Ministers’ Deputies
CM Documents
CM(2002)179 (restricted) 7 November 2002
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821 Meeting, 11 December 2002
9 Sustainable development
9.1 Conclusions of the 9th Ministerial Session of the EUR‑OPA Major Hazards Agreement: new trends and initiatives
(Isle of Bendor, France, 3‑4 October 2002)
Report by Directorate General IV – Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport
(Executive Secretariat of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement)
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Introduction
1. The 9th Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe’s EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement was held on the Isle of Bendor, France, on 3 and 4 October 2002, at the invitation and under the Presidency of Mr Patrick Devedjian, Deputy Minister for Local Freedoms of the Ministry of the Interior, France, President of the Agreement, and Mr Nourredine Yazid Zehrouni, Minister of State, Minister of the Interior and Local Authorities, Algeria, Vice-President of the Agreement.
2. The main theme of the meeting was the search for synergy between the European and international institutions in the field of risk management and the underlining of the priority axis of the Agreement’s contribution directed towards prevention and assistance in decision making in risk management.
3. Representatives from 21 member states participated in the 9th Ministerial session, of which 11 were represented at ministerial level. Mr Rudolf Körper, Secretary of State, German Ministry of the Interior, together with Mr Pierre Barraz, Swiss Consul General, participated in the meeting as observers.
4. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was represented by Mrs Antonella Cagnolati, Head of the Secretariat, Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs. The European Commission, the European Space Agency, UNESCO and ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction of the United Nations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies were represented. The president of the « Audit » Sub-Committee and the president of the « Programme » Sub‑Committee of the Agreement participated in the debates.
The agenda, the list of participants, the Resolutions and the Recommendation adopted by the Session are set out in the Appendices to the present report.
5. The session was opened by Mr Nourredine Yazid Zehrouni, Minister of State, Minister of the Interior and Local Authorities, Algeria, who underlined the fact that important progress had been made since the implementation of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement in the fields of knowledge, prevention, and management of emergency situations through the network of the 24 Euro-Mediterranean specialised Centres having the functions of research, training and expertise. He also stressed the importance of co-operation in the field of prevention and information of the populations against disasters and announced that Algeria supported the Risks-Radio programme which would be experimented in the Wilaya of Ain-Temouchent.
6. Mr Patrick Devedjian, “Ministre délégué aux Libertés Locales” of the Ministry of the Interior, France, chaired the debates during the afternoon of 3rd October 2002. He underlined the unanimous opinion that the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement was fulfilling its role in the field of risk prevention and co‑operation with European and non-European States in the civil protection sector. He noted with satisfaction that the work carried out under the French presidency and the Algerian vice-presidency had attempted over the past two years to move the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement on to a further level. Firstly by the mobilisation of the European scientific and technical community to improve risk management which was initiated with the support of the European Commission. Secondly, proposals for new programmes concerning help in decision-making in risk management were put forward and university training programmes have led to the setting-up of European masters in the fields of risk science and disaster medicine.
Three Resolutions and one Recommendation were adopted during this session. Mr P. Devedjian indicated that these texts stemmed from two major ideas: synergy and an increased effort for prevention.
He maintained that risk prevention was the field of competence where the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement could act with efficiency.
Resolutions and recommendation adopted:
· Resolution on Euro-Mediterranean Synergy (Appendix 3)
· Resolution on Risk Culture (Appendix 4)
· Resolution on First-Phase Implementation of Risk Prevention Initiatives (Appendix 5)
· Recommendation concerning the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) (Appendix 6).
7. The Ministers noted with interest the assessment of the 16 years’ activities of the Agreement. They instructed the Executive Secretary of the Agreement, in close collaboration with the Presidency and Vice‑Presidency of the Agreement, to implement the Resolutions and Recommendation adopted and:
· to invite to the meeting on the management of flooding in the Danube and Tisza basin, a representative of Croatia who is co-ordinating the Balkans Stability Pact initiative on flooding;
· at the invitation of the Spanish Permanent Correspondent, to organise a working meeting in Spain in December 2002 on the monitoring of flash floods, such as those in Algiers, Nîmes, Florence, Murcia, Romania, etc...;
· to organise a meeting of experts on the question of data sheets on the characteristics of vulnerable buildings, to facilitate decision making concerning the rehabilitation and reconstruction of buildings following disasters, such as earthquakes, floods or landslides. Such a technique could assist the formulation of policies on the rehabilitation of the cultural heritage affected by flooding, for example in the Danube basin;
· to invite to the meeting on industrial hazards, in Toulouse on 23 October 2002, a representative of Romania who is co-ordinating the Balkans Stability Pact initiative on industrial hazards;
· to organise a seminar in Baku in Spring 2003 on oil-related industrial hazards;
· to pursue his contacts with the Council of Europe Development Bank.
