15 cross-border disaster relief eu report
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross Border Disaster Relief Prepared for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies by BritishTRANSCRIPT
Analysis of Law in the European Unionpertaining to Cross-BorderDisaster Relief
Prepared for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies by
With support from
© International Federation of Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties, Geneva, 2010
Cover photo: Aiguillon-sur-mer, France, March 2010Reuters/Regis Duvignau – Courtesy of alertnet.org
For more information about the British Institute ofInternational and Comparative law, please visithttp://www.biicl.org.
2010International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Box 372CH-1211 Geneva 19SwitzerlandTelephone: +41 22 730 4222Telefax: +41 22 733 0395E-mail: [email protected] site: www.ifrc.org/idrl
strategy2020
Strategy 2020 voices the collective determination of theInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties (IFRC) to move forward in tackling the majorchallenges that confront humanity in the next decade.Informed by the needs and vulnerabilities of the diversecommunities with whom we work, as well as the basicrights and freedoms to which all are entitled, this strate-gy seeks to benefit all who look to Red Cross RedCrescent to help to build a more humane, dignified, andpeaceful world.
Over the next ten years, the collective focus of the IFRCwill be on achieving the following strategic aims:1. Save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthenrecov-ery from disasters and crises
2. Enable healthy and safe living3. Promote social inclusion and a culture of non-violence and peace
About this report
This report was commissioned by the International Federation and pre-pared by Justine Stefanelli and Sarah Williams of the British Institute ofInternational and Comparative Law.
It is one element of a broader project being undertaken by theInternational Federation and the National Red Cross Societies of Austria,Bulgaria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom tostudy EU and Member States’regulations for cross-border disasterassistance within Europe.
This project is supported by the Civil Protection Financial Instrument ofthe European Community. However, sole responsibility for its contentsresides with the authors. The European Commission is not responiblefor any use that may be made of the information herein.
About the IDRL Programme
The International Federation’s “International Disaster Response Laws,Rules and Principles” (IDRL) Programme seeks to reduce human vulner-ability by promoting legal preparedness for disasters. It works in threeareas: (1) collaborating with Natioanl Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties and other partners to offer technical assistance to govern-ments on disaster law issues; (2) building the capacity of NationalSocieties and other stakeholders on disaster law; and (3) dissemination,advocacy and research.
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Table of Contents
Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction 5
1a. The Context of the Study 5
1b. The EU and Disaster Relief 6
Chapter 2: Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for Action 9
2a. Legal Bases and Competence 9
2b. The Pillar Structure of the EU 10
2c. Types of Legislation 11
2d. Applicability of EU Legislation in the Private Sphere 12
i. WhoislegallyobligatedunderEUlaw? 12
ii. Whocanexerciserights? 13
2e. The EEA and Switzerland 14
Chapter 3: Areas of EU Regulation 17
3a. Civil Protection Mechanism 17
i. LegalProvisions 17
ii. TheCPMandNon-GovernmentalOrganisations 21
iii. TheCivilProtectionMechanisminPractice 21
iv. ReviewingtheCivilProtectionMechanism 21
v. EUMemberStatesandNATO 22
3b. Operational Regulation 23
i. EntryintoEUterritory 23
ii. Rightsofworkersandrecognitionofprofessionalqualifications 24
iii. CustomsandTaxation 26
iv. Food 29
v. Medicines 32
vi. Animals 35
vii. Transport 36
viii.Telecommunications 40
ix. Currency 41
x. Extendedhours 43
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Table of ContentsInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
3c. Criteria for Eligibility for Action 43
3d. Public Procurement Rules 43
3e. Privileges and Immunities 45
3f. Other Forms of EU Co-operation 46
i. NuclearSafety 46
ii. MarinePollution 46
iii. Forests 47
iv. PandemicInfluenza 47
v. VictimsofTerrorism 49
3g. Recent Trends in Co-Operation 49
Chapter 4: Other Sources of Norms 51
4a. The Legal Status of Agreements in the EC Order 51
i. AgreementswithThirdStates 51
ii. AgreementsbetweenMemberStates 51
4b. International Agreements 52
4c. Regional Agreements 54
4d. Bilateral Agreements between Member States 56
4e. Bilateral Agreements with Third States 57
Chapter 5: Conclusion 61
Annex 1: Consulted Parties 64
Annex 2: Table of Legislation 65
Annex 3: Bilateral Agreements between EU Member States 74
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Table of Abbreviations
Table of AbbreviationsACP African,CaribbeanandPacific
CECIS CommonEmergencyCommunicationandInformationSystem
CPM CivilProtectionMechanism
DG Directorate-General
EACP Euro-AtlanticPartnershipCouncil
EADRCC Euro-AtlanticDisasterResponseCoordinationCentre
EADRU Euro-AtlanticDisasterResponseUnit
EC EuropeanCommunity
ECHO Directorate-GeneralforHumanitarianAid
ECJ EuropeanCourtofJustice
ECMT EuropeanConferenceofMinistersofTransport
EEA EuropeanEconomicArea
EEC EuropeanEconomicCommunity
EFFIS EuropeanForestFireInformationSystem
EFTA EuropeanFreeTradeArea
EMU EconomicandMonetaryUnion
EU EuropeanUnion
Euratom EuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity
ICRC InternationalCommitteeoftheRedCross
IDRL InternationalDisasterResponseLaw
IFRC InternationalFederationoftheRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties
IHR InternationalHealthRegulations
ITF InternationalTransportForum
JHA JusticeandHomeAffairs
MIC MonitoringandInformationCentre
NATO NorthAtlanticTreatyOrganisation
NGO Non-GovernmentalOrganisation
OCHA OfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs
TEC TreatyEstablishingtheEuropeanCommunity
TEU TreatyonEuropeanUnion
TFEU TreatyontheFunctioningoftheEuropeanUnion
UN UnitedNations
VAT ValueAddedTax
WHO WorldHealthOrganisation
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 1: Introduction
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 1. Introduction
1
Chapter 1Introduction
1a. The Context of the Study
TheoccurrenceofnaturalandtechnologicaldisasterswithintheterritoryoftheMemberStatesoftheEuropeanUnion(EU)haslongbeenaconcernintheEU.Between2002and2008,theEUCivilProtectionMechanism(CPM)wasinvolvedin77incidentsoccurringwithintheEUterri-tory.SuchincidentsrangedfromearthquakesinItalytofloodinginRomaniaandBulgaria.Whenthesedisastersareonalargescale,ortheireffectscrossinternationalboundaries,internationalas-sistanceandco-operationbecomeanecessarycomponentofdisasterreliefplanning.However,itisoftenthecasethattheapplicablelegalframeworkdoesnotconsiderthelegalandtechnicalmeas-uresnecessarytofacilitateinternationalassistance,forexample,expeditedproceduresforcrossingbordersorimportingreliefgoods.
In2001theInternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties(IFRC)initiateditsInternationalDisasterResponseLaws,RulesandPrinciples(IDRL)Programmetostudygloballegalframeworkswithinwhichdisasterassistanceisprovidedandused.TheProgrammeanditspartnersreviewedtheinternational,regionalandnationalframeworksregardinginternationalre-sponsetonaturalandtechnologicaldisasters.AmongtheseveraldozenstudiesproducedwasaninitialexaminationofthebroadlinesofEUlawfordisasterrelief,carriedoutin2003bytheAustrianRedCrossinco-operationwiththeIFRC.1
Afterseveralyearsofresearchandglobalconsultationswithgovernmentsandotherstakeholdersevaluatingcommonproblemareasandbestpractice,theIFRCspearheadednegotiationsforthedevelopmentofthe“GuidelinesfortheDomesticFacilitationandRegulationofInternationalDisasterReliefandInitialRecoveryAssistance”(IDRLGuidelines).2InNovember2007,thestate parties to the Geneva Conventions unanimously adopted the IDRL Guidelines at the30thInternationalConferenceoftheRedCrossandRedCrescent.InadditiontojoiningtheconsensusontheGuidelines,theEUMemberStates3andtheirNationalSocieties4signedspecificpledgesinsupportoftheuseoftheGuidelines.SupportfortheIDRLGuidelineswasalsoincludedintheEUConsensusonHumanitarianAidin2007.ArecentreportbytheIFRCnotessomeoftheprogressinimplementingtheIDRLGuidelinessincethattime.5
The current studywas commissionedby the IFRCand is funded in substantialpartby theEuropeanCommission.ThestudybuildsupontheIDRLGuidelines,examiningthedegreetowhichnationalandEuropeanlegalframeworksaddressproblemsrelatedtothefacilitationofinter-nationalassistance.ItsscopeislimitedstrictlytotheprovisionofdisasterassistancewithintheEUanddoesnotexaminedisastersresultingfromarmedconflictsituationsorterroristicacts.ItexaminesEUlawattheregionallevelandreviewsinternationalandregionallegalinstruments
1. ‘The Regulatory Framework for Disaster Response estab-lished within the European Union: A focus on Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Legal Study’ (2005). 2. IFRC, “Introduction to the Guidelines for the Domestic Faciiltation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Re-covery Assistance” (2008), available at: http://www.ifrc.org/idrl. 3. Pledges on IDRL: Section 3.1 – Strengthening the
legal framework for international response to disasters, Govern-ment, EU Joint Pledge, Pledge #95. 4. ibid, National Socie-ties, Pledge #56. 5. IFRC, “The Right Aid at the Right Time : Progress Report on the Guidelines for the Dwomestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Re-covery Assistance” (November 2009), available at: http: www.ifrc.org/idrl.
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Chapter 1. IntroductionInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
withpotentialapplicationtodisasterreliefwithintheEU.ThisReportalso,inpart,updatesandexpandsuponthe2005studybytheAustrianRedCrossandIFRCmentionedabove.Thisstudywillformpartofawiderproject,andwillbesupplementedbyanevaluationoftherelevantlawofsixEUMemberStates,preparedbytheRedCrossSocietiesofAustria,Bulgaria,France,Germany,theNetherlandsandtheUnitedKingdom.
1b. The EU and Disaster Relief
TheEUhasalongtraditionofconcernfordisasterrelief.Thishasbeenexpressedinpartthroughthedevelopmentofinstitutionsandrulesforhumanitarianassistanceandalsoforcivilprotectioncooperation.Todate,theinstitutionsandrulesrelatedtohumanitarianassistancehaveappliedonlytoreliefeffortsoutsideoftheEU,whereascivilprotectioncooperationhasbeenexpanded,overtime,toapplybothinsideandoutsidetheEU.Thepastfewyearshaveseensomerapprochementofthesestrands,inparticularintherecentproposalofCommissionPresidentBarrosotomergeECHOandtheCivilProtectionMechanismintoasingleDirectorate-GeneralforInternationalCooperation,HumanitarianAidandCrisisResponse.
Nevertheless,thisstudywillfocusonlyonthedeliveryofdisasterassistancewithintheterritoryoftheMemberStates.ItwillconsiderreliefsourcesfrombothwithinandoutsidetheEU.Forthisreason,itwillnotbeexamininghumanitarianassistancestructures.
EUlaw-makingoncivilprotectioncooperationbeganwiththeMayministerialmeetinginRomein1985.Thatmeetingwas followedbysix resolutionsoncivilprotectionover thenextnineyears,themostsignificantbeingtheResolutionof9July1991onimprovingmutualaidbetweenMemberStatesintheeventoftechnologicaldisasters.6Eachoftheseresolutionsformedtheframe-workofwhatisnowtheCPMandhasevolvedintotwoprimarypiecesoflegislation.Sincethen,theCPMhasbecomeacomprehensiveframeworkforemergencyassistancenotification,requestandresponse,andhasdevelopedanelaboratetrainingandexerciseprogrammetoimproveco-ordinationandenhanceexperts’skills.SinceJanuary2002,theMechanismhashandledalmost200eventsrangingfrompracticeexercisestoresponsestolarge-scaledisasters,suchasthe2004tsunamiinAsiaorthe2009earthquakeinthel’AquilaProvinceinItaly.
ManyoftheprovisionsundertheMechanismcorrespondtoconsiderationsintheproposedIDRLGuidelines,butthereareseveralgapsthathavenotbeenaddressedbytheMechanismlegislationorbyotherrelevantCommunitypolicies.
Giventheabove,thisreportseekstoaccomplishthefollowing:
1. ConductareviewofthecurrentEUlegalframeworkfordisasterrelief,bothwithintheCivilProtectionMechanismandinotherrelevantpolicyareasinordertoassessthedegreetowhichthecurrentlegalframeworkcorrespondstotheIDRLGuidelines;
6. In fact, the first Decision establishing the CPM (2001/792/EC) refers to the benefits derived from the 1991 Resolution but acknowledges that the scope of protection must be extended to in-clude other emergencies such as radiological or chemical emergen-cies and marine pollution (Preamble 1). Other resolutions of note were the: Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 26 February 2001 on strengthening the capabilities of the European Union in the field of civil protection, Resolution
of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 31 October 1994 on strengthening Community cooperation on civil protection and Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Govern-ments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 23 November 1990 on Community cooperation on civil protection. For a complete look at the legislative history of civil protection in the EU, see: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/prote/legal_texts.htm.
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 1. Introduction
1
2. ProvideanassessmentofpracticeundertheexistingEUframeworkfordisasterrelief;and3. Surveyselectedinternationalandregionalagreements,togetherwithrelevantbilateral
agreementsbetweentheEUandthirdcountries,thatmightimposeobligationsonEUMemberStatesinadditiontothoseundertheCommunityframework.
TheReportconcludeswiththreeannexes.AnnexIisalistofindividualswhoaidedinthedraftingofthisreport,eitherthroughinterviewsconductedbytelephoneorresponsesprovidedbyemail.AnnexIIisatableofthelegislationcitedinthisReport.AnnexIIIisatableofselectedbilateralagreementsregulatingassistancebetweenEUMemberStates.
AlltreatyarticlesreferencedintheReportarethosewhichappearinthenewly-enactedTreatyofLisbon.TheTreatyenteredintoforceon1December2009andiscomprisedoftwoseparatetreaties:theTreatyonEuropeanUnion(LisbonTEU)andtheTreatyontheFunctioningoftheEuropeanUnion(LisbonTFEU).OneconsequenceoftheentryintoforceoftheLisbonTreatyistherenumberingofarticlesfromtheTreatyofNice.7Therefore,referencestotheLisbonTreatywillbeaccompaniedinbracketsbyreferencetopreviousarticles intheTreatyofNicewhereappropriate.
7. Comprising the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Maas-tricht) and the Treaty Establishing the European Communities (Rome Treaty).
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 2: Legislative Competence
and Legal Bases for Action
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for Action
Chapter 2Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for Action
2a. Legal Bases and Competence
UndertheTEC,therearethreetypesofcompetence.n Exclusiven Sharedn Complementary
TheLisbonTreatyeffectivelymirrorsthecurrentsituationundertheTEC,butexplicitlyplaceseachareaofpolicywithinacategoryofcompetence.
Delineatingtheexactlevelsofcompetenceintheareaswherecompetenceissharedorcomplemen-taryisalengthyexercisethatwouldinvolveanevaluationofallEUlawinagivensubjectareatodeterminewhathasbeenregulatedbytheEUandwhatspecificallyhasbeenlefttotheMemberStatestoregulate.Therefore,thisReportattemptstoprovideabroadoverviewofthetypesofcom-petenceandthesubjectareaswhichfallundereachcategory.
