Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111

EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION AND HUMANITARIAN AID

OPERATIONS (ECHO) Strategy and Policy

Prevention and Preparedness Capacity building

Brussels ECHO.B.3/JS

CORRESPONDENCE SLIP

ADDRESSEES: Directors-General for Civil Protection of the Member States and Participating

States to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Subject: Call for nomination of peers – UCPM Peer Review

Deadline for submitting nominations: Friday 14 June 2024

Region

(country) Date of field mission Type of peer review

Land

Brandenburg

(Germany)

18 – 22 November 2024

Thematic review on

wildfire risk management

Dear colleagues,

The region of Brandenburg, Germany, represented by the State School and Technical Facility

for Fire and Disaster Protection of the State of Brandenburg (LSTE) with support of the

national civil protection authority, the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster

Assistance (BBK), has volunteered to undergo a wildfire specific peer review within the

2020-2024 cycle of the UCPM Peer Review Programme.

DG ECHO hereby publishes a call for nomination of peers for this review, open to staff in

civil protection and disaster risk management (DRM) authorities/organisations in UCPM

Member and Participating States. Given the wildfire focus, DG ECHO encourages national

civil protection authorities to share the call for peers with colleagues working for other

relevant authorities, ministries and agencies that are involved in wildfire risk management.

The key priorities of this review on wildfire risk management have been defined in

consultation with the region under review. Peers will be selected based on the experience and

skills needed for these priorities. Selected peers voluntarily commit their time and expertise,

and, in their assessment and conclusions, they should strive to conduct an objective and

evidence-based assessment. They should also share good practices in DRM and should

recommend improvements in the disaster management policy and operations of the reviewed

region. The peers are also encouraged to integrate their gained experience into their

respective national/regional systems.

The peers will take part in an on-site mission to Land Brandenburg (in and around Potsdam)

in the week of 18 to 22 November 2024 (with arrival the weekend before and departure the

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weekend after). They will also be invited to attend a one-day preparatory meeting held on 26

September 2024 in Brussels. Costs for attending the on-site mission as well as the preparatory

meeting will be covered (for travel, accommodation, and subsistence). During the mission,

the peers will be accompanied and supported by DG ECHO representatives as well as

representatives of the external consultant assisting the review process throughout (this

assistance includes support for drafting the peer review report). Post-mission online meetings

will also be held, with a view to finalise the report and discuss findings with the reviewed

region. Therefore, it is expected that peers commit to attending all relevant meetings, as

needed.

Required expertise of peers

The overall objective of this peer review is to identify areas for improvements and highlight

good practices within the wildfire risk management and civil protection system of Land

Brandenburg. It will be a thematic peer review with the following key focus areas, chosen in

collaboration with the regional authorities:

‒ Governance of wildfire risk management: overall governance as well as the

legislative and institutional framework;

‒ Wildfire risk management planning: legislative framework, roles of stakeholders,

prioritisation of measures, monitoring-evaluation-reporting, policy coherence;

‒ Wildfire prevention: legislative framework, landscape management, fire use laws

and guidelines enforcement, innovation and knowledge services;

‒ Wildfire preparedness: legislative framework, training-exercises-international

exchanges;

‒ Recovery and lessons learned: legislative framework, lessons learned, data

collection and analysis.

DG ECHO is looking for a minimum of four peers with the below-mentioned experience and

expertise:

Peer 1: expert in policy and institutional aspects of wildfire risk management

Professional experience: progressively senior managerial experience (at least 10 years)

within a civil protection - national or sub-national - authority; proved experience in drafting

and implementing wildfire risk reduction and management policies, strategies and plans;

experience in supporting institutional reforms and/or change of the wildfire risk reduction

legal and institutional framework; good knowledge of the global frameworks addressing

natural and human-induced risks (i.e. Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030, Sustainable

Development Agenda, Paris agreement on climate change); good knowledge of the Union

Civil Protection Mechanism; good knowledge of sources, methods and tools for risk

financing including insurance.