8. Budget
With regard to the Agreement's draft 2003 budget, they approved the principle that the obligatory contributions of the Agreement's member states should be complemented by voluntary contributions to specific programmes.
9. Presidency of the Agreement
After having expressed their gratitude to the French Presidency and the Algerian Vice-Presidency, the Ministers approved unanimously the proposal to prolong the French Presidency and the Algerian Vice‑Presidency of the Agreement until summer 2003, to assist the implementation of the resolutions and recommendation adopted.
Appendix 1
Agenda
9th Ministerial Session of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement
(Hôtel LE DELOS, Ile de Bendor, Bandol, France
3 – 4 October 2002)
1. OPENING OF THE MINISTERIAL SESSION
2. ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT AGENDA
3. RECALL OF THE RESOLUTIONS AND DECLARATIONS ADOPTED
AT THE 8th MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE AGREEMENT HELD IN ATHENS, GREECE, 21‑22 FEBRUARY 2000
4. EURO-MEDITERRANEAN CO-OPERATION IN THE FIELD OF RISK MANAGEMENT
Declarations by the Ministerial Delegations
5. THE EUR-OPA MAJOR HAZARDS AGREEMENT AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
· Assessment of 16 years’ activities of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement
· Pre-Ris Educ
5.a Draft Resolution on Euro-Mediterranean Synergy
Discussion and adoption
5.b Draft Resolution on Risk Culture
Prevention of major hazards in school
establishments in the Principality of Monaco
IRIS project (International Disaster Information System)
Discussion and adoption
5.c Draft Resolution on first-phase implementation
of risk prevention initiatives
Discussion and adoption
5.d. Preliminary draft Recommendation concerning
the United Nations’International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)
Discussion and adoption
6. COUNCIL OF EUROPE DEVELOPMENT BANK. ITS ROLE:
- in the prevention and rehabilitation area
- in partnership with other international financial Institutions
7. REVISION OF THE 5 YEAR MEDIUM-TERM PLAN OF THE AGREEMENT
8. 2003 DRAFT BUDGET OF THE AGREEMENT
Obligatory Contributions
Voluntary contributions
9. PRESIDENCY AND VICE-PRESIDENCY OF THE AGREEMENT
10. OTHER BUSINESS
11. ADOPTION OF THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE 9TH MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF THE DRAFT PRESS RELEASE
12. CLOSING SESSION OF THE 9TH MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE AGREEMENT
Appendix 2
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
ALBANIE / ALBANIA
Mr Halil LALAJ, Vice-Minister of Local Government and Decentralization, Ministry of Local Government and Decentralization, TIRANA
Mr Bujar KAPLLANI, Director of Planning and Coordination of Civil Emergencies
ALGERIE / ALGERIA
Monsieur Nourredine Yazid ZEHROUNI, Ministre d’Etat, Ministre de l'Intérieur et des Collectivités Locales de la République Algérienne Démocratique et Populaire, ALGER
Mr. Mohamed GHOUALMI, Ambassade d’Algérie en France
Monsieur SIF-EL-HAQ CHEURFA, Chef de Cabinet de Monsieur le Ministre d’Etat, Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Collectivités Locales, ALGER
Monsieur le Colonel Mustapha EL HABIRI, Directeur Général de la Protection Civile, Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Collectivités Locales, ALGER
Monsieur Mohamed KHELLAF, Directeur d’études chargé du Cabinet du Directeur Général de la Protection Civile
Monsieur Mourad BOUGHEDA, Correspondant Permanent, Directeur d’Etudes, Cabinet du Directeur Général de la Protection Civile, , ALGER
Monsieur Youssef ZERARKA, journaliste
ARMENIE / ARMENIA
Mr S. BADALYAN, Counsellor of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Permanent Correspondent of Armenia, YEREVAN
AZERBAIDJAN/AZERBAIJAN
Mr. Abid SHARIFOV, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Republic,
President of the State Commission for Emergency Situations, BAKU
Monsieur Massime MAMMEDOV, Premier Secrétaire, Ambassade d’Azerbaidjan ,PARIS
BELGIQUE /BELGIUM
