The humanitarian landscape is changing: emergency response operations at national level are becoming more and more complex as populations are increasingly moving to urban areas, requiring more sophisticated national infrastructures. Many public authorities are developing highly integrated structures to manage the consequences of emergencies in their own countries. Many regional organisations are developing emergency management, disaster response, and crisis response arrangements in recognition of the increased interdependency of nations and the transnational effects of disasters. These developments imply a general trend towards the multiplication of actors in international humanitarian response, pose risks and opportunities to principled humanitarian action and coordination mechanisms within the international Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. 

This document, created in 2013, provides guidance for National Societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on their relationships with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and EU Member States to position themselves and manage the opportunities and risks that come with transnational interdependencies and effects of disasters. This guidance is relevant to the disaster management continuum, from disaster preparedness and risk assessment to disaster relief and early recovery, and focuses on international assistance in response to disasters and crises.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

The changing humanitarian landscape

The development of a Civil Protection Approach in the European Union

GUIDANCE FOR NATIONAL SOCIETIES AND THE FEDERATION SECRETARIAT

General policy framework

Guidance

SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR NATIONAL SOCIETIES AND THE FEDERATION SECRETARIAT

Relationships with the European Commission Emergency Response Centre

Risk mapping and contingency planning

Civil Protection Training

Civil Protection Exercises

Logistics

Consular Support Services

International disaster Response Laws

EU Aid Volunteers

FURTHER INFORMATION

ANNEX 1. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

ANNEX 2. THE CIVIL PROTECTION MECHANISM