TherearethreemaintypesofcompetencethattheCommunitycanexerciseintheimplementa-tionofitspolicies:exclusive,sharedandcomplementary.Areasofexclusive competenceresultfromallocationsintheEuropeanTreaties.OncetheEChaslegislatedinagivenarea,theMemberStatesarenolongercompetenttolegislateinthatareaunlesscompetenceistransferredbacktothembytheCommunity.TheEuropeanCommissionhastraditionallyarguedforabroadapproachtoex-clusivity,i.e.,thatapowerisexclusiveonceithasbeenconferredontheEC,whetherornottheEChasactuallyexercisedthecompetence.Theareasofagriculture,customs,valueaddedtax(VAT)andindirecttaxationareconsideredareasofexclusivecompetenceundertheTreatyEstablishingtheEuropeanCommunity(TEC)asitcurrentlystands.
Whenacompetenceisshared,boththeCommunityandtheMemberStatesmaylegislateandadoptlegallybindingactsinthesubjectarea.TheMemberStatesmayonlyexercisetheircompe-tenceinsofarastheCommunityhasnotexerciseditsown.Also,theCommunitycanonlyactin-sofarastheobjectivesoftheproposedactioncannotbesufficientlyachievedbytheMemberStatesontheirown.Theareasoftelecommunications,environmentandtransport8areexamplesofareasofsharedcompetenceundertheTEC.
Complementary competenceexistsinareaswheretheCommunitysupports,co-ordinatesorsupple-mentstheactionsoftheMemberStates.AlthoughthereisaCommunitypolicy,itmayneverleadtoharmonisationofMemberStates’nationallegislation.MemberStatesmaycontinuetofollowanddeterminetheirownpolicy.Civilprotectionandpublichealthareareasthatfallintothiscategory.
2
8. Transport has been declared exclusive by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in one case because of the particular
circumstances: Case 22/70, CommissionvCouncil (ERTA) [1971] ECR 263.
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Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for ActionInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Finally,itshouldbenotedthatactionstakenunderthethirdpillar–policeandjudicialco-opera-tion–areexclusivelywithinthecompetenceoftheMemberStates.Thisispertinenttothediscus-sionofEUregulationofcontrolledsubstancesandcareforvictimsofterrorism.
WhereasundertheTECthereissomeconfusionregardingwhichsubjectareasfallintowhichcategories,theTreatyofLisbonspecifiesexactlythelimitsofcompetence,basicallyreflectingthecurrentsituationinpractice.SomeexamplesofexclusivecompetenceundertheLisbonTreatyare:
n customsunion;n monetarypolicyfortheMemberStateswhohaveadoptedtheEuro.9
Sharedcompetenceoccursinrelationtoareassuchas:
n internalmarket;n agricultureandfisheries,excludingtheconservationofmarinebiologicalresources;n environment;n transport;n trans-Europeannetworks;n areaoffreedom,securityandjustice;n commonsafetyconcernsinpublichealthmatters,fortheaspectsdefinedinthisTreaty.10
Finally,areasofcomplementarycompetenceinclude:
n protectionandimprovementofhumanhealth;n civilprotection.11
ThearrangementsundertheLisbonTreatylargelymirrorthecurrentsituationundertheTEC,thereforethecurrentframeworkforcivilprotectionshouldnotbealtereddrastically.However,civilprotectionisnowaspecificallylistedobjectiveoftheUnionandfurtherlegislationintheareawillbepossible.Furthermore,Article222oftheLisbonTreatyintroducestheSolidarityClause.TheSolidarityClausespecifiesthat“theUnionanditsMemberStatesshallactjointlyinaspiritofsoli-darityifaMemberStateistheobjectofaterroristattackorthevictimofanaturalorman-madedisaster.”TheClauseisaccompaniedbyDeclaration37whichreinforcesthefactthatnothinginArticle222affectsaMemberState’srighttochoosethemostappropriatemeanstocomplywithitssolidarityobligations.AstatementmadebyMrStavrosDimas,theEuropeanCommissionerfortheEnvironmentsupportsthefactthattheSolidarityClausehascreatedabindinglegalobligationfortheMemberStatestohelpeachotherinthecontextofcivilprotection.12
2b. The Pillar Structure of the EU
WhentheTreatyonEuropeanUnion(TEU)enteredintoforcein1993,itintroducedathethreepillarstructureoftheEuropeanUnion.ThefirstpillaristheCommunitypillarandcomprisesthethreeCommunities:theEuropeanCommunity,theEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunityandtheformerEuropeanCoalandSteelCommunity.Thesecondpillarisdevotedtothecommon
9. Art 3 Lisbon TFEU. 10. ibid art 4. 11. ibid art 6. 12. Civil Protection Forum, “Towards a more resilient society”, 25-26 November 2009, Speech/09/556, available at: http://
europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/556&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en.
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for Action
2
foreignandsecuritypolicywhichcomesunderTitleVIoftheTEUandiswithinthecompetenceoftheMemberStates.Thethirdpillar,originallyentitled‘JusticeandHomeAffairs’isdevotedtopoliceandjudicialco-operationincriminalmattersbetweentheMemberStates,comingunderTitleVIoftheEU.Thisreportisconcernedonlywithactionsinthefirstandthirdpillarsandwhererelevant,referencetothepillarswillbemade.
2c. Types of Legislation
UndertheTEC,therearethreemaintypesoflegislation.Thebindingnatureofthelegislationdependsonitsform.
n Directives:bindingastotheresulttobeachievedn Regulations:bindingintheirentiretyn Decisions:bindingintheirentiretyonwhomtheyareaddressedn Resolutions:non-binding
ThemajorityoftherelevantlegislationisintheformofaDirective,RegulationorDecision,eachpossessingvaryingdegreesofbindingauthority.13AsdefinedinArticle249TEC,aDirectiveis“binding,astotheresulttobeachieved,uponeachMemberStatetowhichitisaddressed,butshallleavetothenationalauthoritiesthechoiceofformandmethods.”ARegulationisgeneralinitsapplicationand“bindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicableinallMemberStates”.ADecisionis“bindinginitsentiretyuponthosetowhomitisaddressed”.Finally,althoughtheyarenotlegallybindingandarenotspecificallymentionedintheTEC,ResolutionshavebeeninstrumentalinthedevelopmentoftheEU’scivilprotectionpolicy.Theyaretypicallydraftedasstatementsofintentiontodeveloppolicyinagivenarea.
Inthecontextofthethirdpillar,therelevanttypesoflegislationarejointactions,frameworkdecisionsanddecisions.14JointactionsaddressspecificsituationswhereoperationalactionbytheUnionisrequired.TheycommittheMemberStatesinthepositionstheyadoptandintheconductoftheiractivities.FrameworkdecisionsareadoptedbytheCouncilunanimouslyinordertoap-proximatethelawsandregulationsoftheMemberStatesandfunctionmuchlikedirectives:theyarebindingastotheresulttobeachieved,buttheMemberStatesmaychoosetheformofmethodofachievingtheendresult.Decisionsaresomewhatsimilar,onlyitistheCouncilthatadoptsthenecessaryimplementingmeasures.DecisionsareadoptedbytheCouncilwithqualifiedmajorityforanypurpose,otherthantheapproximationofMemberStates’lawsandregulations,consistentwiththeobjectivesofTitleVITEU,whichcontainstheprovisionsonpoliceandjudicialco-operationincriminalmatters.
13. Another consequence of the Treaty of Lisbon is that the nature and types of legal instruments has changed. At the time of writing, it is not clear whether and how these changes will affect
the legal instruments cited in this Report. 14. Article 14 (re-garding joint actions) and Article 34 (decisions and framework decisions) TEU.
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Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for ActionInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
2d. Applicability of EU Legislation in the Private Sphere
n ThebindingnatureofEUlegislationonprivatebodiesisdependentuponthetypeoflegislationatissue.
n DirectivesareonlycapableofbindingtheState,buttheycanberelieduponbyprivateindividualsandbodiestoasserttheirrights.
n RegulationsarebindinguponboththeStateandprivatebodiesandindividuals.n ThereisnospecificEUregulationofcharitableorganisations;thatislefttotheMemberStates.
Attheoutset,itshouldbementionedthatthereisatpresent,nogeneralEUregulationofcharitableorganisations.WhiletheEUhasdevelopedsomelegislationintheareaofcompanieslaw,itisspecif-icallyinapplicabletonon-profitorganisations.15Consequently,legalregulationofthesebodiesoccursnationally,sometimesresultinginhardshipfornon-profitorganisationsthatworkacrossborders.Therefore,asonerecentcommentatorhasnoted,thecurrentEUregulatoryregime“preventsnon-profitorganizationsfromfullyenjoyingthebenefitsofthecommonmarket.”16Non-profitorganisa-tionswill,however,beboundbyandderivebenefitfromEUlegislationregulatingotherareasoflaw.
i. Who is legally obligated under EU law?
Dependingonthetypeoflegislationinvolved,Europeanlawmayimposeobligationsonprivateindividualsandbodies.Directivesareonlycapableofproducingverticaldirecteffect.Thatis,theyimposeobligationsonlyupontheMemberStatestowhomtheyareaddressed.Theydonotbindprivateindividualsand,consequently,donothavewhatiscalledhorizontaldirecteffect.17
Asdirectivesanddecisionscanonlybindstates,thedefinitionof‘state’isrelevant.TheECJhasde-fined‘state’broadlyasincludingallorgansoftheState.18InFoster v British Gas,19theECJdevelopedafour-prongtesttodeterminewhetherabodycanberegardedasthestateforpurposesofdirecteffect:
1. thebodymustprovideapublicservice;2. theservicemustbeprovidedpursuanttoameasureadoptedbytheState;3. theserviceprovidedmustbeunderthecontroloftheState;and4. thebodymustpossess special powersbeyond thosenormally applicable in relations
betweenindividuals.
ThefollowingtypesofbodieshavebeenheldtobeemanationsoftheStatebytheECJ:
n Localandregionalauthorities20
n Nationalhealthauthorities21
n Police22
n Nationalisedindustries23
BasedontheFoster test,nationalcourtshaveruledthatcharitiesestablishedbyaprivateactsuchasawillortrustdeed,eveniftheyprovideapublicservice,arenotconsideredasthe‘state’unlessit
15. Some of this legislation is discussed below in Part II.b.c. 16. OB Breen, ‘EU Regulation of Charitable Organ-isations: The Politics of Legally Enabling Civil Society’, The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, vol 10, issue 3 (June 2008). 17. Case 152/84 Marshall v SouthamptonandSouthWestHampsireAreaHealthAuthority(Teaching)
[1986] ECR 723. 18. Marshall (n 17). 19. Case C-188/89 [1990] ECR I-3313. 20. Case C-103/88 FratelliConstanzo SpAvComunediMilano [1989] ECR 1839. 21. Marshall (n 17). 22. Case 222/84 MargueriteJohnstonvChiefCon-stableoftheRoyalUlsterConstabulary[1986] ECR 1651. 23. Foster (n 19).
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for Action
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ispartoftheStatesystem.24ThishasnotbeenspecificallyquestionedbeforetheECJ,butitseemslikelythatcharitableorganisationssuchasNationalRedCrossSocietiesornon-governmentalor-ganisations,forexample,wouldnotbebounddirectlybyECdirectivesanddecisions.
Itshouldbenoted,however,thatonceadirectivehasbeencorrectlyimplementedbytheMemberStates,itbecomespartofnationallawandthereforeapplicabletoprivateindividualsandbodiesaswellastheState.So,inthatsense,directivesmayalsobindprivatebodiesorindividuals.
Bytheirverydefinition,regulationsareof‘generalapplication’andthereforeimposeobligationsnotonlyontheMemberStates,butalsoonprivateindividuals.MuchoftheEClegislationdis-cussedinthisReportisintheformofaregulation.Consequently,ifinvolvedinthetypesofactiv-itiesregulatedbythislegislation,privateindividualsandbodieswithintheEUwillbeboundbyprovisionsrelatingto:
n TheimplementationoftheCommunityCustomsCode25
n Visarequirementsforthirdcountrynationals26
n Foodqualitystandards27
n Pharmaceuticalstandardsandrulesregardingcontrolledsubstances28
n EUvehicleregistrationrequirements29
n Euratomsafeguards30
n TheEuropeanCentreforDiseasePreventionandControl31
Treatyarticlesconcerningfreemovementarealsocapableofproducingobligationsbetweenindi-viduals.32Therefore,thoseprovisionsoftheTECregardingfreemovementofpersonsandworkerssuchasthoseontherecognitionofprofessionalqualificationsorestablishment,producebindingobligationsontheMemberStatesaswellasprivateindividualsorbodies.
ii. Who can exercise rights?
DirectivesanddecisionscanonlyconferrightsonindividualsagainsttheState;Inorderfortheseinstrumentstohavethiseffect,theymustsatisfythreeconditions:
1. thedateofimplementationmusthavepassed;33
2. theprovisionatissuemustbesufficientlyclearandprecisesoastodemonstrateaninten-tiontoconferrights;34and
3. theprovisionmustbeunconditional,i.e.,notrequireanyfurtherdecisionoractoftheCommunityortheMemberState.35
24. NationalUnionofTeachers andOthers v.GoverningBodyofStMary’sChurchofEngland(Aided)JuniorSchooland Others [1997] CMLR 630; [1997] ICR 334, Court of Appeal (England and Wales). 25. See Part III.b.iii. 26. Part III.b.i. 27. Part III.b.iv. 28. Part III.b.v. 29. Part III.b.vii. 30. Part III.e.i. 31. Part III.e.iv. 32. Case C-281/98 RomanAngonesevCassadiRisparmiodiBolzano[2000] ECR I 4139: Article 29 TEC covers the discriminatory conduct of private parties in relation to the free movement of workers; Case 90/76 S.r.l.UfficiovanAmeydevS.r.l.UfficioCentraleItalianodiAssistenzaAssicurativaAutomobilistainCircolazioneInternazionale [1977] ECR 1091: demonstrates that the ECJ has applied Article 43 in relation to freedom of es-tablishment to private parties, although it is not clear whether this
is a strict rule; Joined Cases C-51/96 and C-191/97 ChristelleDeliègeVLigueFrancophonedeJudoetDisciplinesASBL: Article 49 on free movement of services is applicable to private rules aimed at regulating the profession of services in a collective way. 33. Case C-129/96 Inter-environnement Wallonie [1997] ECR I-7411. 34. Case 148/78 Criminal Proceed-ingsagainstTullioRatti [1979] ECR 1629. 35. Case 8/81 Becker [1982] ECR 53. This does not mean that the provisions of a directive will not be directly effective because the rights it grants are dependent upon an objective factor or event; rather, it means that the provision must not be dependent on the judgment or dis-cretion of the Community institutions or national authorities (TC Hartley, TheFoundationsofEuropeanCommunityLaw (5th ed) OUP 2003 p 199).
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Chapter 2. Legislative Competence and Legal Bases for ActionInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
AlthoughprivatebodiessuchastheNationalRedCrossSocietiesornon-governmentalorgan-isationsarenotbounddirectlybydirectives,theymayassertanyrightsprovidedinthedirectivesagainsttheState.