Monsieur P. HARDAT, Conseiller à la Direction Générale de la Protection Civile, Ministère de l'Intérieur, BRUXELLES,
BULGARIE/BULGARIA
Mr. Metin KAZAK, Head of the Office of the Minister without portfolio, Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria, Head of the Permanent Commission for Emergency Situations, SOFIA
Mrs Marianna HILL, Permanent Correspondent, State Agency of Civil Protection, Directorate of International Acitvities, Integration and Humanitarian Operations, SOFIA
CHYPRE / CYPRUS
Mr. Andreas FRANTZIS, Permanent Correspondent, Ministry of the Interior – Civil Defence Administration, NICOSIA
CROATIE/CROATIA
Mr Zarko KATIC, Deputy Minister, Ministry of the Interior, ZAGREB
Mrs Natasa BRISKI, International Relations Division, Civil Protection Department, Ministry of the Interior, ZAGREB
ESPAGNE / SPAIN
Monsieur J.P. LAHORE, Conseiller Technique, Relations Internationales, Direccion General de Proteccion Civil, MADRID
EX-REPUBLIQUE YOUGOSLAVE DE MACEDOINE/FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Mr. Ljupco TOCHEVSKI, State Adviser of the Ministry of Defense, SKOPJE
Mr Alim BAJRAMI, Head of Division, Department of Civil Defense and Crisis Management at the Ministry of Defense, SKOPJE
Mr. D. JURUKOVSKI, Permanent Correspondent, Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, University "St. Cyril and Methodius", SKOPJE
Mrs. Magdalena KAZANDZIOSKA, Interpreter
FRANCE
Monsieur Patrick DEVEDJIAN, Ministre Délégué aux Libertés Locales auprès du Ministre de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité intérieure et des Libertés locales, Ministère de l’Intérieur, PARIS
Monsieur le Préfet Michel SAPPIN, Directeur de la Défense et de la Sécurité Civiles, Ministère de l'Intérieur, de la Sécurité Intérieure et des Libertés Locales, ASNIERES SUR SEINE
Colonel Philippe NARDIN, Relations Internationales, Direction de la Défense et de la Sécurité Civiles, Ministère de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité Intérieure et des Libertés Locales, ASNIERES SUR SEINE
Monsieur Didier MONTCHAMP, Sous-Directeur Opérations Secours (SDDSCCM), Paris
Monsieur Gilles BARSACQ, Sous-Directeur de la Défense Civile et de la Prévention des Risques (SDDCPR), PARIS
Madame Michèle VIE, chargée de mission à la Mission des Relations Internationales, Direction de la Défense et de la Sécurité Civiles, Ministère de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité Intérieure et des Libertés Locales, PARIS
Monsieur René FEUNTEUN, Direction de la Prévention des Pollutions et des Risques, SDPRM, Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable, PARIS
Monsieur Philippe DE BOYSERE, chargé de mission auprès du Directeur des Affaires Internationales, (DAI)
GRECE / GREECE
Mr. Ioannis GEORGAKOPOULOS, Secretary General, General Secretariat for Civil Protection, Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization, ATHENS
Ms. Miranda DANDOULAKI, Permanent Correspondent, Deputy Director of ECPFE Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, 32, Xanthou Street, GR – 154 51 ATHENS
Tel. +30.10.6728000 Fax. +30.10.6779561 e-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Dimitrios GALANOPOULOS, Deputy Permanent Correspondent, General Secretariat of Civil Protection, Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization,ATHENS
LIBAN / LEBANON
General Darwich HOBEIKA, Directeur Général de la Défense Civile, Ministère de l’Intérieur, BEYROUTH
Lt. Col. Elias EL KHOURY, Assistant du Ministre
MAROC / MOROCCO
Monsieur Ahmed BOUHAOULI, Secrétaire Général du Département de l’Environnement, Ministère de l’Aménagement du Territoire, de l’Urbanisme, de l’Habitat et de l’Environnement, RABAT CHELLAH
Monsieur Mohamed BENABDELKADER, Conseiller du Ministre de l’Aménagement du Territoire, de l’Urbanisme, de l’Habitat et de l’Environnement
Monsieur Mohamed Ait KADDOUR, Directeur de Cabinet du Ministre de l’Aménagement du Territoire, de l’Urbanisme, de l’Habitat et de l’Environnement
Monsieur Mohamed DAHHOU, Correspondant Permanent, Chef du Service Stratégie d’Intervention, Direction Surveillance et Prévention des Risques, Ministère de l’Aménagement du Territoire, de l’Urbanisme, de l’Habitat et de l’Environnement,
