Background documents 53rd UCPM Directors - General meeting, Budapest 15-16 October 2024

53rd Informal meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection of the

Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

15-16 October 2024

Ministry of Interior, József Attila utca 2-4, 1051 Budapest

AGENDA

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

OPERATIONS (ECHO)

The Director-General

53rd meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection

of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

DAY 1 – Tuesday 15 October

12:00 – 14:00 Arrival of the participants

13:00 – 14:00 Welcome lunch

14:00 – 14:30 Welcome & opening remarks

Mr. Maciej Popowski, Director-General of DG ECHO

Mr. Sándor Pintér, Minister of Interior, Hungary

14:30 – 16:00 Plenary session I

What future for the UCPM?

16:00 – 16:15 Coffee break

16:15 – 17:30 Break-out session

What future for the UCPM?

Informal and interactive exchange of the Directors-General in smaller discussion

groups around targeted subjects (questions in the background paper).

18:30 – 23:00 Social event

Gala dinner at the Gundel Restaurant

DAY 2 – Wednesday 16 October

09:00 – 9:45 Plenary session II

Reporting back: Key recommendations from group discussions from plenary session II

09:45 – 11:00 Plenary session III – Severe weather events

1) Presentation by the National Inspector General for Civil Protection, Brigadier

General Dr. Ferenc Tóththe on the Hungarian Presidency’s priority subject:

EU’s resilience to floods.

2) Exchange on the recent experience in dealing with floods in Central and

Southern Europe.

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 – 12:15 Plenary session IV - continuation

National perspective on wildfire season – presentation byJosé Duarte da Costa, Director-

General of the Portuguese National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection.

12:15 – 12.30 The programme of the incoming Polish Presidency in the area of civil protection

12:30 – 12:45 Closing remarks by the European Commission and the Hungarian Presidency

12:45 – 13:30 Grab & go lunch

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

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

[email protected]

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

OPERATIONS (ECHO) Strategy and Policy

Civil Protection Policy

Brussels, ECHO.B.2/JS

CORRESPONDENCE SLIP

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

the Participating States to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism

SUBJECT: Agenda and the background document for the 53rd Informal

meeting of the Directors-Generals for civil protection, 15-16

October 2024, Budapest, Hungary

REMARKS:

Please find attached the agenda and the background document for the 53rd informal

meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection, which will take place on 15-16

October 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.

We would like to draw you attention to the special arrangements on the first day. The

subject ‘What future for the UCPM?’ will be first discussed in a plenary session; the

delegates are kindly asked to reflect on the two guiding questions that are included in the

background paper.

In addition, the discussion on the same subject will continue after the coffee break in

small working groups (participants will be split in groups of 6-8 people). The three

questions for that part of the meeting are also included in the background paper, each

group will be asked to work on recommendations that will be presented to the plenary the

following morning. Please note that the breakout session is only addressed to the

Directors-General attending the meeting and the accompanying delegates may leave the

room (unless their presence is required for translation purposes as the groups will discuss

the subject in English with no simultaneous translation available).

Yours faithfully,

Hans Ulrich GOESSL

Head of Unit

(e-signed)

Enclosure: Invitation and Practical Information Note. Privacy statement.

c.c.: Members of the Civil Protection Committee.

Member States’ Permanent Representations and Participating States

Permanent Missions’ to the UCPM.

Council Secretariat

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

53rd Informal meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection of the

Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

15-16 October 2024

Ministry of Interior, József Attila utca 2-4, 1051 Budapest

AGENDA

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

OPERATIONS (ECHO)

The Director-General

53rd meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection

of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)

DAY 1 – Tuesday 15 October

12:00 – 14:00 Arrival of the participants

13:00 – 14:00 Welcome lunch

14:00 – 14:30 Welcome & opening remarks

Mr. Maciej Popowski, Director-General of DG ECHO

Mr. Sándor Pintér, Minister of Interior, Hungary

14:30 – 16:00 Plenary session I

What future for the UCPM?

16:00 – 16:15 Coffee break

16:15 – 17:30 Break-out session

What future for the UCPM?

Informal and interactive exchange of the Directors-General in smaller discussion

groups around targeted subjects (questions in the background paper).

18:30 – 23:00 Social event

Gala dinner at the Gundel Restaurant

DAY 2 – Wednesday 16 October

09:00 – 9:45 Plenary session II

Reporting back: Key recommendations from group discussions from plenary session II

09:45 – 11:00 Plenary session III – Severe weather events

1) Presentation by the National Inspector General for Civil Protection, Brigadier

General Dr. Ferenc Tóththe on the Hungarian Presidency’s priority subject:

EU’s resilience to floods.

2) Exchange on the recent experience in dealing with floods in Central and

Southern Europe.

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 – 12:15 Plenary session IV - continuation

National perspective on wildfire season – presentation byJosé Duarte da Costa, Director-

General of the Portuguese National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection.