Will be considered an additional asset: knowledge of the German disaster and wildfire risk

management system; knowledge of socio-economic aspects for wildfire risk management,

experience in public finance and public investment programmes for wildfire risk

management, experience in preparing investment projects on wildfire risk; expertise in the

management of the risk posed by Unexploded Ordnance in relation to wildfires, German

language knowledge.

3

Peer 2: expert in wildfire risk management planning

Professional experience required: excellent knowledge and experience in drafting and

implementing wildfire risk reduction/wildfire risk management plans; good knowledge of

different prioritisation methods of wildfire risk reduction/wildfire risk management measures;

experience in monitoring, evaluation and reporting process of plans; good knowledge of the

main interactions between wildfire risk reduction, climate change adaptation and sustainable

development goals; good knowledge of sources, methods and tools for risk financing;

familiarity with EU structural and investment funds.

Will be considered an additional asset: knowledge of the German disaster and wildfire risk

management system; participation in UCPM missions in Germany, expertise in the

management of the risk posed by Unexploded Ordnance in relation to wildfires, German

language knowledge.

Peer 3: expert in wildfire risk prevention measures and lessons learned processes

Professional experience required: excellent knowledge of wildfire risk prevention measures

and experience in identifying and implementing prevention measures at national and/or sub-

national level; good knowledge of territorial planning processes and their interactions with

wildfire risk assessment and management processes; good knowledge and experience in

landscape management, including in the wildland-urban interface areas; knowledge of

innovation and knowledge services for disaster wildfire risk management (i.e. Copernicus

programme, EFFIS, research projects); experience in drafting and implementing fire use

laws, guidelines and procedures. Experience in conducting lessons learned analysis after

major wildfires, expertise in data collection, and analysis and data sharing.

Will be considered an additional asset: knowledge of the German wildfire risk management

system; knowledge and experience in wildfire risk assessment and wildfire risk management

planning processes; expertise in the management of the risk posed by Unexploded Ordnance

in relation to wildfires, German language knowledge.

Peer 4: expert in wildfire preparedness

Professional experience required: excellent knowledge of wildfire risk preparedness

measures and experience in identifying and implementing wildfire preparedness measures at

national and/or sub-national level; experience in drafting and implementing civil protection

and wildfire risk management training for various target groups) and exercises (Command

Post exercises, Table-Top exercises, Full Scale exercises).

Will be considered an additional asset: knowledge of the German disaster and wildfire risk

management system; participation in UCPM missions in Germany; experience in EUCPT

(European Civil Protection Team) missions; experience as EUCP fire-related module team

leader; expertise in the management of the risk posed by Unexploded Ordnance in relation to

wildfires; German language knowledge.

How to submit nominations for peers

You are invited to send nominations to the Peer Review mailbox (ECHO-CP-PEER-

[email protected]), latest by Friday 14 June 2024.

4

Candidates should provide a CV, if possible in the Europass format

(https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae), clearly demonstrating the

experience in civil protection and wildfire risk management covering prevention and

preparedness, especially with regards to the areas of expertise listed above and the thematic

priorities of the review.

For potential candidates not working in a national civil protection authority, prior to

submitting your candidacy, kindly inform your respective civil protection authority and

include a proof of this with your application.

Please note that full proficiency in English is required while knowledge of the German

language will be considered an additional asset.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply, with a view to form a gender-balanced peer

team.

For information, a one-pager factsheet of the UCPM Peer Review Programme is annexed.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my team responsible for the

UCPM Peer Review Programme.

We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Yours sincerely,

[e-signed]

Erwan MARTEIL

Head of Unit

Contact:

Judith Sorensen

Tel.: +32 229-81234

E-mail: [email protected]

Enclosure: Fact Sheet - UCPM Peer Review Programme

c.c.: Civil Protection Committee delegates; Disaster Prevention Expert Group

members; Expert Group on Forest Fires; experts involved in the development

of the Wildfire Peer Review Assessment Framework

Electronically signed on 13/05/2024 17:16 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

Saatja: <[email protected]> Saadetud: 14.05.2024 10:34

Koopia: SORENSEN Judith <[email protected]> Teema: UCPM Peer Review on Wildfire for LAND BRANDENBURG - CALL FOR PEERS

Deadline 14 June Manused: image001.gif; Correspondence Slip_Peer Review BRANDENBURG_call for nomination of peers.pdf; Peer review 2020-2024_Factsheet.pdf

TÄHELEPANU! Tegemist on väljastpoolt asutust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile

mitte avada!