PRINCIPAUTE DE MONACO / PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO
Monsieur Philippe DESLANDES, Conseiller de Gouvernement pour l’Intérieur, Ministère d’Etat, MONACO
Monsieur le Colonel Yannick BERSIHAND,Commandant de la Compagnie des Sapeurs Pompiers de Monaco
Madame Jacqueline DORATO, Directrice, Centre de Formation Pédagogique, Direction de l’Education Nationale de la Jeunesse et des Sports
PORTUGAL
Madame Olga MORAIS, Head of International Relations and Co-operation, Servicio Nacional Protecçao Civil, CARNAXIDE
ROUMANIE / ROMANIA
Mrs. Ileanu TUREANU, Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Housing, BUCHAREST
Mr. Petre TRANDAFIR, Deputy Director, Civil Protection Command, Romanian Ministry of the Interior, BUCHAREST
REPUBLIQUE DE SAINT-MARIN / REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO
Professeur G. GALASSI, Correspondant Permanent, Secrétaire Général, Centre Européen pour la Médecine des Catastrophes (CEMEC), SAN MARINO
FEDERATION DE RUSSIE / RUSSIA FEDERATION
Mr.Yuri VOROBIEV, First Vice Minister, Permanent Correspondent, Ministry for Emergency Situations, EMERCOM of Russia, MOSCOW
Mr. Vladimir KAKUSHA, Deputy Chief, International Department, EMERCOM of Russia, MOSCOW
TURKEY / TURQUIE
Professor Dr. Abdülkadir AKCAN, Minister of Public Works and Settlement, Ministry of Public Works and Settlement, ANKARA
Mr. F. DUYGULUER, Permanent Correspondent, General Director of Technical Research and Implementation,Ministry of Public Works and Settlement, ANKARA
Mrs. Hülya ILGEN, Department Head, General Directorate of Technical Research and Implementation, Ministry of Public Works and Settlement, ANKARA
UKRAINE
Mr.V.V. DOURDYNETS, Minister, Ministry for Emergencies and Affairs on Population Protection against Consequences of the Chernobyl accident, KIEV 30
Mr. Vadym KUZYK, Head of Directorate of Scientific and Technical Policy, International Co-operation and European Integration, The Ministry of Ukraine of Emergencies and Affairs of the Population Protection from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe, KYIV
Mr. Viktor. POYARKOV, Director of European Centre of Technological Safety, TESEC, KIEV
Mr. Yevhen ANDRIANOV, Conseiller, Affaires scientifiques et Techniques, Ambassade d’Ukraine en France, PARIS
ORGANISATIONS INTERNATIONALES
COMMISSION EUROPEENNE / EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Mr. E. U. SCHULTE, Commission Européenne, Unité Protection Civile, BRUXELLES
NATIONS UNIES / UNITED NATIONS
Monsieur Badaoui ROUHBAN, [représentant le Directeur Général de l’UNESCO, Monsieur Koïchiro MATSUURA], Chef de la Section des sciences de l'ingénieur et de la technologie, Correspondant Permanent, PARIS
Mr. Sálvano BRICEÑO, ISDR Secrétariat, Nations Unies, GENEVE
Mr Francesco PISANO, Senior Office for Inter-Agency Liaison, Secretariat for ISDR, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, United Nations, GENEVA
FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES SOCIETES DE LA CROIX-ROUGE ET DU CROISSANT-ROUGE/ INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES
Madame Simone LONG, Première Vice-Présidente de la Croix-Rouge de France, GENEVE
Mr. John WATT, Chef d’Opération, Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge, GENEVE
AGENCE SPATIALE EUROPEENNE / EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
Monsieur Daniel SACOTTE, Directeur de l’Administration, Agence Spatiale Européenne, PARIS
Monsieur José ACHACHE, Directeur Programmes Observation de la Terre, Agence Spatiale Européenne, PARIS
OBSERVATEURS / OBSERVERS
ALLEMAGNE /GERMANY
Mr Rudolf KÖRPER, Secretary of State, Ministry of the Interior, BERLIN
Mr Bernd ZANDER, Ministry official, Bundesministerium des Innern, BONN
Mrs Gabriele EISEL, Personal Assistant of the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Interior
Dorothe HOLZER, Interpreter
SUISSE / SWITZERLAND
Monsieur Pierre BARRAZ, Consul Général, Chef de la Délégation Suisse, Consulat Général de Suisse, MARSEILLE