12:15 – 12.30 The programme of the incoming Polish Presidency in the area of civil protection

12:30 – 12:45 Closing remarks by the European Commission and the Hungarian Presidency

12:45 – 13:30 Grab & go lunch

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

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

[email protected]

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

OPERATIONS (ECHO) Strategy and Policy

Civil Protection Policy

Brussels, ECHO.B.2/JS

CORRESPONDENCE SLIP

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

the Participating States to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism

SUBJECT: Agenda and the background document for the 53rd Informal

meeting of the Directors-Generals for civil protection, 15-16

October 2024, Budapest, Hungary

REMARKS:

Please find attached the agenda and the background document for the 53rd informal

meeting of the Directors-General for Civil Protection, which will take place on 15-16

October 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.

We would like to draw you attention to the special arrangements on the first day. The

subject ‘What future for the UCPM?’ will be first discussed in a plenary session; the

delegates are kindly asked to reflect on the two guiding questions that are included in the

background paper.

In addition, the discussion on the same subject will continue after the coffee break in

small working groups (participants will be split in groups of 6-8 people). The three

questions for that part of the meeting are also included in the background paper, each

group will be asked to work on recommendations that will be presented to the plenary the

following morning. Please note that the breakout session is only addressed to the

Directors-General attending the meeting and the accompanying delegates may leave the

room (unless their presence is required for translation purposes as the groups will discuss

the subject in English with no simultaneous translation available).

Yours faithfully,

Hans Ulrich GOESSL

Head of Unit

(e-signed)

Enclosure: Invitation and Practical Information Note. Privacy statement.

c.c.: Members of the Civil Protection Committee.

Member States’ Permanent Representations and Participating States

Permanent Missions’ to the UCPM.

Council Secretariat

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

1

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION AND HUMANITARIAN AID

OPERATIONS (ECHO)

Background paper and questions

for Plenary session I and Breakout session:

What future for the UCPM?

1. Background

While the disaster landscape of the last years has allowed the UCPM to showcase its added

value as an effective and efficient emergency instrument, it also tested its limits. Safeguarding

the sustainable functioning of the UCPM’s disaster management model and its support to

national civil protection authorities has therefore become a key concern. At the same time,

operational needs and political guidance also ask for further equipping the UCPM for new and

emerging risks within a more inclusive all-hazard and whole-of-society approach.

The two main challenges for European civil protection will persist for the next years to come:

climate change leading to more extreme and unpredictable weather, potentially causing major

destruction across the Union as clearly showcased once more this summer with severe

wildfires and floods across the continent. The situation is aggravated by deep security

concerns since the launch of the Russia’s war on aggression in Ukraine that has strained

Union’s key societal and economic values as well as well-being of citizens.

The list of risks perceived by EU citizens is long and diverse. According to a special

Eurobarometer report1 measuring the level of awareness and preparedness of the EU

population towards disaster risks, there is a great variety in the types of the risks perceived by

the EU population, with risks linked to both impact of climate change and security/social

threats ranked among the highest. This report furthermore showcases the need to strengthen

risk and disaster related exchange with citizens, to further enhance individual preparedness

and build strong social networks which increase our overall resilience and provide first-hand

support in case a disaster strikes.

The next European Commission College puts these challenges, and the potential interactions

between them, more central on its agenda. In July 2024, President von der Leyen referred in

in the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission2 to the need in Europe for a

new ambition on crisis and security preparedness. She announced the future work on a

Preparedness Union Strategy, to be inspired by the report on EU civil and military

preparedness by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö that will be presented this autumn

[the exact date of the publication of the report is not known yet at the time of drafting of this

background paper].

1 Disaster risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population - September 2024 - - Eurobarometer survey

(europa.eu)

2 e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en (europa.eu)

2

Importantly, President von der Leyen also mentioned the need for a common approach to

preventing and preparing other new threats, in particular those linked to chemical, biological,

radiological and nuclear (CBRN) security.

In addition, citizens’ preparedness is one of the cornerstones of societal resilience and can

reduce the cost of crisis response. To make citizens an integral part of a ‘whole of society’

approach, in addition to public authorities, private entities and other societal actors, they need

to become active actors of their own resilience, via their increased awareness, enhanced

ability and active implication in crisis preparedness and response actions.

Discussion on the way forward

To embrace an imminent future of more complex, long-lasting, overlapping and possibly even

existential crises, both the EU and Member States need to address the volatile and frequent

crisis environment that involves addressing possible gaps and challenges to better anticipate,

prevent, prepare, and respond to disasters. The meeting of the Directors-General shall serve

reflection on the shape of the UCPM’s future in complementarity with an evolving broader

crisis management, security and defence policy framework and in line with a whole-of-society

and all-hazard approach.

We therefore should assess how the Union and the Member States can achieve the above

objectives; a variety of policy and legal elements that can allow implementation of concrete

measures to strengthen preparedness and crisis response at EU level shall be considered.

Directors-General are invited to reflect on and discuss the following questions:

Questions for the plenary session I (14.30 – 16.00):

How can EU solidarity be enhanced (under UCPM and beyond) in the years to come in

view of the reality of complex and cross-sectoral disasters?

How can we increase societal preparedness across the EU for more extreme weather and

new security threats?

