19 Amendments of John FLACK related to 2017/0309(COD)
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Recent experience has shown that reliance on voluntary offers of mutual assistance, coordinated and facilitated by the Union Mechanism, does not alwaysshould be improved to ensure that sufficient capacities are made available to address the basic needs of people affected by disasters in a satisfactory manner, norand to guarantee that the environment and property are properly safeguarded. This is particularly so where Member States are simultaneously affected by recurrent disasters and collective capacity is insufficient. Efforts must therefore be made to improve voluntary offers of mutual assistance underpinning the Union Mechanism, such as by prioritising Commission co-financing to incentivise Member States to develop and procure operational assets outlined in Article 12(2). This will reinforce available Member State capacities and strengthen the collective ability of the EU and its Member States to respond to major emergencies.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Prevention is of key importance for protection against disasters and requires further action. To that effect, Member States should share risk assessments on a regular basis as well as summaries of their disaster risk management planning in order to ensure an integrated approach to disaster management, linking risk prevention, preparedness and response actions. In addition, the Commission should be able to requireest Member States to provide summaries of specific prevention and preparedness plans in relation to specific disasters, notably with a view to maximising overall Union support to disaster risk management. Administrative burden should be reduced and prevention policies strengthened, including by ensuring necessary links to other key Union policies and instruments, notably the European Structural and Investment Funds as listed in recital 2 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/201313 . _________________ 13 Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320).
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) There is a need to reinforce the collective ability to prepare and respond to disasters notably through mutual support in Europe. In addition to strengthening the possibilities already offered by the European Emergency Response Capacity ('EERC' or 'voluntary pool'), from now on referred to as "European Civil Protection Pool", the Commission should also establish rescEU. In exceptional circumstances, and at the invitation of the requesting country, operational assets under rescEU should be made available for response operations to address capacity gaps and reinforce efforts provided under the Civil Protection Pool. The composition of rescEU should include emergency response capacities to respond to wildfires, large- scale floods and earthquakes, as well as a field hospital and medical teams in line with World Health Organisation standards, that can be rapidly deployed. The acquisition and deployment of capacities should be without prejudice to the competence of Member States, who retain control of the assets under rescEU. The Commission should help to coordinate the mechanism as per its supporting competence under Article 196 TFEU. The Commission should be able to undertake a consultation process and a comprehensive impact assessment to evaluate any proposed changes to the management and operation of rescEU. This assessment should consider the Commission’s supporting competence under Article 196 TFEU, as well as budgetary implications.
Amendment 44 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6 a) The Decision should help facilitate the work of local and regional actors, who play a crucial role in disaster prevention and response. Local and regional actors should be adequately recognised in the design, coordination and deployment of mechanisms under this Decision, including rescEU, in order to minimise overlaps and foster interoperability. Member States should ensure the maximum use of available capacities at regional level, including using local authorities to help transit and store pooled assistance and to help coordinate relief efforts at the final destination in the requesting country. The Commission should provide complementary support in line with the principle of subsidiarity.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In order to achieve the functioning of the rescEU capacity, additional financial appropriations should made available to finance actions under the Union Mechanism. Synergies and complementarity should be sought with other instruments of the Union to ensure that any additional funding under the Union Mechanism is sourced as far as possible from existing Union instruments which support disaster prevention and risk management activities.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) There is a need to simplify Union Mechanism procedures to ensure that Member States can access assistance and capacities needed in order to respond to natural or man-made disasters as rapidly as possible. Member States should continue to be able to access flexible co-financing options for assets that are provided on an ad-hoc basis, in recognition of the fact that not every type of assistance can be predicted in advance of a crisis.
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Since the objectives of this Decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting alone but can rather, by reason of scale or effects, be better achieved at Union level, tThe Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 6 – point a
Article 6 – point a
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 10 – paragraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission and the Member States shall work together to improve the planning of disaster response operations under the Union Mechanism, including through scenario-building for disaster response based on the risk assessments referred to in point (a) of Article 6 and the overview of risks referred to in point (c) of Article 5(1), asset mapping and the development of plans for the deployment of response capacities.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. rescEU shall be established to provide relief where existing capacities do not allow responding effectively to disasters. Member States shall be responsible for the management and operation of rescEU. The Commission shall help coordinate the mechanism as per its supporting competence granted under Article 196 TFEU.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 12 – paragraph 3
Article 12 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission may acquire, rent, lease and/or otherwise contracurgently request capacities to be deployed in cases referred to in paragraph 1, in accordance with the Union's financial rules.
Amendment 106 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 12 – paragraph 7
Article 12 – paragraph 7
7. rescEU capacities shall be available for response operations under the Union Mechanism following a request for assistance through the ERCC. The decision on their deployment shall be taken by the Commission, which shall retain command and and validated by the participating Member States, who retain control over the operational assets deployed. The Commission shall supervise the deployment of rescEU capacities, such as the transit of pooled assets, to ensure the coordinated delivery of operational capacities to be used at the final destination in the requesting countrol of rescEU capacitiesy; Assets may be withdrawn when Member States are faced with an exceptional situation substantially affecting the discharge of national tasks preventing them from keeping those response capacities available. In such cases, the Commission shall be consulted.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 12 – paragraph 10 – introductory part
Article 12 – paragraph 10 – introductory part
10. Where the Commission procuresrequests the deployment of equipment such as aerial forest firefighting equipment, by means of acquisition, leasing or rental, the following shall be ensured:
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 12 – paragraph 10 – point a
Article 12 – paragraph 10 – point a
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point b
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. The amount of Union financial assistance for assets committed to the European Civil Protection Pool shall be limited to a maximum of 75100% of the costs of operating the capacities, including transport, in the event of a disaster or imminent disaster within the Union or a Participating State.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point b
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 23 – paragraph 3
Article 23 – paragraph 3
3. The Union financial support for transport may cover a maximum of 75100 % of the total eligible cost related to the transport of the capacities pre-committed to the European Civil Protection Pool when deployed in the event of a disaster or imminent disaster outside the Union as referred to in Article 16.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Actions receiving financial assistance under this Decision shall not receive assistance from other Union financial instruments, with the exception of cases where appropriate complementarity is identified by the Commission. By way of derogation, financial assistance granted pursuant to Articles 21, 22 and 23 of this Decision shall not prevent financing from other Union instruments in accordance with the conditions established therein. Any additional financial appropriations foreseen under this Decision shall be sourced as far as possible from existing Union funds. Synergies and complementarity shall be sought with other instruments of the Union which fund disaster prevention and management activities in order to avoid duplication and ensure that spending under the Union Mechanism is fit for purpose.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 17
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 17
Decision No 1313/2013/EU
Article 28 – paragraph 3
Article 28 – paragraph 3
3. International organisations, regional organisations or countries that are part of the European Neighbourhood Policy may cooperate in activities under the Union Mechanism where relevant bilateral or multilateral agreements so allow. Cooperation between Member States and third countries in the area of civil protection may be deepened where common objectives exist.