Monsieur G. BULETTI, Policy Coordinator, Humanitarian Aid and Swiss Disaster Relief, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, BERN
EXPERTS
Monsieur Michel VIGNEAUX , Président de la Sous-Commission « Programme », BORDEAUX
Monsieur J.M. GOERENS, Président de la Sous-Commission « Audit », Premier Conseiller de la Cour Administrative, LUXEMBOURG
Monsieur Michel RICARD, Directeur, Institut EGID, Bordeaux 3, PESSAC Cedex France
CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE / COUNCIL OF EUROPE
ASSEMBLEE PARLEMENTAIRE DU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE/ PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Madame Antonella CAGNOLATI, Chef du Secrétariat, Commission de l’Environnement, de l’Agriculture et des Questions Territoriales
BANQUE DE DEVELOPPEMENT DU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE/
DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Madame Michèle MEUNIER, Directrice du Département Recherche et Analyse,
Banque de Développement du Conseil de l’Europe, PARIS
SECRETARIAT EXECUTIF DE L’ACCORD EUR-OPA RISQUES MAJEURS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT OF THE EUR-OPA MAJOR HAZARDS AGREEMENT
Monsieur Jean-Pierre MASSUE, Secrétaire Exécutif,
Mme Françoise TONDRE, Secrétaire du Comité des Correspondants Permanents
Mme Sylvette PFISTER
Mme Linda ROLLIN
Appendix 3
Resolution on Euro-Mediterranean Synergy
1. Recalling the Resolution on co-operation between the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement and international institutions, adopted at the Agreement's 8th Ministerial Session in Athens (21‑22 February 2000), in which they noted that in view of the variety, frequency, scale and geographical distribution of natural or technological disasters, many international organisations had drawn up strategies for limiting damage both to the population and to the environment,
2. Considering that the recent AZF technological disaster in Toulouse, the flooding in central Europe, Algeria and Russia, which took many lives and caused social and economic upheaval in several regions, and the growing frequency and scale of such crises oblige policy-makers to seek optimum complementarity in the activities being carried out internationally, and at Euro-Mediterranean level in particular;
3. Stressing the importance they attach to efforts to achieve inter-linkage, co-operation and search for synergy in the field of risk management between the European Commission and the Council of Europe's EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement;
4. Having regard to the proposal by the Ukrainian Minister for the management of emergencies and protection of the population against the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster to involve all the member States of the Agreement more closely in European initiatives:
Decide:
· with a view to strengthening the prevention of and preparedness for major natural and technological disasters, to set up a Euro-Mediterranean network based on existing structures, focusing on:
a. Procedures and protocols for harmonisation relating to:
· on-line exchange of information and data concerning the occurrence and effects of disasters;
· requests and proposals for assistance in case of disasters.
b. Harmonised and standardised measures concerning:
· Terminology and definition of risk-management concepts;
· Risk assessment procedures and techniques; stability of buildings and civil engineering works; safety of chemical, radiological and other hazardous facilities, oil-, gas-, fuel- pipelines;
· Damage assessment resulting from the occurrence of major disasters;
· Early warning systems for natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and technological hazards, such as industrial and radiological hazards;
· Measurement techniques for chemical and radioactive contamination of the environment due to technological disasters;
· Vocational training, public awareness-raising concerning emergencies, particularly among children, and research efforts in priority areas.
