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CiProVot’s newsletter announces report on the outcomes of the Civil Protection Volunteers’ skills on risk prevention and management

On its latest newsletter, CiProVot, the Civil Protection Volunteers Training, has recently launched its report delivering the results of the research carried out in Italy, Portugal, Greece, United Kingdom and Belgium on Civil Protection volunteers’ skills and needs about the prevention and management of natural disasters.

The objective of the report is to provide a summary of the various institutional and operational set-ups of the Civil Protection systems in Europe; to collect best practices existing in Europe in the field of Civil Protection and to investigate on the lacking competences and needs of Civil Protection Volunteers in order to develop a common approach to be used in Europe in case of emergency.

Training methodology for Civil Protection volunteers and interviews with experts

The project partners are now working on the creation of the training methodology, which will be the basis for the development of the content for the second international training (Foligno- Italy, June 2019) and the online training course (MOOC) for Civil Protection volunteers (September/December 2019).

A first draft of the methodology has already been shared among partners and at least 3 Civil Protection experts have been interviewed in each partner Country. They were asked to contribute/give feedback to the first draft of the training methodology in order to guarantee the quality and innovation of the training package that will be developed thanks to the project.

Next steps

In the next few months, the training content for the second international training and the CiProVoT online training platform will be developed. It will be accessible to all Civil Protection experts and volunteers, as well as those interested in this sector.

Should you be interested in participating in the second international training with other European volunteers or attending the online training course for Civil Protection volunteers and experts do not hesitate to get in touch with CiProVot through this link.

The BroadWay Project Releases its Request for Tender

On 19 February 2019 the BroadWay team launched a Request for Tender to procure a system which would enable a Pan-European interoperable broadband system for Public Safety.

Crime and disasters are not limited to fixed geographical borders, and there is a necessity for European first-responders to be able to communicate, share and access information regardless of the country they intervene in. This is the challenge tackled by the BroadWay project, a team consisting of 11 procurers from 11 European countries which have come together to procure innovation activity to enable a pan-European broadband mobile system for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR).

Access the full press release here!

PSCE co-organises 5G Verticals Workshop in Brussels

On 12 and 13 February 2019, the 5G Vertical User Workshop, an initiative of 3GPP Market Representative Partners 5GAA, 5G-IA, 5G-ACIA and PSCE, was organised as a collaborative event for strategic dialogue between industries and 3GPP by exchanging on future needs and upcoming cellular standard developments.

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Frontex to step up resources to address migratory and security challenges

On 11 February 2019, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard, received a green light from the Civil Liberties and Home Affairs Committee to better address migratory and security challenges. The committee also approved a mandate to start informal talks with the Council, which still requires plenary’s green light. Before the negotiations can start, the Council has to complete its now partial general approach.

On 12 September 2018, the Commission proposed an updated mandate for the European Border and Coast Guard, with the aim of further improving the control of the EU's external borders.

The proposal, tabled on December 3, aims to strengthen Frontex in terms of staff and equipment in order to provide further support to Member States, including by setting up a European Border and Coast Guard standing corps of 10000 operational staff with executive powers. It also incorporates the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) into the Frontex framework, in order to improve its functioning.

Some of the EU’s measures to safeguard Europe’s security include:

  • a new European Border and Coast Guard agency
  • an upgraded Schengen information system
  • systematic checks against relevant databases on all persons crossing the external borders
  • a new entry-exit system for non-EU nationals
  • the European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS)
  • new rules to make EU databases more interoperable

Civil Protection Mechanism: rescEU to be in force by the summer

The European Parliament announced on February 12 that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism will be upgraded with the introduction of rescEU. This mechanism was conceived with the aim of assisting under capacitated Member States in the occasion of unpredictable disasters, by responding faster in times of dire need.

The proposal includes a number of new provisions that will help Member States boost existing capacities and contribute more to the European Civil Protection Pool such as: co-financing 75% to upgrade their national capacities, co-financing the costs incurred for the deployment of assets, the implementation of the European Union Civil Protection Network, The Commission will work with Member States to ensure that investments undertaken with Structural Funds are "disaster proof". This means that they will have to take into account the risk assessments that Member States provide.

According to the press release from the Parliament, “the law also sets up, upon Parliament’s request, a “RescEU” reserve of resources, such as forest fire-fighting planes, high-capacity pumps, field hospitals and emergency medical teams, for use in all kinds of emergencies.” Additionally, MEPs also succeeded in strengthening the European Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network, allowing all disaster response actors to stay up-to-date and to speak "the same technical language".

The Union Civil Protection Mechanism ('the Union Mechanism') governed by Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and the Council strengthens cooperation between the Union and the Member States and facilitates coordination in the field of civil protection in order to improve the Union's response to natural and man-made disasters.

The budgetary impact of rescEU is estimated at an additional €280 million for the remaining Multiannual Financial Framework period (2018-2020).

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