SE31: EU Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction

Description

The European Commission has adopted on 23 February 2009 two Communications related to disasters: a Community approach to reducing the impact of natural and man-made disasters within the EU, and a strategy for supporting disaster risk reduction in developing countries. The Communications, adopted as a package, represent a first attempt to establish a more strategic approach. Both Communications contribute to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for action 2005-2015, adopted at the world conference on disaster reduction.

The prevention Communication identifies areas where action at the EU level could provide added value. These include: establishing a Community-level inventory of existing information and best practices; developing guidelines on hazard and risk mapping; linking actors and policies throughout the disaster management cycle with more training and awareness-raising; improved access to early warning systems, more efficient targeting of community funds, and improving the performance of existing Community instruments.

The disaster risk reduction Communication sets out a Strategy with the following implementation priorities:

• strengthening of disaster risk reduction dialogue with developing countries;
• development and implementation of regional disaster risk reduction plans;
• integration of disaster risk reduction into both the EU's external action and developing countries' development policy and action, including EU support for key disaster risk reduction investments.

This Strategy was endorsed by the EU Council of Ministers on 18 May. The EU will set out all the specific actions foreseen in an implementation plan foreseen for June 2009.

Background Papers

> Commission focuses on disaster prevention and risk reduction at home and abroad [DOC, 32.50 Kb]

Presentations

> European Civil Protection [PPT, 2.43 Mb]

> Euromed [POT, 8.54 Mb]

Outcomes

Note: this is an interim report pending publication of the Conference Proceedings from the 2009 Global Platform.

> Report from SE31 [PDF, 29.61 Kb]