AsregulationsaregenerallyapplicableandcreateobligationsonthepartoftheStateandindi-viduals,private individualsandbodiesmayasserttheirrightsvertically(againsttheState)orhorizontally(againstotherindividuals).ThesameistrueregardingtheTreatyprovisionsonfreemovement.
Consideringtheforegoing,privateindividualsandbodiessuchastheNationalRedCrossSocietieswillbenefitfromEUlawifcertainconditionsaremet.ThetypeoflawconcernedwilldictatewhethertheycanasserttheirrightsagainsttheStateorboththeStateandotherprivateindividualsorbodies.EUlawmayalsocreateobligationsthatbindprivateindividualsorbodies.Again,thisdependsonthetypeoflawatissue.Regulationsmaydirectlybindthesebodiesiftheybecomeinvolvedinthesubjectmatterconcernedbytheregulation.Directivesmayindirectlybindprivateindividualsandbodiesinvolvedintheregulatedsubjectmatteraftertheirprovisionshavebecomepartofnationallaw.
2e. The EEA and Switzerland
InadditiontotheTECandtheTEU,twootheragreementsshouldbementionedatthisstage.TheEuropeanEconomicAreaAgreement(EEAAgreement)enteredintoforcein1994andex-pandedtheEUinternalmarkettoalltheEuropeanFreeTradeArea(EFTA)States.Currently,onlythreeEFTAStatestakepartintheEEAAgreement:Norway,IcelandandLiechtenstein.AspartoftheEEAAgreement,theEFTAStatesmustimplementallEUlegislationrelevanttothefunc-tioningoftheinternalmarket.Thisincludesrespectforthebasicprinciplesoftheinternalmarket,suchasthefreemovementofgoods,persons,capitalandservices.
TheEUhasalsoenteredintoseveralagreementswithSwitzerland,coveringvariousareasoflegis-lativepolicy.Afterthefirstagreementonfreetradein1972,theEUandSwitzerlandhaveenteredintoapproximately100bilateralagreements.Themostnotablenegotiationsoccurredintwomainrounds:BilateralIin1994andBilateralIIin2004.BilateralIconsistsofaseriesofsevenagree-mentsinthefollowingareas:(1)freemovementofpersons;(2)civilaviation;(3)overlandtrans-port;(4)agriculture;(5)publicprocurement;(6)technicalbarrierstotrade;and(7)research.TheBilateralIIpackageconcerns(1)securityandasylum;(2)co-operationinthefightagainstfraud;and(3)previouslyopenissuesinthefieldsofagriculture,environment,media,education,careoftheelderly,statisticsandservices.Mostrecently,inDecember2008,SwitzerlandbecameamemberoftheSchengenTreaty,discussedbelow.Essentially,theseagreementsoperatesimilarlytotheEEAAgreementandmakeSwitzerlanda‘virtual’memberoftheEEA.Consequently,mostEUlawwillapplyuniversallythroughouttheEU,EEAandSwitzerland.
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 3: Areas of EU Regulation
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
Chapter 3Areas of EU Regulation
3a. Civil Protection Mechanism
IDRL Guidelines
PartIIoftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesforthe“expeditioussharingofinformationaboutdisasters”.
n TheCPMprovidesanalertandresponsecentretoalertstatestotheexistenceofdisastersandtheneedforassistanceaswellasanyassistanceoffered.
PartIIIoftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesthatdecisionstorequestreliefmustbemadeandcommunicatedinatimelymanner;thesameisapplicabletonotificationoftheterminationofrelief.
n TheMICprovidesoneplatformforthesenotificationstobemadeassoonaspos-siblewithinEurope.Inaddition,statespecificationofthetypesandamountsofassistanceisincludedintheMICalerts.
i. Legal Provisions
The main EU mechanism which deals with disaster relief assistance inside the EU is theCPM,whichhastraditionallybeenmanagedbytheCommission’sDirectorateGeneralfortheEnvironment(DGEnvironment),butwhichwillapparentlybemanagedinthefuturefromthenewDirectorate-GeneralforInternationalCooperation,HumanitarianAidandCrisisResponse.TheCPMconsistsoftwoprimarypiecesoflegislationcoveringdisasterprevention,prepared-nessandresponse:CouncilDecision2007/779/EC,EuratomestablishingaCommunityCivilProtectionMechanism(recast)andCouncilDecision2007/162/EC,EuratomestablishingaCivilProtectionFinancialInstrument.Thesewillbediscussedinmoredetailbelow.TheCPMisap-plicableto“majoremergencies”,36whichisdefinedas“anysituationwhichhasormayhaveanadverseimpactonpeople,theenvironmentorpropertyandwhichmayresultinacallforassistanceundertheMechanism”.Inthepast,earthquakes,floods,forestfires,storms,tsunamis,biological,chemical,environmental,radiological&technologicaldisasters,marinepollution,andterroristat-tackshavebeencategorisedasfallingwithinthisdefinition.37
Previously, the legalbasis for theCPMwassomewhat indirect.AlthoughitwasmanagedbyDGEnvironment,thelegalbasisandoriginofcompetenceoftheCPMdoesnotfallundertheCommunity’senvironmentalpolicy,whichisanareaofsharedcompetence.Article3oftheTEC,whichliststheobjectivesoftheCommunity,specificallycitesinsubsection(1)(u)measuresre-latingtocivilprotection.CivilprotectionwasthereforepartofthecompetenceoftheEuropeanCommunity(EC)underthefirstpillar,butitwasnotexclusive,itwascomplementarytotheMemberStates’competence.However,Article3(1)(u)didnotitselfserveasalegalbasisforaction
3
36. Council Decision 2007/779/EC, Euratom establishing a Community Civil Protection Mechanism (recast), Article 1(1). 37. ‘Community co-operation in the field of civil protection’,
European Civil Protection, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/prote/cp01_en.htm.
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inthatsphereandtheTECdidnotprovideaseparateprovisiononwhichtobasesuchaction.Therefore,thecivilprotectionlegislationcitedArticle308TECastherelevantlegalbasis.Article308allowstheinstitutionstotakeanyappropriatemeasuresthatarenecessarytoattainoneoftheobjectivesoftheCommunityandtheTEC.
ThecharacterisationofcivilprotectionasacomplementarycompetencehasbeenmoreemphaticallycementedbyitsexplicitlistingintheLisbonTreatyunderArticle6TFEU,discussingcomplemen-taryaction.However,theCommunityhasacknowledgedtheaddedvalueofmakinganEU-levelmechanismavailableasasupplementtoMemberStates’systemsintheeventthataMemberStatebecomesoverwhelmedbyadisaster.ThesupportoftheCPMisavailableonrequestshouldtheaf-fectedstatedecidethatitsownmechanismsareinsufficienttoprovideanadequateresponse.
UndertheTreatyofLisbon,theEUshallhavecompetencetocarryoutactionstosupport,co-ordinateorsupplementtheactionsofMemberStatesincivilprotection.TitleXXIII,Article196TFEUprovidesthattheEU:
shallencouragecooperationbetweenMemberStatesinordertoimprovetheeffectivenessofsystemsforpreventingandprotectingagainstnaturalorman-madedisasters.Unionactionshall(a)aimtosupportandcomplementMemberStates’actionatnational,regionalandlocallevelinriskprevention,inpreparingthecivil-protectionpersonnelandinrespondingtonat-uralormanmadedisasterswithintheUnion;(b)aimtopromoteswift,effectiveoperationalcooperationwithintheUnionbetweennationalcivilprotectionservices;and(c)promoteconsistencyininternationalcivil-protectionwork.
TheEuropeanParliamentandtheCouncilshallestablishthemeasuresnecessarytohelptoachievetheobjectivesreferredtoinArt.196(1),excludingallharmonisationofthelawsandregulationsoftheMemberStates.
TheLisbonTreatythereforeformaliseswhathasalreadybeenthecaseinpractice:thecompetenceoftheCommunitywithregardtocivilprotectioniscomplementaryinnature.Thismightexplainwhy,asthetreatiesstand,itisdifficulttofinddetailedprovisionsregardingdisasterreliefoper-ationsintheEClegislationunderthefirstpillar.
TheEUhasidentifiedcivilprotectionasbeingoneoffourpriorityareasofcivilianactionundertheEuropeanSecurityandDefencePolicy.Civilprotectioninthissense,however,ismostlyinrelationtoarmedconflict.AccordingtotheCouncil,inanefforttorespondeffectivelytocrisismanagementtasks,certaincivilprotectiongoalshavebeensetwithadeadlineoftheendof2010.38Thesetargetsconsistofactionssuchasestablishingco-ordinationteamswithroundtheclockavailabilityandcreatinglarge-scaleinterventionteamsthatcanbedispatchedonshortnotice.Itisthoughtthatthatthesecrisismanagementtoolscouldbeusedregularlyforcivilprotectionoper-ationsabroadinthecontextofEU-ledautonomousmissionsorincivilprotectionoperationsledbyorganisationsliketheUNortheOSCE.ItispossiblethattheseinnovationscouldbereplicatedandusedfordisastersoccurringwithintheCommunity;howeveritisunclearwhetherthesepro-ceduresencompassalloftheconsiderationsoftheIDRLGuidelines.
38. The Civilian Headline Goal 2010 is available at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/Civilian_Headline_Goal_2010.pdf.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
TheCPMcurrentlyincludes31countries(theEU27plusLiechtenstein,Iceland,NorwayandCroatia).Asdiscussedabove,theCPMconsistsoftwomainpiecesoflegislation,onecoveringgen-eralco-operationregardingco-ordinationofcivilprotectionassistance,andafinancialinstrument39whichenablestheEUtofundactivitiesundertheframeworkfocusedonprevention,preparednessandresponse.TheDecisionestablishingtheCommunityCPM40providesforvariousmethodsofco-operationandactionincluding:(1)establishingacentralinventoryofavailableassistanceandinterventionteamsormodulesintheMemberStates;(2)trainingprogrammesfortheteams;(3)workshopsandseminarsgearedtowardaspectsofintervention;(4)thecreationofassessmentandco-ordinationteams;(5)thecreationofaMonitoringandInformationCentre(MIC)andaCommonEmergencyCommunicationandInformationSystem(CECIS)toliaisebetweentheMICandMemberStates’contactpoints;(6)aidinginthedevelopmentofdetectionandearlywarningsys-tems;(7)emphasisingtheimportanceofinformationexchangeinordertofacilitateaccesstoequip-mentandtransport;(8)freeingupadditionaltransportresources;and(9)conductingexercises.41
TheEUCommissionfacilitatesthemobilisationofcivilprotectionresourcesfromtheMemberStatesthroughtheMIC,whichistheheartoftheCPM.BasedinBrussels,itisaccessible24hoursadayand7daysaweek.AnystateaffectedbyadisastercanrequestassistancethroughtheMIC.Therequestwillbeforwardedimmediatelytoanetworkofnationalcontactpoints,which,inreturn,informtheMICwhethertheyareabletoofferassistance.TheMICcollectstheinforma-tionandinformstherequestingstateabouttheavailableassistance.Therequestingcountrythenselectstheassistanceitneedsandestablishescontactwiththeassistingcountries.Moreover,theCPMhasadatabasewithinformationconcerningthenationalcivilprotectioncapabilitiesavail-ableforassistanceinterventions.Italsoreceivescontentsofthemilitarydatabase,compiledbytheEUMilitaryStaff,providingapictureofallavailableresourcestomanagetheconsequencesofdisasters.Theresponsibilitytoco-ordinatethecontributionsreceivedthroughtheCPMduringoperationswithintheEUremainswiththerequestingstate.42
3
39. Council Decision 2007/162/EC, Euratom establishing a Civil Protection Financial Instrument. 40. Council De-cision 2007/779/EC, Euratom (n 36). 41. ibid art 2.
42. ‘Improving the Community Civil Protection Mechanism’ COM(2005) 137 final 5.
Official request for EU assistance
from affected country
MIC appoints EU team
on the ground
MIC sends info & situation report to MS
Mechanism activated:MIC issues request to national contact points
Member states assess resources and send offers back to MIC
MIC compiles offersand sends
to affected country
Country accepts/rejects offers; notifies MIC and sends further requests
Civil Protection phase is over:handover to humanitarian teams
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TheCPMDecisionprovidesthebasisforitsimplementinglegislation.ThisincludesCommissionDecision 2004/277/EC, Euratom laying down rules for the implementation of [the CPMDecision],whichformallyimplementsmostofthesuggestedactionintheCPMDecision,suchas:(1)thecreationoftheMICandCECIS;(2)mandatoryinformationexchangebetweenMemberStatesregardingavailableresources;and(3)proceduresforrequestsforassistancebyadisaster-affectedstate.ThisDecisionwasamendedbyCommissionDecision2008/73/EC,Euratomwhichprimarilycoversthetasksandrulesgoverningcivilprotectionmodules.
Article8(2)oftheCPMDecisionprovidesthattheMemberStateholdingthePresidencyoftheCouncil is responsible for theoverall co-ordinationofcivilprotectionassistance,whereas theCommissionischargedwithoperationalco-ordination,thelatterpertainingspecificallytoindi-vidualreliefoperationsasdifferentiatedfromgeneralco-ordinationoftheCPMasawhole.Thisoperationalco-ordinationischieflyhandledbytheMICwhichservesasthecontactpointforas-sistancerequestsandresponsesandhandlingthedialoguebetweenMemberStates.AcontactintheEU’sCivilProtectionUnitstatedthatalthoughintheorythiscouldincludetechnicalconsiderationssuchastransitandcustoms,inpracticeitdoesnot.Forexample,inasituationwhereaBelgianpumpingteamwastravellingfromBelgiumtoRomaniaandencounteredpracticaldifficultiesatbordersorwithregulationssuchasrestrictionsondriving,theMICwouldtrytofacilitatethereso-lutionoftheseproblemsbycontactingtherelevantcivilprotectionpointsofthecountrywherethereisadifficulty.However,thisactionisveryadhocandtherearenoformalagreementsonthesubject.
TheCPMhasvarioustoolsatitsdisposaltoaidtheMemberStatestobeasbestpreparedfordis-astersituationsaspossible.TheCPMusestrainingcourses,simulationexercisesandtheexchangeofexpertstoimprovecompetencyandtopromotecomplementarityandcompatibilityamongre-sponseteams.Trainingcoursesareaimedatawidevarietyofparticipants,fromassessmentandco-ordinationexperts,toenvironmentalexperts.Theyconsistoftheoryandfieldexperience,aswellasoverviewsofapplicableinternationalguidelines.43AccordingtotheCPMwebsite,sinceitslaunchin2004,thetrainingprogrammehasexpandedinto11coursesteachingoverathousandexpertsamongtheparticipatingstates.44ExercisesattheCommunitylevelaretypicallyorganisedbytheMemberStatesandpartiallyfundedbytheCommission.TheyareofferedtoallactorsinvolvedinCPMoperationsandarefocusedoncontingencyplanning,decision-makingproceduresandles-sonsregardingtheprovisionofinformationtothepublic.Alreadyin2009,therehavebeenfoursimulationexercisescoveringfloodingandearthquaketraining.Inthepast,exerciseshavecovereddisasterssuchaschemical,biological,radiologicalandnuclearattacks,terrorism-relatedaccidentsandforestfires.Theexpertexchangemechanismoperatesaccordingtoasecondmentprocedurewherebynationalcivilprotectionexpertsaresenttotheadministrationsofotherparticipatingstatestogainexperienceandknowledgeonallaspectsofdisasterpreventionthroughfamiliarisa-tionwithnewtechniquesandapproaches.
