No EU country will be left alone to face natural disasters

European Parliament to back renewed European Civil Protection Mechanism

The European Parliament is expected to back a renewed and improved EU Civil Protection Mechanism, first established in 2013 to help Member States to deal with natural and man-made disasters.

"It was crucial to take action. European citizens are justified in demanding better and more efficient civil protection in Europe," said Elisabetta Gardini MEP, the Parliament’s negotiator on the file, welcoming the support of the majority of political groups.

The renewed Civil Protection Mechanism will help Member States cope with natural and man-made disasters more efficiently. It will provide for its own operational capacities at the EU level, such as aerial forest firefighting, high-capacity pumping, field hospital and emergency medical teams and other tools, in order to help with a wide scope of disasters, ranging from health emergencies, floods and fires, to terrorist attacks and chemical or nuclear threats.

"The European Civil Protection Mechanism will not replace the volunteer services at national and regional level, but complement them. No EU country should be left alone to cope with natural disasters. Solidarity and proportionality will be fully respected and the very first actors on the scene will be the local authorities," said Gardini.

"The EU has to show its citizens its best side. Through the renewed Mechanism, we are responding to their request for more solidarity with maximum efficiency and minimum bureaucracy. Not just in theory, but in practice," concluded Elisabetta Gardini MEP.