Seminar on Strengthening Cooperation with Candidate Countries
and Western Balkan Countries in the Field of Civil Protection
24–26 February 2008
Bled, Slovenia
GENERAL INFORMATION
Date and place:
A seminar, organised jointly by the European Commission – DG Environment, Civil Protection
Unit, and the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief,
titled “Seminar on Strengthening Cooperation with Candidate Countries and Western Balkan
Countries in the Field of Civil Protection”, will be held from 24 to 26 February 2008 in Bled,
Slovenia.
Introduction:
Closer integration of the Candidate Countries into EU activities and support for the European
course of the Western Balkan countries comprise one of the priorities of the Slovenian
Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2008.
The Western Balkans are immediate EU neighbours, and are also prone to natural and other
disasters. In light of recent devastating forest fires in the South Eastern European region, the
Commission and the Presidency believe that civil protection is one of the areas where
cooperation between the EU, Candidate Countries and potential candidate countries in the
Western Balkans should be strengthened in order to create a safer environment to live in. This
should contribute to further development of national disaster prevention and preparedness
systems and efficient and prompt response in case of disasters, and support gradual
participation of all of the above-mentioned countries in key EU civil protection activities.
This orientation was recently supported by the Communication from the Commission to the
Council and the European Parliament, Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2007–2008
(COM [2007]663) of 6 November 2007. In this Communication, strong emphasis is placed on a
sectoral policy for disaster risk reduction, prevention, preparedness and disaster response
activities, and a regional approach in this regard.
In addition, the Civil Protection Financial Instrument (2007/162/EC, Euratom) of 5 March 2007
and the recast of the Community Civil Protection Mechanism (2007/779/EC, Euratom) of 8
November 2007 have opened the possibility of participation to candidate countries, while other
third countries or international and regional organisations may cooperate in relevant activities
where agreements between these third countries or organisations and the Community so allow.
Ministry of Defence - Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief
Phone: +386 1 471 3322, fax: +386 1 431 8117, www.urszr.si, e-mail: urszr@urszr.si
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Aims of the seminar:
The seminar can be seen as a kick-off event for the process of strengthening cooperation with
Candidate Countries and Western Balkan countries in the field of civil protection. The aims of
the seminar are:
1. To support closer integration of Candidate Countries into EU activities in the field of civil
protection and to provide them with further support in the EU accession process.
- The seminar will introduce participants to the current development of civil protection in the
Candidate Countries as well as their needs, related both to EU requirements in the accession
process and to the improvement of national disaster management systems.
2. To enable a better understanding of the current status and development of national
disaster management systems in Western Balkan countries and to provide further support
in their European course.
- The seminar will introduce participants to the current development of civil protection in the
Western Balkan countries as well as their needs, related both to the improvement of national
disaster management systems and to EU requirements/opportunities.
3. To inform the Candidate Countries and Western Balkan countries of EU developments in the
field of civil protection.
- The seminar will provide participants from Candidate Countries and Western Balkans
countries with, on the one hand, basic facts and conditions to progress towards the EU in the
field of civil protection, and on the other, opportunities to participate (according to their status) in
the activities. The main emphasis should be on the Community Civil Protection Mechanism,
including development of Early Warning Systems, but other activities, such as the 112
Emergency Call Number, will also be presented.
4. The seminar should contribute to further exploring the possibilities of strengthening
cooperation with the Candidate Countries and Western Balkan countries in the field of civil
protection.
- Candidate Countries and Western Balkan countries will be informed about pre-accession
financial assistance instruments. The seminar will provide an opportunity to establish or
reinforce direct contacts between the EU Member States, the European Commission and the
Candidate Countries and Western Balkan countries in order to initiate further activities on an
EU, regional or bilateral basis.
Expected participants:
- European Commission
- civil protection experts from EU Member States and European Economic Area
- senior civil protection experts from the Candidate Countries (Croatia, Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Turkey) and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans
(Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro) and Moldova
- representatives of regional initiatives (Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative for
SEE) and other actors present in the Western Balkans
The language of the seminar shall be English and no translation will be provided.

Moldova will be invited to the seminar as an observer on the basis of its membership in the regional Initiative "Disaster Prevention
and Preparedness Initiative for South-Eastern Europe."
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