TheCPMframeworkisessentially justthat:a frameworkforco-operationagainstwhichtheMemberStatescanco-ordinatetheiractionintimesofdisaster.EUactivityitselfisquitemodest,ascivilprotectionhasbeendeemedtobelargelyamatterforMemberStatesundertheprincipleofsubsidiarity.45Therefore,civilprotectionisnecessarilylinkedtootherpolicyareassuchasenvir-onment,humanitarianaid,agriculture,immigrationandcustomswheretheEChascompetencetotaketherelevantactionsrequired.
43. ‘The European Community Civil Protection Mechanism Training Programme’, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/prote/pdfdocs/Training_Civil_Protec-tion.pdf. 44. ‘Training and exchange of experts’, at: http://
ec.europa.eu/environment/civi l /prote /activities.htm. 45. Vade-mecum of Civil Protection in the European Union, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/pdfdocs/vademec.pdf, p 8.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
ii. The CPM and Non-Governmental OrganisationsTheCPMgenerallydoesnotworkdirectlywithnon-governmentalorganisations(NGOs);itisastate-to-statemechanism.AccordingtoanofficialattheEU’sCivilProtectionUnit,NGOsareengagedonanadhocbasisonly.EvenincasesofexternalactionbasedonArticle8oftheDecisionestablishingtheCPMFinancialInstrument,46actiontakesplaceviastate-to-stateco-ordinationwithoutthedirectinvolvementofNGOsorotherinternationalorganisations.TheCPMworksontheassumptionthatthegovernmentisthesovereigninthesesituationsandshouldberespected.Therefore,withintheCPM,therearenoeligibilitycriteriaforNGOparticipation.Incontrast,theEU’shumanitarianaidoffice,DGECHO,whichoperatesexternally,anditshumanitarianaidprogramme,engagewithnotonlyNGOs,butalsoUnitedNations(UN)agencies,andtheRedCrossandRedCrescentMovement.
iii. The Civil Protection Mechanism in Practice
SinceJanuary2002,theMIChasbeeninvolvedwithover200eventsmanyofwhichhaveoc-curredwithintheEU.Forexample,in2005,theMICco-ordinatedoffersofassistancebyFrance,Italy,Germany,theNetherlands,Slovakia,SpainandNorwaytoaidPortugalinitsstrugglewithforestfires.Thatsameyear,theMICfieldedrequestsforandoffersofassistancetoBulgaria,RomaniaandCentralEuropeanMemberStateswhichwereinundatedwithflooding.Similaras-sistanceandco-ordinationwasprovidedinrelationtofloodinginBulgaria,Romania,HungaryandtheSlovakRepublicin2006,CypriotandBulgarianforestfiresin2007,andmostrecently,forestfiresinItalyandFranceinJuly2009.
iv. Reviewing the Civil Protection Mechanism
InFebruary2009,theCommissionrequestedanimpactassessmentontheCommunityapproachtothepreventionofnaturalandman-madedisasters.47ThepurposeofthedocumentwastoassesswhethertheCommunityshoulddevelopitsownstrategyondisasterpreventioninanefforttoimprovetheprotectionofpeople,theenvironmentandproperty.TheassessmentwasbasedonexternalconsultationwiththeMemberStatesandstakeholderswhoidentifiedgapsinthecurrentframeworkforprevention.ThedocumentstatesthatthecurrentapproachtodisasterpreventionisfragmentedinboththeEUandtheMemberStatesandthatthereisaneedfordevelopingdisasterpreventionas“adisciplineinitsownright”.48Theconclusionoftheassessmentwasthatthebestwaytoachievethestatedgoalwasthroughthepursuitofthreeobjectives:(1)developingknow-ledgeofdisasterpreventionpoliciesatalllevelsofgovernment;(2)linkingsectoralpoliciestoim-proveco-ordinationandsupportanoverallapproachtodisasterprevention;and(3)strengtheningexistingdisasterpreventioninstruments.
On4June2009,theCouncilpublishedconclusionsonraisingcivilprotectionawareness.49TheconclusionscallformorefocusedactionbytheCommissionandtheMemberStatesregarding(1)targetedpublicinformationand/oreducationonhowtoprepareandreacttoemergencies;(2)enhancedsecurityforrescuepersonnelintheEU;and(3)enhancedknowledgeandskillfordiplomaticpersonnel.ItwouldseemthattheEUistakingamorepracticalapproachtocivilpro-tection,whichwillperhapsleadtoincreasedregulationinthoseareasthatwillaffecttheeffectivefunctioningoftheCPMandwhicharecoveredbytheIDRLGuidelines.Specificallyinrelationto
3
46. 2007/162/EC, Euratom (n 39). 47. ‘A Community approach for the prevention of natural and man-made disas-ters: Impact Assessment’, COM(2009) 82, SEC(2009) 203.
48. ibid 13. 49. 2946th Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting Luxembourg, 4 June 2009.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU RegulationInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
thesecurityofrescuepersonnel,theCouncilhasinvitedtheCommissionto“developanoverviewofthesecurityofrescueservicepersonnelbasedonMemberStates’experience”andtomakerec-ommendationstotheCouncilastopossiblemeasuresthatmaybeneededinthisarea.
On25-26November2009,theEUwillbeholdingaCivilProtectionForumtoprovideanopportunitytodiscussthegovernanceofEuropeandisastermanagement,withaspecificfocusonresilience.50
EstablishingacomprehensivedisastermanagementstrategywouldenableEuropetoimproveitsresilience,tobetterprotectitscitizensbothinsideandoutsideEurope,andtobecomeastrongerpartnerinthemanagementofemergenciesontheinternationalscene.TheForumaimsto:
n strengthenEurope’semergencymanagementcapacity,focusingonthepreventionandpre-parednessphaseoftheemergencylifecycle;
n developthenetworkbetweenallcivilprotectionactorsandinterestedparties,includingtheprivatesector;
n increasetheknowledgeofnewprevention,preparednessandresponsetechnologiesavail-ableonthemarket;and
n raisepublicawareness.
TheForumdemonstratestheCommission’songoingcommitmenttoeffectivedisastermanage-mentandawillingnesstopromoteanevenmorecomprehensivemanagementstrategy.
v. EU Member States and NATO
InadditiontoandseparatefromtheEUCivilProtectionMechanism,theMemberStatesalsohavetheoptionofparticipatinginNATO’sframeworkfordisasterresponse,whichisledbyNATO’sCivilDefenceCommittee.51AlthoughNATOisprimarilyaimedatmilitaryoperations,ithashadalonghistoryofinvolvementininternationaldisasterassistance.In1951,NATOestablishedtheCivilDefenceCommitteetooverseetheprotectionofthecivilianpopulation.52Sincethen,NATOcivilprotectionhasevolvedintothecreationoftheEuro-AtlanticDisasterResponseCoordinationCentre(EADRCC)in1998andtheEuro-AtlanticDisasterResponseUnit(EADRU)bytheEuro-AtlanticPartnershipCouncil(EAPC)anditsPolicyforDisasterAssistanceinPeacetime.ThePolicyabidesbythreemainprinciples:(1)theaffectedStateretainsresponsibilityfordisastermanagement,(2)theUNhastheprimaryroleinco-ordinationofinternationaldisasterreliefoperationsandsoEADRCCeffortsshouldbecomplementaryandsupportiveofUNreliefoper-ations;and(3)theEADRCC’sprimaryroleisthatofco-ordinationratherthandirection.ThemainresponsibilitiesoftheEADRCCare(1)toco-ordinateresponsestodisastershappeningintheterritoryoftheEuro-AtlanticPartnershipCouncil;(2)toactasaninformation-sharingclear-ancehouse;and(3)toliaisecloselywithUNOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs(OCHA),theEUandanyotherorganisationsinvolvedininternationaldisasterresponse.MostrecentlywithintheEU,theEADRCCco-ordinatedassistanceinrelationtothe2008Bulgarianforestfires.NATO’sdisasterresponsealsoinvolvestheEuro-AtlanticDisasterResponseUnitcon-sistingofvolunteersfromEAPCcountries,suchasrescueandmedicalpersonnel,andalsoequip-mentandmaterialsvolunteered.
50. ‘Towards a More Resilient Society – Civil Protection Forum 25-26 November 2009 Brussels’, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/forum2009/index.htm. 51. The North Atlantic Treaty was adopted in 1949 and created the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) which currently consists of 28 member countries, including 21 EU Member States. 52. The Civil Defence Committee was renamed the Civil Protection Committee in 1995.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
3b. Operational Regulation
PartVoftheIDRLGuidelinesdiscussesthetechnicalmeasuresforfacilitationofentryandoper-ationsregardingpersonnel,equipmentandgoods.Theseprovisionsacknowledgetheexistenceofadministrativeandlegalbarrierstotheefficientdeliveryofdisasterassistance.InJuly1991,theCouncilandrepresentativesoftheMemberStatesadoptedaresolutiononimprovingmutualaidbetweenMemberStatesintheeventofanaturalortechnologicaldisaster.53ThisResolutionpro-videdformanyoftheconsiderationsunderPartVoftheIDRLGuidelines.Itenvisionedthedis-patchofaidteamsandequipmenttotheAffectedStateandinreturnaskedthattheAffectedState:
(1)granttheaidteamsallaccesstotheareaswheretheirco-operationisrequired(paragraph5);(2)examineproceduresfortherapidissueofthenecessarypermitsandfreeuseofinfrastruc-
tureswherefeesarenormallycharged(paragraph5);(3)endeavourtoreduceborderchecksandformalitiestoaminimumforaidteams(para-
graph6);and(4)authoriseaircraftfromotherMemberStatestakingadirectpartintherescueoperations
ortransportingequipmenttooverfly,landandtakeoffitsterritory(paragraph7).
ThisResolutionhelpedformthebasisoftheexistingCPMlegislation.However,theprovisionsre-latingtolegalfacilitationofentryandoperationwerenotincludedinthefinallegislation.Asthereisnoharmoniseddocumentfortechnicalco-operation,disasterassistanceteamsmustsatisfythegeneralrequirementsofEUlawrelatingtothespecificareasbelow.Althoughresolutionsarenotlegallybinding,theirvaliditydoesnotlapse.Itisthereforeconceivablethatthebasictenetsoftheresolutioncanberevisitedandusedasapossiblebasisforfuturelegislation.
i. Entry into EU territory
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection16oftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesthatAffectedStatesshouldprovideforexpeditedorfree-of-chargevisaandworkpermitproceduresforrecoverypersonnel.
n Directive2004/38/ECprovidesgeneralrulesfortheentryandexitofEUCitizens,allowingthemtomovefreelythroughouttheEUwithouttheneedforavisaorworkpermit.Thisincludesthirdcountrynationalswhoareconnectedinasignifi-cantwaytoanEUCitizen.
n Regardingthirdcountrynationals,theSchengenAreahasbeensetupunderacommonframeworkofconditionsforentryintotheEUatitsexternalborderssothatonceanon-EUnationalhasbeengrantedentrybyoneMemberState,heorshewillbeallowedaccessintotheterritoryoftheotherparticipatingSchengenstates.TherulesrelatingtovisasareuniformintheMemberStates.
n EClegislationpermits,butdoesnotrequire,MemberStatestoexemptreliefper-sonnelfromthevisarequirementintheeventofadisasteroraccident,ortodero-gatefromtheSchengenvisaproceduresintheeventofnationalurgency.
n Bycontrast,theproceduresrelatingtothegrantingofworkpermitsisamatterofnationallaw.
3
53. Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 8 July 1991 on improving mutual aid between Member States
in the event of natural or technological disaster, OJ C-198, 27/07/1991 p 1.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU RegulationInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Since1985,therehasbeenestablishedaterritorywithoutinternalfrontiersknownasthe‘Schengenarea’whichnowincludeseveryMemberState.54After theTreatyofAmsterdamin1999,theSchengenareabecamepartofthecompetenceoftheCommunityaspartoftheattainmentoftheobjectiveoffreemovement.Somenon-EUcountrieshavechosentoparticipateintheschemeaswell:Iceland,Norway,SwitzerlandandLiechtensteinhaveallsignedagreementswiththeEUinthisregard.TheSchengenImplementingAgreementcoversfreemovementofpersonsandcontainsprovisionsrelatingtoshortandlong-stayvisasandtheshort-termfreemovementofthirdcountrynationals.UnderSection1ofChapter3onVisas,theContractingPartiesaretoadoptacommonpolicyonvisaarrangementsforthirdcountrynationalsforstaysofnolongerthanthreemonths.Thesecommonarrangementsmaybederogatedfromin“exceptionalcases”if“overridingreasonsofnationalpolicyrequireurgentattention”.Thetypeofvisareferredtomaybeeitheratravelvisavalidforoneormultipleentries,oratransitvisawhichallowsitsholdertopassthroughtheter-ritoriesoftheContractingPartiesenroutetoathirdState.BasedontheSchengenImplementingAgreement,theSchengenparticipantsestablishedacommondefinitionoftheconditionsforentryatexternalbordersandcommonrulesandproceduresforchecksthereandharmonisationoftheconditionsofentryandvisasforshortstays.55
CouncilRegulation539/2001/ECliststhosecountrieswhosenationalsmustpossessavisatocrosstheexternalbordersoftheEUandanyexemptions.56Article1(1)statesthebasicprinciplethatthirdcountrynationalslistedintheincludedAnnexmusthaveavisawhencrossingtheexternalbordersintotheMemberStates.Article4(1)permitsMemberStatestomakeexceptionsfromthevisarequirementincertainsituationsincluding:(1)civilianairandseacrew,and(2)flightcrewandattendantsonemergencyorrescueflightsandotherhelpersintheeventofdisasteroraccident.
Furthermore,asdiscussedabove,Directive2004/38/ECprovidesgeneralrulesfortheentryandexitofEUCitizens,allowingthemtomovefreelythroughouttheEU.Italsoincludesprovisionforthosenon-EUnationalswhohavesomeconnectiontoanEUcitizen,forexample,aspouse,partnerorcaretaker.
ii. Rights of workers and recognition of professional qualifications
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection20oftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesthattheAffectedStatesshouldgrantassistingorganizationsandtheirpersonneltemporarydomesticlegalstatus,allowingthemtoenjoycertainprivaterightswhiletheyareintheaffectedstate.
54. Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 between the Govern-ments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders. The participation of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark in Schengen varies and is beyond the scope of the current study. See also the Agreement between the European Union, the European Com-munity and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and develop-ment of the Schengen acquis, 26/10/2004, fully implemented on
12 December 2008. 55. see Common Manual OJ C-313/98 (2002) (Common Border Code) regarding common conditions for entry from external borders and Common Consular Instruc-tions on Visas for the Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts, OJ C-313/01 (2002) on harmonisation. 56. Council Regula-tion 539/2001/EC listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement. This Regulation replaces Regulation 574/1999/EC which covers similar subject matter.