Questions for the breakout session (16:15 – 17:30) (each group will discuss the

following questions and identify recommendations that will be presented in plenary

the next day):

How can we take forward a proactive readiness of the UCPM to face the evolving risk

landscape?

Which of your successful national prevention and preparedness actions should inspire the

EU level in the development of an EU Preparedness Union Strategy?

What can we learn from your national experience in raising citizen’s awareness and

preparedness for natural disasters and security risks?

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

Saatja: <[email protected]>

Saadetud: 02.10.2024 15:50

Koopia: <[email protected]>

Teema: Background documents 53rd UCPM Directors - General meeting, Budapest 15-16

October 2024

Manused: image001.gif; Plenary session 1 Background paper on the Future of UCPM 1 10

2024.pdf; Agnda DGs meeting 15 - 16 Oct 2024 Budapest-draft 2 Oct 2024.pdf; Corr slip agenda

and background document 53rd UCPM DGs meeting - 15-16 October 2024 final.pdf

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

Dear Directors-General, Please find attached the background documents related to the subject of this email. Kind regards, Helena MATEOS-GALVEZ

European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Directorate B. Strategy and Policy

Secretariat Office: L-102 02/25 Phone: +32 2 22 968 807 [email protected]

1

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION AND HUMANITARIAN AID

OPERATIONS (ECHO)

Background paper and questions

for Plenary session I and Breakout session:

What future for the UCPM?

1. Background

While the disaster landscape of the last years has allowed the UCPM to showcase its added

value as an effective and efficient emergency instrument, it also tested its limits. Safeguarding

the sustainable functioning of the UCPM’s disaster management model and its support to

national civil protection authorities has therefore become a key concern. At the same time,

operational needs and political guidance also ask for further equipping the UCPM for new and

emerging risks within a more inclusive all-hazard and whole-of-society approach.

The two main challenges for European civil protection will persist for the next years to come:

climate change leading to more extreme and unpredictable weather, potentially causing major

destruction across the Union as clearly showcased once more this summer with severe

wildfires and floods across the continent. The situation is aggravated by deep security

concerns since the launch of the Russia’s war on aggression in Ukraine that has strained

Union’s key societal and economic values as well as well-being of citizens.

The list of risks perceived by EU citizens is long and diverse. According to a special

Eurobarometer report1 measuring the level of awareness and preparedness of the EU

population towards disaster risks, there is a great variety in the types of the risks perceived by

the EU population, with risks linked to both impact of climate change and security/social

threats ranked among the highest. This report furthermore showcases the need to strengthen

risk and disaster related exchange with citizens, to further enhance individual preparedness

and build strong social networks which increase our overall resilience and provide first-hand

support in case a disaster strikes.

The next European Commission College puts these challenges, and the potential interactions

between them, more central on its agenda. In July 2024, President von der Leyen referred in

in the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission2 to the need in Europe for a

new ambition on crisis and security preparedness. She announced the future work on a

Preparedness Union Strategy, to be inspired by the report on EU civil and military

preparedness by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö that will be presented this autumn

[the exact date of the publication of the report is not known yet at the time of drafting of this

background paper].

1 Disaster risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population - September 2024 - - Eurobarometer survey

(europa.eu)

2 e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en (europa.eu)

2

Importantly, President von der Leyen also mentioned the need for a common approach to

preventing and preparing other new threats, in particular those linked to chemical, biological,

radiological and nuclear (CBRN) security.

In addition, citizens’ preparedness is one of the cornerstones of societal resilience and can

reduce the cost of crisis response. To make citizens an integral part of a ‘whole of society’

approach, in addition to public authorities, private entities and other societal actors, they need

to become active actors of their own resilience, via their increased awareness, enhanced

ability and active implication in crisis preparedness and response actions.

Discussion on the way forward

To embrace an imminent future of more complex, long-lasting, overlapping and possibly even

existential crises, both the EU and Member States need to address the volatile and frequent

crisis environment that involves addressing possible gaps and challenges to better anticipate,

prevent, prepare, and respond to disasters. The meeting of the Directors-General shall serve

reflection on the shape of the UCPM’s future in complementarity with an evolving broader

crisis management, security and defence policy framework and in line with a whole-of-society

and all-hazard approach.

We therefore should assess how the Union and the Member States can achieve the above

objectives; a variety of policy and legal elements that can allow implementation of concrete

measures to strengthen preparedness and crisis response at EU level shall be considered.

Directors-General are invited to reflect on and discuss the following questions:

Questions for the plenary session I (14.30 – 16.00):

How can EU solidarity be enhanced (under UCPM and beyond) in the years to come in

view of the reality of complex and cross-sectoral disasters?

How can we increase societal preparedness across the EU for more extreme weather and

new security threats?

Questions for the breakout session (16:15 – 17:30) (each group will discuss the

following questions and identify recommendations that will be presented in plenary

the next day):

How can we take forward a proactive readiness of the UCPM to face the evolving risk

landscape?

Which of your successful national prevention and preparedness actions should inspire the

EU level in the development of an EU Preparedness Union Strategy?

What can we learn from your national experience in raising citizen’s awareness and

preparedness for natural disasters and security risks?

Electronically signed on 02/10/2024 14:11 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121