In this respect they consider that:
5. - the direct operational aspects of crisis management such as the sending of rescue equipment and teams are not the responsibility of the Council of Europe EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement; on the other hand, the Agreement’s contribution must concern knowledge about hazards and their prevention and in general all information, knowledge and scientific expertise which may facilitate risk-management decision-making;
- the Council of Europe's EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement must make a significant contribution, through its representatives of the network of specialised Euro-Mediterranean centres and its European scientific co-operation networks,:
· at technical and scientific level to the Euro-Mediterranean efforts in the risk prevention field;
· to fostering the enactment and harmonisation of legislation compatible with European Union risk-management standards in its member states outside the European Union and not at present applicants for Union membership;
· to presenting specific legal proposals that might be of relevance to all the Agreement's member states.
6. Concerning co-operation with other European and international institutions, they welcome the co‑operation established with:
o the European Union, particularly with a view to establishing greater complementarity with the mechanism established by the Community, as a priority, in the field of risk prevention;
o the European Space Agency, in particular under the global environmental safety monitoring programme mounted in co-operation with the European Commission;
o the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) of the United Nations, particularly concerning the evaluation of the Yokohama Strategy discussed at the meeting of Euro‑Mediterranean experts on disaster prevention on the Isle of Bendor, France, on 1 October 2002;
o UNESCO, WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Stability Pact in the interest of more effective risk prevention;
o the Council of Europe Development Bank, in the field of natural disasters.
Instruct the Executive Secretary to implement this resolution in close co-operation with the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the Agreement.
Appendix 4
Resolution on risk culture
The Ministers,
Recalling their declaration on the public's right to information and training about risk management, adopted at the 8th ministerial session of the Agreement (Athens, 21-22 February 2000), in which they stated their intention:
o to affirm the population's right to be informed about hazard prevention and how to behave in an emergency;
o to give priority to raising children's awareness of hazard prevention, particularly through the school curriculum.
Lend their support:
o to the implementation of the IRIS (International Risk Information System) project on the combined use of radio and Internet to better inform the public about risk prevention;
o to the creation in the member states of the Agreement of national observatories to monitor the safety of schools and higher education establishments or equivalents, forming a Euro‑Mediterranean network whose secretariat could be provided by the European Centre in Sofia, in liaison with the national civil protection agency.
Welcome:
o the evaluation report on the SESAM plan (plan for disaster relief in schools and other establishments frequented by children of school age, presented by the Monaco authorities;
o risk prevention schemes for children with special needs (children with physical or mental disabilities or socially deprived children (FORM-OSE - Net de la Rue);
o initiatives developed by the Yerevan European Centre (ECTR) to integrate protective features into the design of school furniture;
o initiatives developed at university level in connection with Euro-Mediterranean university networks, Euro-Mediterranean Masters courses as a first stage towards Euro-Mediterranean doctorates in risk sciences:
· offered for the third consecutive year by the European Centre for Disaster Medicine (CEMEC) in San Marino, a European Master in Disaster Medicine;
· offered for the second consecutive year by the Universities of Montpellier and Nîmes, a European Master in Risk Science.
Instruct the Executive Secretary:
o to continue implementation of the radio-risk coupled with internet within the framework of the IRIS Project, on the basis of pilot schemes carried out in France and specific actions in Algeria, in the Wilaya of Ain-Temouchent, and Morocco, in Casablanca;
o to promote the creation in member states of national observatories to monitor safety in schools and higher education establishments;
o to enhance implementation of the FORM-OSE programme (Training, West, South, East):
- at school level, relying on the European centres in Sofia, Ravello and Cyprus, paying particular attention to children with special needs;
- at university and professional levels.
Appendix 5
Resolution on first phase implementation
of risk prevention initiatives
The Ministers,
Considering the resolution on Euro-Mediterranean Synergy adopted at this Ministerial Session,
Having regard to the priority they have given to the contribution which the Agreement must make in the scientific and technical field to hazard prevention,
Having regard to the conclusions presented at the meeting in Montpellier on 12-14 December 2001 as part of the programme on mobilisation of the scientific and technical community for the improvement of risk management, initiated with the support of the European Commission (DG Research, International Co‑operation), which emphasises the value of developing initiatives under the Agreement on:
- the prevention of technological hazards, based on the establishment of a website on the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, a network of experts on industrial hazard prevention, improvement of water management in catchment’s areas from the point of view of quality and quantity of water (Danube Basin), and of torrential floods in Mediterranean countries, particularly those in Algeria in 2001 and Nîmes, France, in 2002.