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
n OneofthefundamentalfreedomsoftheEuropeanCommunityisthefreedomofmovementofpeopleunderTitleIIITEC.ThisprincipleallowsthenationalsofMemberStatestoresideinotherMemberStatesandbetreatedwithoutdiscrimin-ation.Therefore,theprivaterightsavailabletonationalsoftheaffectedstatewouldalsobeavailabletonon-nationalEUcitizens.Rightsofthirdcountrynationalsinthisrespectarethesubjectofnationalregulation,unlessthethirdcountrynationalhassomeconnection(i.e.,spouse,partner,caretaker)toanEUcitizen.
n RulesregardingthetemporarydomesticlegalstatusofrelieforganisationsarenotgovernedbyEUlaw,butbytheMemberStates’domesticlaws.
PartVSection16oftheIDRLGuidelinessuggeststhatAffectedStatesshouldestablishproceduresforthetemporaryrecognitionofprofessionalqualificationsofforeignmedicalpersonnel,architectsandengineers.
n EClegislationhasprovidedforageneralsystemfortherecognitionofEU-obtainedqualificationsinrelationtomostprofessions,includingarchitects,doctors,lawyersandengineers.ThedecisionofwhetheraqualificationobtainedoutsidetheEUisrecognisedisamatterfortheMemberStatestodecide.
n EClegislationrequiresthatMemberStatespermitthetemporaryprovisionofser-vicesbyapersonestablishedinanotherMemberStatewithoutbeingsubjecttocertainauthorisationandregistrationrequirements.
AspartoftheCommunity’sfreemovementofpersonsprinciplebasedinTitleIVLisbonTFEU(exTitleIIITEC),EUcitizensareentitledtomovefreelybetweentheMemberStates.57Chapter1concernstherightsofworkerstomovefreelyintheUnionandtonotbesubjecttodiscrimin-ation.ThefreedomofmovementofworkerswasfirstsecuredthroughRegulation1612/68/EEConfreedomofworkerswithintheCommunity.ThatRegulationhasbeensignificantlyamendedbyDirective2004/38/EContherightofcitizensoftheUnionandtheirfamilymemberstomoveandresidefreelywithintheterritoryoftheMemberStates.ThisDirectiveprovidesnotonlyforthefreemovementofEUcitizens,butalsofornon-EUcitizenswhohavesomeconnectiontoanEUcitizen,forexample,aspouse,partnerorcaretaker.Therefore,anyreliefassistancepersonnelwhoareEUcitizensshouldnotencounteranybarrierstoentryifprovidingreliefwithintheEU.Non-EUcitizenswillhavetocomplywiththebasicrulesregardingentryabove.Itisimportanttonotethat,asisdiscussedbelowinsubsectionc,thematterofdoingbusinesswithintheEUislargelylefttotheMemberStatestoregulate.ItisthereforeuptotheMemberStatestodetermineanybenefitsthatwouldattachtocompaniesornon-profitbodiesintermsofdomesticlegalstatus.
EClegislationprovidesaprocedurefortheautomaticrecognitionofprofessionalqualificationspossessedbyEUcitizens,butnotnecessarilyobtainedfromwithintheEU.58Theuseoftheterm‘automatic’maybesomewhatmisleading,however,asaproceduremustbefollowedtoac-quiresuchrecognition.TheDirectivedistinguishesbetweenthoseindividualsestablishedinotherMemberStateswhowanttoprovideservicesinanother,andindividualswantingtore-locateandestablishthemselvesinanewMemberState.WhereanindividualwishesonlytoprovideservicesinaMemberStateonatemporarybasis,theDirectiveprovidesunderArticle5(1)that
3
57. See also the Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confeder-ation, of the other, on the free movement of persons, 21/06/1999.
58. Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications.
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theMemberStatesmaynotrestricttheindividual’sfreedomtoprovideservices.However,Article7permitstheMemberStatestorequirethattheserviceproviderissueawrittendeclarationtothehostMemberState’scompetentauthoritytotheeffectthattheindividualintendstoprovideservicesinthatMemberState.Thecompetentauthoritymaythenrequireadditionaldocumenta-tionsuchasproofofestablishment,proofofnationalityorevidenceofprofessionalqualifications.Thecompetentauthoritythenhasonemonthtocometoadecisionastowhethertheauthorityisgoingtocarryoutanin-depthcheckoftheindividual’squalifications.Thereisnoexpeditedprocedure.Presumably,mostMemberStateswillchoosetoincludethisdeclarationintheirim-plementinglegislation,andindeed,thatwasthechoicemadebytheUnitedKingdominitsim-plementingRegulations.59
TheDirectivebrieflyreferstoapplicationsforrecognitionbythirdcountrynationalsandprovidesthatMemberStatesarenotprohibitedfromrecognisingqualificationsobtainedbysuchindividualsiftheyrespecttheminimumrulesregardingtraining.60This,however,isamatterforeachMemberStatetodecideunderitsownnationalrules.
iii. Customs and Taxation
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection17oftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesfortheexemptionfromcustomsduties,taxes,tariffs,importrestrictionsandfeesongoodsandequipmentintendedforrecovery.Section18oftheIDRLGuidelinesdiscussesthereductionofbarrierstotheimportationofspecialgoodsandequipment.EClegislationprovidessomereliefintheseareasbysus-pendingimportdutieson:
n Goodsimportedintendedforfreedistributiontovictimsofdisaster;n Goodsimportedtomeettheneedsofdisasterreliefagenciesduringtheiractivityin
theMemberStates;n Relief materials temporarily imported to meet the needs of disaster-affected
territories;n Medical,surgicalandlaboratoryequipment;andn Certainweaponsandmilitaryequipmentusedforcivilpurposesinthecaseof
naturaldisasters.
Thedefinitionof‘goods’underEClawisbroadandshouldbeinterpretedtoincludefoodandmedicines.EClegislationalsoexemptsdisastergoodsandcertaintransactions,suchashospitalandmedicalcare,fromVATasprovidedforintheIDRLGuidelinesunderPartVSection21.
Customs
Article28LisbonTFEU(exArticle23TEC)providesforthefreecirculationforCommunitygoodsthroughouttheEuropeanUnion.Theprincipleoffreecirculationappliestogoodsmadein
59. The European Communities (Recognition of Profes-sional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 SI No 2781, reg 12. 60. ibid Preamble 10.
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theCommunityandimportedgoodsthathavebeenreleasedforfreecirculationafterpaymentofanydutiesforwhichtheyareliable.Releaseofnon-CommunitygoodsintofreecirculationgivesthegoodsthestatusofCommunitygoods.Acustomsdeclarationisthemeansbywhichgoodsareenteredintothefreecirculationprocedure.UnderEClawthedefinitionof‘goods’isbroad.Thebasicunderstandingofthetermistoinclude“anymoveablephysicalobjecttowhichpropertyrightsorobligationsattach(andwhichcanthereforebevaluedinmonetaryterms,whetherposi-tiveornegative)”.61Thisbroaddefinitionincludesfoodandequipment.Therefore,rulesexemptinggoodsintendedfordisasterrelieffromcustomsdutiesandVATwillalsoincludecustomsdutiesonfoodandequipmentintendedforrelief.
Customsruleshavebeenmoreinclusiveofprovisionsrelatingtodisasterassistancethananyotherpolicyarea.Regulation2454/93/EEC,whichimplementstheCommunityCustomsCode,62con-tainsprovisionsregardingtemporaryimportationandexemptsfromdisasterreliefmaterialsduties.Suchmaterialsaredefinedas:“materialstobeusedinconnectionwithmeasurestakentocountertheeffectsofdisastersaffectingthecustomsterritoryoftheCommunity”.Theexemptionwillapplyaslongasthegoodsare(1)importedonloanfreeofcharge,and(2)intendedforstatebodiesorbodiesapprovedbythecompetentauthorities.63Inthiscontext,‘competentauthorities’referstothecustomsauthoritiesoftherelevantMemberState.
Article677relatestothetemporaryimportationofmedical,surgicalandlaboratoryequipmentfreefromduties.Suchequipmentwillbeexemptifit:(1)isintendedforhospitalsorothermedicalinstitutions;(2)hasbeendispatchedonanoccasionalbasis,onloanfreeofcharge;and(3)isin-tendedfordiagnosticortherapeuticpurposes.‘Dispatchedonanoccasionalbasis’isdefinedas:“dispatchedattherequestofahospitalorothermedicalinstitutionwhichisfacingexceptionalcircumstancesandhasurgentneedofsuchequipmenttomakeupfortheinadequacyofitsownfacilities.”64
CouncilRegulation918/83/EECsettingupaCommunitysystemofreliefsfromcustomsdutysetsforthinTitleXVI,PartCthat:
“goodsimportedbyStateorganizationsorothercharitableorphilanthropicorganizationsapprovedbythecompetentauthoritiesshallbeadmittedfreeofimportdutieswhentheyareintended:
fordistributionfreeofchargetovictimsofdisastersaffectingtheterritoryofoneormoreMemberStates;ortobemadeavailablefreeofchargetothevictimsofsuchdisasters,whileremainingthepropertyoftheorganizationsinquestion.”65
TheRegulationalsosuspendsimportdutiesforgoodsimportedtomeettheneedsofdisasterreliefagenciesduringtheiractivityintheMemberState,66butdoesnotapplytomaterialsandequip-mentintendedforrebuildingdisasterareas.67AnygrantforreliefissubjecttoadecisionbytheCommissionattherequestoftheaffectedMemberState(s);however,MemberStatesmaysuspendtheimpositionofanychargeableimportdutiespendingtheCommission’sdecision.68
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61. Case C-2/90 CommissionvBelgium[1992] ECR I-4431 (opinion of AG Jacobs), reiterated in CinéthèquevFédérationNationaledesCinémasFrançais,para10. 62. Commission Regulation 2454/93/EEC laying down provisions for the imple-mentation of Council Regulation (EEC) 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code. 63. art 678. 64. art 677(3).
65. art 79(1). It seems that the main thrust of these provisions is that as long as the goods are either being given directly to the vic-tims or being made available for them to obtain themselves, free of charge, the exemption applies. 66. art 79(2). 67. art 80. 68. art 81.
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TheproceduregenerallyapplicabletogoodsenteringtheEUterritoryinvolvesapre-arrivaldec-laration.Thisdeclarationmustbemadeelectronicallywithinthetimelinesetundercustomslegis-lation.69Thiscanbeanywherebetweenoneand24hours,dependingonthetransportationmodeandthedurationofthetransportcarryingthegoodsintotheEU.Article76oftheCommunityCustomsCodeandTitleIXofitsimplementinglegislationallowforsimplifiedprocedures.UnderTitleIX,Article254allowsforincompletedeclarationsatthediscretionofthecustomsauthorities,providingthatcertaininformationisincluded,suchasadescriptionofthedocuments,thevalueofthegoods,andanyotherparticularsdeemednecessarybythecustomsauthoritiestoidentifythegoods.Article260describesthesimplifieddeclarationprocedurewhichallowsfortheuseofotherdocumentsratherthanthestandardSingleAdministrativeDocument.Finally,Article263discussesthelocalclearanceprocedurewheregoodsareenteredatthepremisesofthecustomsdeclarantoranyotherplaceapprovedbythecustomsauthorities.Insuchcases,thedeclarationmayalsobein-completeorsimplified,andthedeclarantmaybepermittednottopresentthegoodstocustoms.70
AnofficialattheUK’sHMCustomsandRevenueOfficecommentedonthepracticalaspectsofcustomsdeclarationsandexemptions.Hestatedthatlargelytheprocedurestakenarequitereactivetotheneedsofthesituation.Inthecontextofanemergencysituation,itmaybethecasethattheau-thorisationisrelativelyinstantaneous,especiallywherethebodyimportingthegoodsisalreadyrec-ognisedasanapprovedbody.ThiswouldbethecasefortheRedCross.Whereotherprivatebodieshavebeenhiredtoimportthegoods,documentationregardingtheirstatuswouldberequiredatthetimeofimport.Healsocommentedthatthereisscopefora‘blanket’authorisationcoveringasettimeperiodforall importsofhumanitariangoodsarrivinginanaffectedMemberState.
Taxation
TitleVIIofCouncilDirective83/181/EC71exemptsgoodsimportedforthebenefitofdisastervictimsfromtheCommunityharmonisedVAT72wheretheyareintendedfordistributionfreeofchargetovictimsofdisastersaffectingtheterritoryofoneormoreMemberStates,ortobemadeavailablefreeofchargetothevictimsofsuchdisasters,whileremainingthepropertyoftheorgan-isationsinquestion.73AswiththecustomsRegulationdiscussedabove,noreliefwillbeappliedtogoodsintendedfortherebuildingofdisasterareas.74
TherecastCouncilDirective2006/112/EConthecommonsystemofvalueaddedtaxappliestotheproductionanddistributionofgoodsandservicesandmandatesthatMemberStatesmustexemptcertaintransactionsfromVAT,including(1)hospitalandmedicalcareandcloselyrelatedactivitiesundertakenbybodiesgovernedbypubliclaw;(2)theprovisionofmedicalcareintheex-erciseofthemedicalandparamedicalprofessions;(3)thesupplyofhumanorgans,bloodandmilk;(4)thesupplyofservicesandgoodscloselylinkedtotheprotectionofchildrenandyoungpersonsbybodiesgovernedbypubliclaw;and(5)thesupplyoftransportservicesforsickorinjuredper-sonsinvehiclesdesignedforthatpurpose.75PursuanttoArticle131,itisfortheMemberStates
69. Guidance on the applicable time limitations is avail-able in the European Commission’s guidance: ‘Guidelines on entry and summary declarations in the context of Regu-lation 648/2005/EC’, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/customs/security_amendment/procedures/import_entry_guidelines_en.pdf. Regulation 648/2005/EC amends the Community Customs Code. 70. Details concerning specific import scenarios may be found in Commission Guidance document, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/
customs/security_amendment/procedures/import_sce-narios_en.pdf. However, import in the context of disaster is not considered in this document. 71. Council Directive 83/181/EC determining the scope of Article 14(1)(d) of Directive 77/388/EEC as regards exemption from value added tax on the final importation of certain goods. 72. Established in Directive 77/388/EEC, ibid and recast in Council Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax. 73. art 49. 74. art 50. 75. art 132.
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todeterminetheconditionsfortheseexemptions.Thisprovisiondoesnot,however,specificallyrefertodisasterreliefandsoitisunclearwhetheritwouldbeapplicableinsuchcircumstances.However,asthesituationsdescribedin(1)through(5)mayariseinthecontextofadisaster,itseemslikelythattheVATexemptionswouldapplytoatleastsometransactions.
In2003theCounciladoptedRegulation150/2003/EC.WhilethisRegulationismainlydirectedatsuspendingdutiesoncertainweaponsandmilitaryequipment,whichisoutsidethescopeofthisreport,italsoappliestotheuseofgoods“forcivilpurposesduetounforeseenornaturaldis-asters”.76Whenusedtemporarilyforsuchpurposesbythemilitary,certaingoodscanbeimportedintotheEUcustomsareafreefromcustomsduties.77
iv. Food
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection17oftheIDRLGuidelinescontemplatestheexemptionorsimplificationofproceduresrelatingtocustomsandtaxesforgoodsandequipmentexportedby,oronbehalfof,assistingStatesandhumanitarianorganisations.
n ThereisextensiveEClegislationconcerningthequalityoffooditemsforpurposesofmarketingandsaletoconsumers.Noneofthislegislationincludesprovisionsrelatedtofoodintendedasdisasteraid.
n Regardingtheapplicablecustomsandtaxrules,asdiscussedaboveinPartIII.b.iii,foodisconsidereda‘good’underCommunitylawand,ifintendedasdisasterrelief,wouldthereforebeexemptfromtheapplicableduties.
