilities and transport
Issues relating to the security of energy facilities and transport are part of the follow-up to the Green Paper on the security of energy supply presented by the Commission in November 2000. Work is being carried out by the Commission on these issues as requested by the Nice European Council. A report on the security of energy supply is scheduled for submission to the Barcelona European Council.
The tragic fires in the Mont-Blanc tunnel and the Tauern tunnel in Austria in 1999 and the recent Gothard fire are rekindling the debate about the level of safety in tunnels and relief and evacuation mechanisms in the event of accidents. This is an essential aspect of the establishment of the national plans needed for evacuation/intervention in emergencies. In addition to funding the trans-European networks, in 2002 the Commission will propose European rules for minimum safety standards in tunnels.
Lastly, GALILEO, the European satellite navigation system, which is now in the development phase, will offer a precise and reliable positioning service and thus assist the carrying out of civil protection operations.
5.2. Safety in the nuclear and radiological fields
Nuclear energy
The security and safety standards in the nuclear energy sector are among the most stringent for any industrial activity. Everything is done at Community level to ensure that strict accounting for nuclear materials prevents any diversion for non-peaceful uses.
On radiation protection, the Commission co-ordinates the measures taken by the national safety authorities. However, the events of 11 September now make it necessary to consider factors relating to the vulnerability of nuclear facilities. In this context and in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the Commission services are conducting an assessment of nuclear facilities. At the light of the result of this assessment, the Commission will consider the appropriate follow up.
Nuclear emergencies
The Commission and the Member States are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a system of rapid alert for nuclear and radiological emergencies.
In practice, the European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange system (ECURIE) is operational within the Environment Directorate on a 24 hour a day basis and uses coded information to avoid language barriers. Regular exercises are also carried out to ensure its availability.
In case of a nuclear accident, the main role of the EC is to receive an initial notification, to verify the message content, to launch the alert to all member States and the IAEA and receive and forward additional information to all member States.
5.3. Network and information security
The availability of IT networks is not only critical for communication channels (e.g. civil protection) for instance in case of disasters (nuclear, biological, chemical or threats or attacks) but also for other infrastructures (e.g. water , electricity supply, energy; etc.). Work on security of electronic networks had already been identified as a priority issue by the Stockholm European Council. The concrete implementing measures which are being prepared in close collaboration with the Council will be enshrined in a Council Resolution to be adopted at the Telecommunications Council session of December 6 to take the new dimension of the terrorist threat into account.
5.4. Structural Funds
Financing is available from the Structural Funds for action to prevent natural or technological disasters, for example some regional programmes include measures to prevent natural risks (strengthening of river embankments; equipment for centres to combat forest fires; erosion protection, etc.). There is also provision for preventive action as part of trans-frontier and trans-national co-operation (e.g. alerts relating to flooding and technological disasters; establishment of pluri-national centres to combat forest fires; co-operation relating to the safety of popular mountain areas, etc.).
The Structural Funds can also co-finance some reconstruction work after natural or technological disasters, as part of the regional programmes and in the normally eligible zones.
5.5. Safety in the chemical field
Chemical plants and storage facilities could become possible targets of terrorism, in particular the ones located close to towns and cities. The operators of such installations must already consider how they react to the possibility of major accidents. Now, they are expected to reinforce safety measures, in particular measures to control access, as far as practicable.
Moreover, the terrorist attacks, together with the explosion in Toulouse on September 21st 2001, showed the importance of appropriate land use planning so as to limit the impact of possible accidents on the population, independently from their causes. The Commission is currently working with the Member States on this difficult issue.
6. The European co-ordinator for civil protection measures
The actions described above need to be put into the context of the request from the Ghent Informal European Council for the appointment of a co-ordinator for civil protection measures.
The Commission is uniquely placed to work with groups across all Member States and beyond. It is playing a valuable part in bringing different Community networks - research, health, civil protection - together to focus on this need. One can distinguish between three categories of support that the Commission can offer in this respect:
- immediate responses to events in terms of mobilising teams of specialists etc ;
- planning to improve preparedness for events, eg promoting training and work on stocks of vaccines and serums ;
- longer term research and information to assist both policy and operational responses.
To play this role will mean effective and increased co-operation with existing networks and resources as well as a sensitivity and ability to co-operate and work with a wide group of organisations and different interests. In practice, this can be best achieved by building on the existing Civil Protection activities and notably through the full implementation of the Community mechanism for Civil Protection.
The Commission therefore intends to nominate in its midst a high profile European co-ordinator who will be namely responsible for the management of the Community mechanism for co-ordination of actions in the field of civil protection. In this capacity, he will have to co-ordinate the activation, implementation and follow-up of the many available community initiatives, and in particular those described in this Communication.
7. Conclusions
The recent terrorist attacks have caused increased concern amongst the people of the European Union.
Governments have reacted with a series of measures at a national level but, significantly, have come together at the level of the European Union to look at the viability and contribution that a combined effort could make. The European Commission and the Council of Ministers were asked by the Heads of State to react and to organise.
In response, the Commission has shown - and this Communication clearly describes how - that it is already willing, able and equipped to make an important contribution to civil protection. It has anticipated the entry into force of the so-called civil protection mechanism that is already 'on-line' and available to all Member States, Candidate Countries and other countries. In practice this means using modern management and technology to co-ordinate and makes available the sum of resources drawn from the networks operated in the environment, health, research, transport, energy and other policy areas.
In particular in the health sector, the Commission, following the invitation by the Health Ministers, is establishing an action programme with the following objectives:
- Setting up a mechanism for information change, consultation and co-ordination for the handling of health -related issues related to attacks in which biological and chemical agents are susceptible to be used or have been used.
- Create a EU-wide capability for the timely detection and identification of biological and chemical agents that are susceptible to be used in attacks and for the rapid and reliable determination and diagnosis of relevant cases;
- Create a stock and health services database and a stand-by facility for making medicines and health care specialists available in cases of suspected or unfolding attacks;
- Draw-up rules and disseminate guidance on facing-up to attacks from the health point of view and co-ordinating the EU response and links with third countries and international organisations.
As a priority, to achieve these objectives means that the Commission should intensify its activities under current actions and programmes. For the future, it will need to use the opportunity of the Annual Policy Statement and budget processes to review the scope of this activity.
The various Commission services are working closely with national authorities, with industry and with each other to reinforce the work already done and to improve even further the contribution that the Commission can make to civil protection. The appointment of a European co-ordinator is confirmation of the priority given to this area of work.
This is a clear example of the value of action at Community level, where national responsibility (for dealing directly with disasters) remains unchallenged but is facilitated and assisted by the sum total of shared Community resources.
The Commission will keep the Council and Parliament informed of the progress achieved in implementing this programme.