Take note of and welcome:
- the start of the programme concerning comparative analysis of existing national and Euro-Mediterranean risk-management legislation, coordinated by the European Centre in Florival, Belgium, the European Centre for Technological Risk Assessment (TESEC), Ukraine, and the European Centre in Sofia (CSLT), Bulgaria;
- the scientific and technical meeting to be held in Munich (14 -15 November 2002) on the preparation of schemes to improve flood prevention in the Danube catchment’s area and in the Tisza basin;
- the meeting in Toulouse on 23 October 2002 on the setting up of European expert networks on the prevention of industrial hazards.
Instruct the Executive Secretary, in liaison with the Presidency, to make contact with the relevant departments of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate General of the Environment, to consider, initiate and monitor possible co-operation and synergies to implement these initiatives.
Request the Executive Secretary to report on the execution of this remit at the next meeting of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents.
Appendix 6
Recommendation concerning the international strategy for disaster reduction (ISDR)
The Ministers considering that:
1. Societies are increasingly vulnerable to natural and other related technological and environmental hazards, whose impact is made more acute by the consequences of demographic, economic and social changes including urbanisation and development processes, as recently recognised by the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
2. The Euro-Mediterranean (Euro-Med) region is not exempted from the adverse consequences of this trend, manifested also as a transboundary problem, such as in the case of the recent catastrophic floods in Western and Central Europe. The tens of thousands of victims of the two last earthquakes in Turkey, the 800 or more victims caused by the disastrous floods and mudslides in Algeria in 2001, and the devastation brought about by floods in the Gard region in France this summer are but a few reminders of this dramatic situation.
3. Disaster reduction is one central element of sustainable development and the associated risk management is a primary responsibility of governments. Such risk management should be based on an integrative decision-making process linking scientific knowledge, vulnerability assessment and authority structures at all levels. The civil society, the private sector, including insurance companies, experts and academia must be fully involved.
Recalling that:
In 1996, a meeting of experts from the entire Euro-Med basin was convened in Italy (International Workshop on Natural Disaster Reduction in the Mediterranean Region, Castelnuovo di Porto) to review the state of the regional cooperation in this domain and which made recommendations for the adoption of a common strategy. In a subsequent meeting held in 1998 in Spain (IDNDR Regional Conference for the Mediterranean, Valencia), similar recommendations were made. The same recommendations were reaffirmed in December 2001 (Conference on Urban Safety and Sustainable Development, Naples) and May 2002 in Italy.
Recommend that:
1. National disaster reduction platforms linked to the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) in the Euro-Med region be established, consolidated and developed through recognition and support by national governments. The positive experience they represent should be capitalised upon and should serve to support the goals underpinning the ISDR.
2. In pursuit of these goals, it is essential that risk management be integrated into planning and land use policy in the Euro-Med region. Initiative in this sense should be taken in co-operation with the Council of Europe and the European Commission where appropriate.
3. Furthermore, a stronger and more substantive collaboration between the Council of Europe (EUR‑OPA Major Hazards Agreement in particular) and the European Commission should be encouraged in the area of disaster reduction. This collaboration could include support for developing countries and should be developed with the support of the ISDR Secretariat, which constitutes a link with the United Nations and other international and regional organizations.
4. A Euro-Med conference on disaster reduction should be organised jointly by the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement of the Council of Europe and the ISDR Secretariat in 2003 or early 2004, hosted by the government of Spain at the National School of Civil Protection in Madrid. This conference would be aimed at reviewing and consolidating the work done in the past few years and make specific proposals for the improvement of risk management in the Euro-Med region. The conference would also prepare a concerted input for the review of the Yokohama Strategy and Action Plan to be undertaken by the ISDR Secretariat at international level.
Such a conference should include amongst other topics:
i. the specific problems of sub regions within the Euro-Med area;
ii. aspects of international co-operation within and outside the Euro-Med area;
iii. the transboundary aspects of risk management;
iv. the contribution of science and technology to disaster management.
Instruct the Executive Secretariat of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement to contribute to the implementation of those Recommendations.
Welcome the initiative of the German ISDR Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV) for convening a meeting of the national platforms for ISDR of the European Union countries in order to establish a network for enhanced cooperation and information exchange.