BeforefoodcanbeimportedintotheEUfordistribution,itmustsatisfyseveralgeneralandspecificpiecesoflegislationregardingfoodhygiene,planthealth,animalhealthandanimalwelfare.MostofthelegislationisapplicabletofoodproducedwithinandoutsidetheEU,butsomeadditionalrequirementsmayapplytofoodcomingfromthirdcountries.Thedefinitionof‘food’underEUlawcanbefoundinRegulation178/2002/EC:“anysubstanceorproduct,whetherprocessed,par-tiallyprocessedorunprocessed,intendedtobe,orreasonablyexpectedtobeingestedbyhumans.‘Food’includesdrink,chewinggumandanysubstance,includingwater,intentionallyincorporatedintothefoodduringitsmanufacture,preparationortreatment”.78Obligationsareincurredwhenfoodisplacedonthemarket.Thisconcept,underArticle3(8)oftheRegulation,includes:“theholdingoffood…forthepurposeofsale,includingofferingforsaleoranyotherformoftransfer,whetherfreeofchargeornot,andthesale,distribution,andotherformsoftransferthemselves”.RelieforganisationspurchasingfoodanddistributingitasaidfreeofchargearethuslikelytoberesponsibleunderforensuringthatanyfoodtheypurchaseanddistributesatisfiestherequirementsofEUfoodlaw.
Regulation178/2002/ECprovidesaframeworkforspecificlegislationrelatingtofoodhygiene,foodstandardsandanimalfeed.TheRegulationlistsseveralkeydefinitions(above)andplaces
3
76. art 2(4). 77. The goods are specified in Annex I of the Regulation. 78. art 2, para 1, Regulation 178/2002/EC laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. The Regulation also
applies to ‘ feed’ which is defined as ‘any substance or product, including additives, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be used for oral feeding to animals’. However, since this report is concerned primarily with ‘ food’, references to ‘ feed’ have been left out.
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generalobligationsonfoodbusinessoperatorsrelatingtofoodsafety,labellingandpresentation,traceabilityoffoodandproceduresforwithdrawalfromthemarketintheeventthefoodisunsafe.Itappliestoallstagesofproduction,processinganddistributionoffoodandplaceslegalrespon-sibilityforensuringsafetyonfoodbusinessoperators.Article14prohibitsthesaleofunsafefood,thatis,foodthatisinjurioustohumanhealthorunfitforhumanconsumption.Whereanoperatorhasreasontobelievethatfoodwhichhasbeenimported,produced,processed,manufacturedordistributedisnotincompliancewithfoodlawrequirements,theoperatormustinitiateprocedurestowithdrawthefoodfromthemarketandalertthecompetentauthorities.79A‘Foodbusinessop-erator’,isdefinedunderArticle3(3)oftheRegulationas:“thenaturalorlegalpersonsresponsibleforensuringthattherequirementsoffoodlawaremetwithinthefoodbusinessundertheircon-trol”.Thiswouldappeartoencompassindividualsororganisationsimportingordistributingaid.
Inaddition to thegeneral legislation, several regulationsdealwith foodhygiene.Regulation852/2004/ECisthegenerallegislationandisapplicabletoallfoodbusinessoperators,includingthirdcountrybusinessoperators.80Itdoesnotapplytotheproductionoffoodprimarilyfordo-mesticuse.TheRegulationprovidesfor:(1)operatormonitoringofthefoodsafetyofproductsandprocesses;81(2)hygieneduringandafterprimaryproduction;82(3)microbiologicalrequirements;83(4)specialhazardmanagementprocedures;84and(4)registrationofestablishments85.Italsopro-videsforspecificrequirementssuchasthoserelatingto:(1)foodpremises;(2)conveyancesandcontainersforfood;(3)waste;(4)watersupply;and(5)personalhygiene.
BusinessesestablishedintheEUandhandlingproductsofanimaloriginwillalsohavetocomplywiththerequirementsofRegulation853/2004/EC.86ThisRegulationmainlyrequiresthatsuchbusinessesgainpriorapprovalfromtherelevantfoodauthoritybeforetheyarepermittedtotradeinthatMemberState.FoodbusinessoperatorswithintheEUmustshow(1)thatimportedfoodandfoodcomponentsarefromathirdcountryappearingontheCommunitylistandsatisfyanyappli-cablespecificfoodlawrequirements;(2)thattheestablishmentfromwhichthecomponentsoriginatemustappearsonanapprovedCommunitylist;and(3)supportingdocumentationoftheforegoing.87
OtherlegislationincludesRegulation854/2004/EC,whichlaysdownspecificrulesforthecon-trolofproductsofanimalorigin,suchasinspections,certifications,auditsandfoodsampling.88Regulation882/2004/ECelaboratesontheproceduresapplicabletoMemberStateofficialcontrolstoensuretheverificationofcompliancewithfoodandfeedlaw,andanimalhealthandwelfarerules.ThecontrolproceduresthereinaretoapplytofoodandfeedfromwithintheEUandalsofromthirdcountries,withoutprejudicetoothermorespecificlegislationthatmightbeapplicable.89ChapterIIestablishesanimportprocedureforfoodsnotofanimalorigin,suchasfruitsandveg-etables.TheCommissionhastheresponsibilityofensuringthatthirdcountriesintendingtoexportgoodsintotheEUprovideinformationrelatingto:(a)anysanitaryorphytosanitaryregulationsadoptedorproposedwithinitsterritory;(b)anycontrolandinspectionprocedures,productionandquarantinetreatment,pesticidetoleranceandfoodadditiveapprovalproceduresoperatedwithinitsterritory;(c)riskassessmentprocedures,factorstakenintoconsideration,aswellasthedetermina-tionoftheappropriatelevelofsanitaryorphytosanitaryprotection;and(d)anyfollowupfrom
79. art 19. 80. Regulation 852/2004/EC on the hygiene of foodstuffs. 81. art 3. 82. arts 4.1 and 4.2. 83. art 4.3. 84. art 5. 85. art 6. 86. Regulation 853/2004/EC laying down specific hygiene rules on the hygiene of foodstuffs. Article 1 specifies that establishments involved in producing products of animal origin made from ready processed ingredients, such as cooked meat, fish or cheese, are exempt from the requirements of the Regulation. Production primarily for domestic use is also
exempt. 87. The third country establishment lists are available at: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/establishments/third_country/index_en.htm. 88. Regulation 854/2004/EC laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. Further detailed rules regarding the veterinary certification of an-imals and animal products are presented in Directive 96/93/EC. 89. Directive 97/78/EC (discussed below).
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recommendationsmadebytheCommissionduringitsevaluationofthecomplianceorequivalenceofthirdcountrylegislationwithEUfoodlawunderArticle46.90
Inadditiontohygieneandfoodsafetyrequirements, importersmustalsocomplywith legis-lationconcerningveterinarychecksonproductsenteringtheCommunityfromthirdcountries.AccordingtoDirective97/78/EC,importsofproductsofanimaloriginmustbepresentedataCommunityborderinspectionpostfollowingpriornoticeofthearrivaloftheproducts.NoticeistobemadeinaccordancewiththenationalrulesoftheMemberStateinwhichtheborderinspectionpostissituated.FoodconsignmentswillonlybeacceptediftheyoriginatefromanEC-approvedcountry,regionorestablishment.Somespecificcaseswilltriggerspecialimportrestric-tionsorconditions.91Theveterinarycheckconsistsofthefollowing:(1)anidentitycheck(e.g.,verificationthatpackaging,labellingorhealthmarksaregenuine),and(2)aphysicalchecktoascertainwhetherCommunitylegislationrequirementshavebeensatisfied.Followingasatisfac-toryveterinaryinspection,theofficialveterinarianwillissueacertificatefortheconsignmentthatwillremainwiththegoodsuntilarrivalattheirdestination.Regulation136/2004/ECupdatesanddetailstheproceduresdiscussedintheDirective.92
FoodofanimaloriginfromthirdcountriesmustalsocomplywithDirective2002/99/ECwhichgovernsthepreventionoftheintroductionofanimaldiseasesintotheEU.TheDirectivesetsoutanimalhealthrulesfortheproduction,processing,distributionandintroductionofproductsofanimaloriginforhumanconsumption.Finally,animalwelfarerequirementsmustberespectedunderDirective93/119/ECwhichgovernsprotectionrequirementsatthetimeofslaughter.
Inadditiontotheaboverequirements,thereisalsolegislationconcerningspecificareasoffoodqualitysuchas:(1)geneticallymodifiedfoodandfeed;93(2)contaminationandenvironmentalfactors;94(3)prohibitedplantprotectionproducts;95(4)requirementsconnectedtoorganicallygrownagriculturalproducts;96(5)foodadditives;97(6)theadditionofvitaminsandminerals;98(7)authorisedcolorants;99(8)sweeteners;100(9)hormonesinmeat;101(10)foodsforspecialmedicalpurposes;102(11)pesticideresidues;103and(12)residuesofveterinarymedicines104.
3
90. Article 46 allows the Commission with the aid of experts, to verify through official controls, the compliance or equivalence of third country legislation and systems with Community feed and food law and animal health legislation. 91. Specific cases are listed in Articles 9 to 15. Article 11 concerns specific rules for goods in transit; Article 12 concerns goods intended for a free zone, a free warehouse or a customs warehouse. 92. Regulation 136/2004/EC laying down procedures for veterinary checks at Community border inspection posts on products imported from third coun-tries. 93. See, e.g., Regulation 1829/2003/EC on genetically modified food and feed; Regulation 1830/2003/EC concerning the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from geneti-cally modified organisms and amending Directive 2001/18/EC; Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the envir-onment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EC. 94. See, e.g., Regulation 315/93/EC laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food; Regulation 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain con-taminants in foodstuffs. 95. See, e.g., Directive 79/117/EEC prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances; Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market; Directive 2000/29/EC on protective measures against the introduction in to the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community.
96. See, e.g., Regulation 834/2007/EC on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation 2092/91/EC; 97. See, e.g., Directive 89/107/EEC on the approxima-tion of the laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorized for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption; Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweet-eners; Directive 81/712/EEC laying down Community methods of analysis for verifying that certain additives used in foodstuffs satisfy purity criteria. 98. Regulation 1925/2006/EC on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods; Regulation 108/2008/EC on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods. 99. Directive 94/36/EC on colours for use in foodstuffs. 100. Directive 94/35/EC on sweeteners intended for use in foodstuffs. 101. Directive 96/22/EC concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of ß-agonists, and repealing Directives 81/602/EEC, 88/146/EEC and 88/299/EEC (as amended by Directive 2003/74/EC). 102. Directive 1999/21/EC on dietary foods for special medical purposes (as amended by Directive 2006/141/EC); Directive 2001/15/EC on substances that may be added for specific nutritional purposes in foods for particular nutritional uses. 103. Regulation 296/2005/EC on pesticide residues. 104. Regulation 2377/90/EEC laying down a Community procedure for the establishment of maximum residue limits of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin.
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EUfoodlegislationdoesnotcontemplatescenariosorsimplifiedproceduresrelatedtonaturalortechnologicaldisasters.AnofficialattheEuropeanCommissionintheFood&VeterinaryOfficecommentedthatfoodproducedwithinanEUMemberStatebeingtransferredtoanotherMemberStateshouldencounternoimpedimenttoitstravel,asitshouldhavebeenproducedinaccordancewithCommunityregulations.FoodenteringtheCommunityfromthirdcountriesmustsatisfyEUimportrequirements.However,asfoodisconsideredtobeincludedinthescopeofthedefinitionof‘goods’underCommunitylaw,anyapplicablecustomsdutyexemptionsrelatingtodisasterreliefgoodsshouldencompassfoodaswell,asdescribedabove.
v. Medicines
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection18oftheIDRLGuidelinesdiscussesspecialgoodsandequipment,specifi-callyregardingthereductionoflegalandadministrativebarrierstotheexportation,transitimportationandre-exportationofmedicationsbyassistingStates.
n EClegislationonpharmaceuticalsismainlyrestrictedtogoodmanufacturingprac-ticeandproceduresfortheauthorisationofcertainmedicalproductsforhumanandveterinaryuse,withtheultimateaimofsafemarketingoftheproduct.Thereisnorelevantlegislationconcerningtheimportorexportofsuchproducts.However,asdiscussedaboveinPartIII.b.iiioncustoms,medicinalproductsareconsidereda‘good’underCommunitylawandwouldthereforereceiveexemptionsfromother-wiseapplicableduties.
n TheEUhaslimitedcompetencetolegislateintherealmofcontrolledsubstances.It is anareaof competence that ismostly left to theMemberStates, specifi-callywithregardtothecriminalisationofcertainactsandcustomsprocedures.However, theEUhas legislated in theareaof illicitdrug traffickingandhassoughttoharmonisetheMemberStates’lawsinordertosupportco-ordinationandco-operation.TheEUhasalsolegislatedtorequireMemberStatestopenalizecertainactivityrelatingtotrafficking,suchastheunlawfulexportorimportofcontrolledsubstances.
Pharmaceuticals
ThebasisfortheregulationofmedicinalproductsbytheECisfoundinitsprovisionsontheap-proximationoflaws.Article114(1)LisbonTFEU(exArticle95TEC)providesthattheCouncilmustadoptmeasuresfortheapproximationoflawsintheMemberStatesthatareaimedattheestablishmentandfunctioningoftheinternalmarket.Article115LisbonTFEU(exArticle94TEC)providesthepreciselegalbasisfortheadoptionoflegislation.Article168LisbonTFEU(exArticle152(4))alsoprovidesaspecificbasisforlegislatingintheareaofhumanhealth,particularlywithregardtotheadoptionof:(1)measuressettinghighqualitystandardsforsafetyoforgansandsubstancesofhumanorigin;(2)veterinaryorphytosanitaryrulesaimedatprotectingpublichealth;and(3)incentivemeasuresaimedatimprovingandprotectingpublichealth.TheArticle352LisbonTFEU(exArticle308TEC)catch-allprovisionrelatedtothecommonmarkethasalsobeencitedasalegalbasisinpharmaceuticallegislation.ItshouldbenotedthattheEEAstateshaveadoptedtheCommunityacquisonmedicinalproductsandsothelegislationdiscussedbelowisalsoapplicabletothosestates.
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EClegislationonmedicinalproductsrangesfromgeneraltoveryspecificrequirements.Legislationcoverspharmaceuticalsforhumanuse,andrulesrelatingtomedicaldevices.105Therearetwomaintextsrelatingtoproductsforhumanuse:(1)Directive2001/83/EContheCommunitycoderelatingtomedicinalproductsforhumanuse;106and(2)Directive2003/94/EClayingdowntheprinciplesandguidelinesofgoodmanufacturingpracticeinrespectofmedicinalproductsforhumanuseandinvestigationalmedicinalproductsforhumanuse.Theover-archinggoalofthislegislationisfreemovementofmedicinalproductswithintheEU.