Dear Directors General, Dear CPC delegates and DPEG members, The Region of Brandenburg, Germany, has volunteered for a UCPM Peer Review on their wildfire risk management system. DG ECHO is looking for four peers for this review, for participation in the review mission and related meetings. We invite you to propose suitable colleagues as peers. For the further details including the needed expertise of the proposed peers we refer to the attached letter and factsheet. Please already pay attention to the dates mentioned for travel and availability of the selected peers: 26 September 2024 for a preparatory meeting in Brussels and the review mission to Land Brandenburg is planned for 18 – 22 November 2024. The deadline for submitting candidates is Friday 14 June 2024. We look forward to receiving your nominations. If in the meantime there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Best regards, Judith Sørensen / Peer Review Team

European Commission DG ECHO - European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Unit B.3 - Prevention and Preparedness Capacity Building Office L-102 03/13 B-1049 Brussels/Belgium Phone +32 (0)2 29 81234 E-mail [email protected] Peer Review site https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/peer- review-programme_en

A Peer Review of disaster risk management provides a country or a region with an opportunity to reflect on its readiness to cope with natural and man-made disasters and to identify ways of improving risk prevention and preparedness.

PEER REVIEW OF DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT AND CIVIL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

For further information on the Peer Review programme: [email protected]

The 2020-2024 Peer Review programme is implemented in cooperation with

What are the benefits of a peer review? Based on an independent analysis, a peer review assists civil protection authorities in improving its DRM capabilities, and

X identifies better approaches to policy and operations, X facilitates mutual learning and exchange of good practice, X raises awareness among stakeholders involved in DRM in the

reviewed country, X proposes concrete recommendations.

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), under the framework of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), supports the Member States, the Participating States, eligible Third Countries and the European Neighbourhood Policy countries to review their disaster risk management (DRM) policies and practices by taking stock of strengths and weaknesses and putting forward recommendations to increase effectiveness. The EU Peer Review programme promotes an integrated approach to disaster risk management by taking a comprehensive look at prevention, preparedness and response actions. Peer

reviews also support a wider policy dialogue across Europe and beyond, improving policy coherence and facilitating the exchange of good practices on civil protection and DRM. Participating countries form a network of practitioners sharing experiences and lessons learned. To date, 16 countries have benefited from a peer review: (in chronological order) the United Kingdom, Finland, Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, Estonia, Malta, Poland, Cyprus, North Macedonia, Tunisia, Serbia, Algeria, Portugal, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova (reports can be found at: https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/ civilprotection/peer-review-programme_en)

How is a peer review conducted? X The Peer Review programme operates on the basis of a

strong, transparent partnership between DG ECHO and the civil protection authorities of the country under review. Countries expressing an interest in enrolling in the 2020-2024 programme discuss objectives and expected outcomes of a peer review with DG ECHO.

X DG ECHO selects a team of experts (the “peers”) with the relevant experience from national civil protection authorities of the countries participating in the UCPM.

X The peers prepare an initial desk report, summarising the DRM system, along with insights from a survey among relevant stakeholders, selected in close collaboration with the reviewed country.

X The peer review team travels to the country under review (organised by DG ECHO and the reviewed country), to gain on-the-ground insights into how the DRM is organised and to identify both strengths and potential areas for improvement. The duration of the mission usually is from 5 to 10 days, decided in conjunction with the reviewed country.

X Based on the knowledge and evidence collected during the mission, the peer review team drafts the report, which includes recommendations. The civil protection authorities will have the opportunity to review and comment on the report during the drafting process.

X The peer review team formally hands over the peer review report to the civil protection authority. From the review to the final report it generally takes from 4 to 6 months.