Directive2001/83/ECisapplicabletoindustriallyproducedmedicinalproductsforhumanuseintendedtobeplacedonthemarketinMemberStates.TheDirectivedoesnotprovideadefinitionforthephrase‘intendedtobeplacedonthemarket’,butasinthecontextoffood,itmayalsoincludemedicinedistributedwithoutcharge.ProductsbothmanufacturedwithintheEUandoutsideofitmustcomplywiththeDirective’sstandards.TheDirectivelaysdownaprocedureforanationalmarketingauthorisationandthemutualrecognitionofsuchanauthorisationthroughouttheEU.MemberStateshave90daystorecognisethemarketingauthorisation(unlesspublichealthgroundsapply).Article51statesthatthequalityofmedicinalproductsoriginatingfromathirdcountrymustalsosatisfytherequirementsofamarketingauthorisation.Whetheranauthorisationisgrantedisdependentuponthesubmissionofdocumentationattestingtoconsiderationssuchastheproduct’squalityofmanufacture,contentandtestingresults.107AnnexItotheDirectivecontainsdetailsoftheanalytical,pharmacotoxicologicalandclinicalstandardsandprotocolsap-plicabletotestingmedicinalproducts.
Directive2003/94/EClaysdownguidelines forgoodmanufacturingpractice.ProductsbothmanufacturedwithintheEUandoutsideofitmustcomplywiththeDirective’sstandards.TheseguidelinesareelaborateduponinadditionalguidancecreatedbytheCommission.108Essentially,theDirectiveprovidesbestpracticerulesrelatingtoqualitymanagement,personnel,premisesandequipment,documentation,production,qualitycontrolandcomplaintsprocedures.
Regulation726/2004/ECestablishesacentralisedCommunityauthorisationprocedurethatiscompulsoryforcertaintypesofmedicinalproductslistedinitsAnnex.Itisapplicabletomedicinalproductsforhumanuse.WheretheCommunityproceduredoesnotapply,theproceduresintheDirectivesestablishingtheCommunitycodesonhumanmedicine(i.e.,nationalprocedures)willapply.TheholderofaCommunityauthorisationmustbeestablishedinoneoftheMemberStates.Itthereforedoesnotapplytothirdcountries.Oncetheauthorisationisgranted,itwillbevalidacrosstheEUandIceland,NorwayandLiechtenstein.TheholdercanthenmarketitsproductinallEUcountries.TheRegulationalsocreatestheEuropeanMedicinesAgencywhosemainroleistoassesseverymedicineforwhichacentralisedauthorisationapplicationhasbeensubmittedandtomakerecommendationstotheCommission.
Inadditiontothegenerallegislationdescribedabove,specificlegislationhasbeendraftedinsev-eralareas:(1)goodpracticewithregardtoclinicaltrials intheMemberStates;109(2)orphan
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105. Much of the legislation is also applicable to medicinal products for veterinary use which is outside the scope of this Report. 106. As amended by Directive 2004/24/EC and Directive 2004/27/EC. 107. art 8. 108. These guidelines (and all pharmaceutical guidelines) are available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/pharmaceuticals/documents/eudralex/index_en.htm . 109. See, e.g., Directive 2001/20/EC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative
provisions of the Member States relating to the implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medic-inal products for human use; Commission Directive 2005/28/EC laying down principles and detailed guidelines for good clinical practice as regards investigational medicinal products for human use, as well as the requirements for authorisation of the manufacturing or importation of such products.
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medicalproducts;110(3)medicinesforpaediatricuse;111(4)bloodandbloodplasmaproducts;112and(5)advancedtherapymedicines.113
TheECalsohasasystemfortheregulationofmedicaldevicescoveringproductsrangingfrombandagesandspectaclestolifemaintainingimplantabledevicesandsophisticateddiagnosticim-agingandminimalinvasivesurgeryequipment.Thesystemisparticularlyfocusedonmarketaccess,internationaltraderelationsandcompetition.ThebasiclegislationonmedicaldevicesisDirective93/42/ECconcerningmedicaldevices.Itcontainsprovisionsregardingtheapproxi-mationofMemberStatelaws,rulesregardingclassificationandassessmentandessentialdevicerequirementsofdesignandconstruction.ItalsoprovidesforanEC-procedureallowingforverifica-tionthatthedeviceconformstotheDirective.DependingonthetypeofdeviceasspecifiedintheDirective,themanufacturerwillhavetoconformtovariousproceduresassetoutintheannexesrelatingtofullqualityassurance,productionqualityassurance,productqualityassurance,oracombination.TheDirectivedoesnotcontemplateexemptionsintheeventofnaturaldisastersintheMemberStates,nordoesitprovideforanyexpeditedprocedures.
Controlled Substances
Inadditiontopharmaceuticalmedicinesdiscussedabove,itmaybethecasethatrelieforganisa-tionsneedtoimportcontrolledsubstancesformedicalpurposes.Drugssuchasmethadone,mor-phine,opium,codeineandtranquilisersareoftennecessaryforlegitimatemedicaltreatment.RelieforganisationsthereforeruntheriskofbeingconstruedasdrugtraffickersiftheyarenotawareofthetypesandamountsofcontrolledsubstancesthatcanbebroughtintotheMemberStates.
TheEUhaslimitedcompetencetoactwithinthedrugfield.TheTEUwasthefirstEuropeanTreatytospecificallyreferencedrugs inthecontextofpublichealth(Article129)andjusticeandhomeaffairs(Article29).UsingthosebasesalongwiththeprovisionsintheTECrelatingtotheinternalmarket,theEUhaslegislatedinthefieldsofdrugtraffickinganddrugdepend-ence.However,itslegislativerolehasbeenmainlyfocusedatco-operationinenforcementandthecommoncriminalizationofoffencesrelatingtodrugtrafficking.114
WhiletheEUisnotitselfapartytotherelevantinternationalagreementsoncontrolledsubstances,all27MemberStatesareparties.Therefore,theEUdoesnothaveitsownsystemfortheclassifi-cationofnarcotics.Rather,itusesthesystemadoptedintheUNSingleConventiononNarcoticDrugs(1961)andtheUNConventiononPsychotropicSubstances(1971).115However,theEU
110. Orphan medicinal products are intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of life-threatening or very serious condi-tions that affect not more than 5 in 10,000 persons in the Eu-ropean Union. See, e.g., Regulation 141/2000/EC on orphan medicinal products; Regulation 847/2000/EC laying down the provisions for implementation of the criteria for designation of a medicinal product as an orphan medicinal product and defi-nitions of the concepts ‘similar medicinal product’ and ‘clinical superiority’. 111. See, e.g., Regulation 1901/2006/EC on medicinal products for paediatric use and amending Regulation 1768/92/EEC, Directive 2001/20/EC, Directive 2001/83/EC and Regulation 726/2004/EC; Regulation 1902/2006/EC amending Regulation 1901/2006/EC on medicinal products for paediatric use. 112. Directive 2002/98/EC setting stand-ards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and blood components and amending Directive 2001/83/EC. 113. Regulation
1394/2007/EC on advanced therapy medicinal products and amending Directive 2001/83/EC and Regulation 726/2004/EC. 114. In fact, the European Community’s first legislative action in the field of drug policy was to ratify Article 12 of the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psy-chotropic Substances (1988) on drug precursors control. See also, Council Joint Action 96/750/JHA adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union concerning the approximation of the laws and practices of the Member States of the European Union to combat drug addiction and to pre-vent and combat illegal drug trafficking; Joint Action 96/698/JHA on cooperation between customs authorities and business organisations in combating drug trafficking; Framework Deci-sion 2004/757/JHA laying down minimum provisions on the constituent elements of criminal acts and penalties in the field of drug trafficking. 115. Discussed in Part IV.b.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
doeshaveitsownsystemfortherapidclassificationofallnewpsychoactivesubstances.116Themainthrustofthesystemisathree-stepprocedurefor(a)earlywarningregardingnewdrugs;(b)assessmentofriskscausedbytheuseofortraffickinginthedrug;and(c)controlmeasuresforspecificdrugs.
TheEUhasalsoadoptedCommunitylegislationrelatingtotradeindrugprecursorsbetweentheCommunityandthirdcountries.Thislegislationintroducesauthorisationandlicensingrequire-mentsforthoseoperatorswithintheEUengagedinimportingorexportingprecursorsubstances.117Itisalsofocusedonthecreationofharmonisedmeasuresformanufacturingandlicensingsys-tems.118However,itisdifficulttoseehowthislegislationwouldaffectrelieforganisations,asitisaimedsolelyatmanufacturersofnarcoticsubstances.Thislegislationdoesnotprovideforanyex-emptionsformedicaluse.ItseemsthatsuchconsiderationsareleftfortheMemberStatesinlightoftheirobligationsunderinternationalconventions.
vi. Animals
IDRL Guidelines
Section18oftheIDRLGuidelinesdiscussestheexemptionofspecialgoodsandequipmentfromlegalandadministrativebarrierstoexportation,transitimportationandre-exportationorprovisionsprovidingforthereductionofsuchbarriers.Snifferdogsmaybeconsideredwithinthescopeofthisprovision.
n CommunitylawprovidesforthefreecirculationofpetanimalsbetweenMemberStatesifaccompaniedbyapassport,andofanimalsfromthirdcountriesifac-companiedbyanapprovedhealthcertificate.Theseanimalswillthereforenotbesubjecttolengthyverificationand/orveterinarychecksattheborder.Althoughnotspecificallycited,itislikelythatsnifferdogsareincludedinthisregime.
n Non-petanimalsfromthirdcountriesmuststillbesubjectedtolengthydocumen-taryandveterinarychecks
n Communitylegislationdoesnotprovideforexceptioninrelationtoanimalsre-quiredforreliefassistance.
RescueoperationsinEuropesometimesinvolvespecially-traineddogs.Accordingly,regulationontheirentryintoaffectedstatesmaybeimportant.TheECregulatesthenon-commercialmove-mentofanimalswithintheCommunityandalsofromthirdstates.Regulation998/2003/EContheanimalhealthrequirementsapplicabletothenon-commercialmovementofpetanimalsessentiallyprovidesthatpetanimalsmaybemovedbetweentheMemberStatesifaccompaniedbyapassportissuedbyaveterinariancertifyingthattheanimalhasreceivedtherequisitevaccina-tions.119Article3oftheRegulationdefines‘petanimal’as:“animalsofthespecieslistedinAnnexIwhichareaccompanyingtheirownersoranaturalpersonresponsibleforsuchanimalsonbehalfoftheownerduringtheirmovementandnotintendedtobesoldortransferredtoanotherowner.”
3
116. Council Decision 2005/387/JHA on the information exchange, risk-assessment and control of new psychoactive sub-stances. 117. Regulation 111/2005/EC laying down rules for the monitoring of trade in drug precursors between the Commu-nity and third countries. 118. Regulation 273/2004/EC on drug precursors; Commission Regulation (EC) No 1277/2005
of 27 July 2005 laying down implementing rules for Regula-tion (EC) No 273/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on drug precursors and for Council Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 laying down rules for the monitoring of trade between the Community and third countries in drug precursors Text with EEA relevance. 119. art 5.
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AnofficialattheCommission’sDGforHealthandConsumersexplainedthatthereisnospecificregimeapplicabletosnifferdogs.Ifthesnifferdogfallswithinthescopeofthatdefinition,thentheymayenterbasedontheRegulation.Iftheydonot,thentheymustsatisfytherequirementsofDirective92/65/EEC.120BecausetheDirective92/65/EECconcernstradeincertainspecies,itcanbeassumedthatsnifferdogswouldnotbeincludedwithinitsscopeandwouldthereforebeallowedentrybasedonRegulation998/2003/EC.TheUnitedKingdom,Ireland,Malta,SwedenandFinlandhavebeenallowedtomaketheentryofpetanimalsintotheirterritorysubjecttoad-ditionalconstraintswithregardtocertaindiseases,suchasrabies,echinococcosisandtickbornediseases.However,thisisatransitionalregimethatwillexpireattheendofJune2010,althoughthereisaCommissionproposaltoextendthesystemuntiltheendof2011.121ChapterIIIde-scribestheconditionsrelatingtomovementsofanimalsfromthirdcountries.Article8coversthevariousrequirementsofhealthdependingonthecountryoforigin.Subsection2providesthatthirdcountrypetanimalsmustbeaccompaniedbyacertificateissuedbyanofficialveterinarian.TheproceduresapplicabletotheissueofsuchcertificatearefoundinDecision2004/203/EC.122Thecertificateshouldbeissuedandsignedbyanofficialveterinariandesignatedbythecompetentauthorityofthecountryofdispatch.
CommissionDecision2003/803/ECestablishesamodelpassportfortheintra-Communitymove-mentofspecificanimalswhichisrequiredtocontaindetailsoftheanimals’healthinaccordancewithRegulation998/2003.123
CouncilDirective91/496/EECisspecificallyfocusedtheproceduresforveterinarychecksonthirdcountryanimalsthatarenotfamilypetsaccompanyingtravellersfornon-commercialpurposes.Article4providesthattheMemberStatesmustensurethattheanimalsaresubjectedtoadocu-mentaryandidentitycheckattheborder,aswellasanofficialveterinariancheckbeforetransitthroughtheterritoryisauthorised.Thislegislationdoesnotspecificallydiscusstheentryofani-malsfromthirdcountriesinthecontextofdisasterassistance,ormakeanyprovisionforexpeditedproceduresinexceptionalcircumstances.
vii. Transport
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection19discussesseveralprovisionsrelatingtotransport,includingspeedypassageofland,marineandairvehiclesoperatedbyrelieforganisations.
n TheECpolicyofcommontransportprovidesforthefreedomtotravelwithintheCommunityforland,airandseavehiclesthatareregisteredintheMemberStates.
n Thelegislationpertainingtothecarriageofgoodsbyroadincludesanexemptionrelatedtotheauthorisationsystemfordisasterreliefgoods.
120. Directive 92/65/EEC laying down animal health require-ments governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in specific Community rules referred to in Annex A (I) to Directive 90/425/EEC. 121. Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 on the animal health
requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals, COM(2009) 268 final, 16 June 2009, available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2009:0268:FIN:EN:PDF. 122. Establishing a model health certificate for non-commercial movements from third countries of dogs, cats and ferrets. 123. Specifically, dogs, cats and ferrets.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
Section16(c)oftheIDRLGuidelinesrecommendsexpeditedproceduresfortherecogni-tionofdrivinglicenses.
n EClegislationharmonisestheconditionsforissuingdriverslicensesinMemberStatesandprovidesforthemutualrecognitionofEU-issuedlicensesacrosstheter-ritoryfordriversofland,airandseavehicleseitherthroughspeciallegislationofthroughthegeneraldirectiveonmutualrecognitionofprofessionalqualifications.
n However,thislegislationdoesnotprovideforanyexpeditedprocedureincaseofemergency.
TransportisoneoftheCommunity’scommonpoliciesgovernedunderTitleVILisbonTFEU(exTitleVTEC).ThepolicyisfocusedoneliminatingbordersbetweenMemberStatesandcontrib-utingtothefreemovementofgoodsandpeople.ProvidedthatthevehiclesoriginatefromanotherEUMemberState,movementofvehiclesbetweenMemberStateswouldnotpresentaproblem.Inmuchofthelegislation,relationshipswiththirdcountriesaretheprovinceoftheMemberStateswithinaframeworkofthedutytoco-operatewiththeprinciplesoftheCommunity.HarmonisinglegislationhasbeendevelopedinthekeyareasrelevanttotheIDRLGuidelines.
Road Transport
In1998,recognisingthatmostEUMemberStateswerepartytothe1968ViennaConventiononRoadTraffic(discussedinPartIV.b),theCounciladoptedRegulation2411/98/EContherecog-nitioninintra-CommunitytrafficofthedistinguishingsignoftheMemberStateinwhichmotorvehiclesandtheirtrailersareregistered.ThisRegulationappliestovehiclesregisteredanddrivenwithintheCommunity.TheRegulationcreatesauniformdistinguishingsignforvehicleregis-trationplatesthatmustberecognisedasequivalenttoanyotherdistinguishingsignthataMemberStatemayrecogniseinordertoidentifytheStateofregistration.
TheEChasalsointroducedlegislationharmonisingtheconditionsforissuingdriverslicensesinMemberStatesandaCommunitymodellicense.Directive91/439/EECondrivinglicensespro-videsforthemutualrecognitionofdrivinglicensesissuedbyMemberStates.ThislegislationhasbeenpartiallyrepealedbyDirective2006/126/ECwhichisarecastingofthefirstdirectiveandwillnotbewhollyoperativeuntil2013.TherecastdirectiveisaimedatreducingthepossibilitiesoffraudandguaranteeingtruefreedomofmovementforEUdrivers,butnotthirdcountrydrivers.Itincludesfurtherharmonisationmeasuresforotherformsofroadtransport,suchasmopedsandmotorcycles.Partsoftherecastdirectivehavebeeninforcesince19January2009,includingthoseregardingmutualrecognitioninArticle2.
Regulation881/92/EEConaccesstothemarket inthecarriageofgoodsbyroadwithintheCommunitytoorfromtheterritoryofaMemberStateorpassingacrosstheterritoryofoneormoreMemberStatesprovidesforanauthorisationsystemforthecarriageofgoodsbyroadcarriedoutinEUterritoryonbehalfofathirdparty.TheauthorisationisapplicabletocarriersestablishedinanEUMemberStateandoncegrantedisvalidforfiveyears.Ifathirdstateisinvolved,asep-arateagreementbetweentheEUandthatthirdstateisnecessary.TheAnnextotheRegulationprovidesanexceptiontotheauthorisationprocedurefor“Carriageofmedicinalproducts,appli-ances,equipmentandotherarticlesrequiredformedicalcareinemergencyrelief,inparticularfornaturaldisasters”.Regulation3118/93/EECelaboratesontheconditionsbywhichnon-residentcarriersmayoperatewithinaMemberStateafterobtaininganauthorisationunderRegulation881/92/EEC.Itprovidesthatdriverswhoarenationalsofathirdcountrymustbeinpossessionof
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU RegulationInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
adriverattestationinordertooperatewithintheEU.However,itdoesnotincludeanyexceptionregardingcarriageofdisastergoods.Presumably,onceacarrierhasacquiredanauthorisationorhasproventhatauthorisationisunnecessaryinlightoftheexceptionintheAnnex,thedriverat-testationwouldnotberequired.
AnofficialattheEuropeanCommissioninDGEnergyandTransportclarifiedtheprocedureforthetransportofdisasterreliefgoodsbybothEUandnon-EUcarriers,withreferencetotheInternationalTransportForum(ITF).124Currently,26EUMemberStatesbelongtotheITF.125EUhaulerstravellingwithintheEUandcarryingdisasterreliefmaterialswillnotneedalicenseorauthorisation,aslongastheycanprovethattheirtransportisgenuinelyfortheprovisionofemergencyassistance.Thereisnopriorapprovalnecessary;thecheckstakeplaceattheborder.IfthecarrierisanenterprisesuchasadedicatedRedCrossvehicle,thesituationisquickandsimple;ifthecarrierisaprivatecompanyhiredtotransportreliefitemsbyanenterprisesuchastheRedCross,theprivatecarrierwillhavetohavethepaperworkrecordingthecontractforhaulageaspartoftheapprovalprocess.Non-EUcarrierswillalwaysneedalicensewhentravellingintheEU.Thelicensemaybegrantedbilaterally(betweentheindividualMemberStateandthenon-EUcountryorbetweentheEUasawholeandthenon-EUcountry,asisthecasewithSwitzerland)ormultilaterallythroughtheITF.UndertheITFrules,disasterrelieftransportsareexemptedfromthelicensingrequirementandnospecialproceduresapply.Fornon-EUandnon-ITFcarriers,therelevantbilateralagreementsmustbeconsulted.Furthermore,asregardsnon-EUandnon-ITFcarriers,twotypesofbilateralpermitsorauthorisationsmightapply:oneforloadingorunloadingandonefortransitingacrossaterritorytoreachthefinaldestination.Astheofficialexplained,ifgoodsaretransportedbyaMacedonianhaulertotheUnitedKingdomviaCroatiaandSerbia,thehaulerwillneedapermitforunloadingintheUKaswellaspermitstotransitthroughCroatiaandSerbia.Theapplicablebilateralagreementswilldictatetheexactlegalsituation.
Directive96/26/EC126relatestothemutualrecognitionofdiplomas,certificatesandotherevi-denceofformalqualificationsofroadhaulageandroadpassengeroperators.Operatorsmustsatisfythreecriteria:(1)goodrepute;(2)financialstanding;and(3)professionalcompetence.CertificatesanddocumentsissuedbyaMemberStatemustbeacceptedbyotherMemberStatesassufficientproofthattherequisiteconditionsforoperationhavebeensatisfiedbytheirholder.
TheEUhasenteredintoagreementswiththirdcountriesconcerninglandtransport.TheEC/SwitzerlandAgreementbetweentheEuropeanCommunityandtheSwissConfederationontheCarriageofGoodsandPassengersbyRailandRoadenteredintoforceon1July2002andisaimedatliberalisingaccesstotheparties’transportmarkets.TheagreementpermitsECandSwissroadandrailhaulerstofreelycarryouttransportsbetweenaMemberStateandSwitzerland.TheEEAAgreementbetweentheEU,Norway,IcelandandLiechtensteinrequiresthatthelatterthreecoun-triesapplyCommunityroadtransportrulesinthesamewayastheEUMemberStates.127Finally,theCommunityentered into the INTERBUSagreementwithAlbania,Bosnia-Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia.FormerYugoslavianRepublicofMacedonia,Moldova,RomaniaandTurkeywhichprovidesforaharmonisedregulatoryframeworkforpassengerservices.Theagreementen-teredintoforceon1January2003.128
124. Formerly the European Conference of Ministers of Trans-port (ECMT). The ECMT transformed into the ITF in 2007. 125. Cyprus is not a member. 126. As amended by Directive 98/76/EC. 127. Annex XIII of the EEA Agreement contains
the Community transport acquis. 128. Council Decision 2002/917/EC on the conclusion of the Interbus Agreement on the international occasional carriage of passengers by coach and bus.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
Air Transport
Regulation1008/2008/ECestablishingcommonrulesfortheoperationofairservices intheCommunity(Recast)129regulatesthelicensingofCommunityaircarriers,thelawapplicabletothemandthepricingofairservices.UndertakingsestablishedintheCommunitycannotcarrypas-sengers,cargoormailbyairunlesstheyhaveobtainedanoperatinglicenseundertheconditionsofthisRegulation.Specifically,theundertakingisrequiredtoholdanAirOperatorCertificate,complywithownershipandinsurancerequirementsandsatisfythefinancialrequisites.LicensedCommunityoperatorsarepermittedtooperateairservicesthroughouttheCommunitywithoutrestriction.130TheRegulationdoesnotdiscussanysituationsregardingdisasterreliefoperations;however,Article21onemergencymeasuresprovidesthattheMemberStatesmayrefuse,limitorimposeconditionsontheexerciseoftrafficrightstodealwithsuddenproblemsresultingfromunforeseeablecircumstances.
CouncilDirective91/670/EEConthemutualacceptanceoflicencesforpersonsworkingincivilaviationprovidedtheconditionsunderwhichMemberStatesmustrecogniselicensesissuedbyotherMemberStates,aswellasanyassociatedprivilegesorcertificates.TheconditionsintheDirectivehavebeencarriedoverandelaborateduponinthenewRegulation216/2008/EConcommonrulesinthefieldofcivilaviationandestablishingaEuropeanAviationSafetyAgency.ThenewDirectivespecifiesthequalificationsnecessaryforthedistributionofpilotandcabincrewlicensesandtheconditionsfortheirissue.Neitherpieceoflegislationreferstoanydisaster-specificexceptionorscenario.Theyareprimarilyfocusedoncivilaviationsafety.
Rail Transport
Directive95/18/ECestablishesthecriteriaapplicabletothelicensingofrailwayundertakingses-tablishedintheCommunity.Onceissued,alicensewillbevalidacrosstheterritoryoftheEU.TheDirectivedoesnotcoverundertakingswhoseactivitiesarelimitedexclusivelytourban,suburbanorregionalservicesorundertakingstransportingroadvehiclesthroughtheChannelTunnel.ThereisnoprovisionwithintheDirectivespecificallyrelevanttodisasterreliefsituations.ThisDirectivewasextendedbyDirective2001/13/ECtootherformsofrailwayundertakingsestablishedintheEUandnotcoveredbyDirective95/18/EC.
Directive2007/59/EConthecertificationoftraindriversoperatinglocomotivesandtrainsontherailwaysystemintheCommunityprovidesfortheconditionsforgrantingadriverslicensetotraindriversoperatingwithintheCommunityandtheproceduresforobtaininganinfrastructurecertificateindicatingwhereandwhattheoperatorispermittedtodrive.TheDirectiveincludesmandatoryexemptionstotheinfrastructurecertificaterequirement,including“whenadisturbanceoftherailwayservicenecessitatesthedeviationoftrainsormaintenanceoftracks”131butdoesnotprovideforanyexceptionsorexpeditedproceduresapplicableintheeventofadisaster.MutualrecognitionofqualificationsinthissectorisgovernedbyDirective2005/36/EConthegeneralsystemofrecognitiondescribedabove.
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129. This Regulation repeals and replaces three Regulations from the “Third aviation package”: Regulation No 2407/92 on licensing of air carriers, Regulation No 2408/92 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, and Regulation No 2409/92 on passenger fares and air cargo rates. 130. Agreement between the European Community and the
Swiss Confederation on Air transport, 21/06/1999. This agreement is applicable to Swiss airline companies and is more commercial in nature. The agreement allows such companies to fly to all destinations in the EU Member States without restriction. 131. art 4(2)(a).
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Inland Waterways
Aspartofthecommontransportpolicy,Directive87/540/EEClaysdownrulesregardingaccesstotheoccupationofcarrierofgoodsbywaterwayandmutualrecognitionofdiplomas.132Itoper-ateslikesimilardirectivesdiscussedabovebyprovidingcommonconditionsgoverningaccesstotheprofessionandtheissuanceofacertificateuponconfirmationthattheapplicantpossessestherequisitecompetences.Aswiththeotherdirectives,thisappliestocarriersestablishedwithintheCommunityandformspartofthefreedomofmovementforworkersregimeintheEU.ItalsoprovidesformandatorymutualrecognitionofdiplomasobtainedintheMemberStates.
CouncilRegulation3921/91/EEClaysdowntheconditionsunderwhichnon-residentcarriersmaytransportgoodsorpassengersbyinlandwaterwaywithinaMemberStateinwhichtheyarenotestablished.Anon-residentispermittedtocarryoutthenationaltransportofpersonsorgoodsbyinlandwaterwayinanotherMemberStateprovidedthatheorsheisestablishedinanotherMemberStateandlicensedtocarryouthisorherservicesthere.Thecarriermustcarryonboardacertificateattestingtothoseconditionsatalltimes.Thereisnoprovisionforexclusionsorexpe-ditedprocedures.
CouncilRegulation1356/96/ECisapplicabletothetransportofgoodsorpassengersbyinlandwaterwayforjourneysbetweenMemberStatesandintransitthroughthem.Aswithinlandtrans-port,thecarriermust:(1)beestablishedinaMemberStateandbelicensedforcarriagethere;(2)useinlandwaterwayvesselsregisteredinaMemberState;and(3)satisfytheconditionsinArticle2ofRegulation3921/91/EECdiscussedinthepreviousparagraph.Again,therearenorelevantrulespertainingtoemergencyprocedures.
viii. Telecommunications
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection18statesthatAffectedStatesshouldwaiveorexpeditelicensingproceduresregardingtheuseoftelecommunicationsandinformationtechnologyequipment.
n TheECtelecommunicationsFrameworkDirectiveestablishesasystemforauthori-sationandaccesstoelectroniccommunicationsnetworksandradiofrequencies.
n TheFrameworkDirectiveiscomplementedbytheAuthorisationDirectivewhichattachesaconditiontoauthorisationrelatingtospecialtermsofusetoensurecom-municationsbetweenauthoritiesintimesofmajordisaster.
TitleXVILisbonTFEU(exTitleXVTEC)onTrans-EuropeanNetworksallowstheCommunitytocontributetothedevelopmentoftrans-Europeannetworksintheareasoftransport,energyinfrastructuresandtelecommunicationsinordertoachievetheobjectivesofeconomicandsocialcohesionandtheinternalmarket.Article155permitstheCommunitytoimplementanymeasurenecessarytoensuretheinteroperabilityofnetworks.Basedonthis,theEUhasdevelopedareg-ulatoryframeworkforelectroniccommunicationsmainlyaimedatstrengtheningcompetition
132. Council Directive 87/540/EEC on access to the occupation of carrier of goods by waterway in national and international
transport and on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications for this occupation.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
throughfacilitatedmarketaccess.TheFrameworkconsistsoffivedirectives(onegeneral,fourspecific)andadecisiononradiofrequencyaccess.133
Directive2002/21/EConacommonregulatoryframeworkforelectroniccommunicationsnet-worksandservices(FrameworkDirective)establishesthegeneralframeworkfortheharmonisationofe-communicationnetworksandservicesregulation.Itconsistsofgeneralrulesregardingscope,definitions,thenationalregulatoryauthoritiesandgrantingaccesstoessentialresourcessuchasradiofrequencies.
Directive2002/20/EContheauthorisationofelectroniccommunicationsnetworksandservices(AuthorisationDirective)appliestoallelectroniccommunicationsandnetworkservices,whetherornottheyareprovidedtothepublic,andalsotorightsofuseofradiofrequencies.UnderArticle3,MemberStatesarerequiredtoensurefreedomtoprovidee-communicationsnetworksandser-vicessubjecttoconditionssetforthintheDirective.Article6statesthattheauthorisationmaybesubjecttoconditionslistedintheAnnex.PartAparagraph12oftheAnnexstatesasoneoftheconditionswhichmaybeattachedtoageneralauthorisation:“Termsofuseduringmajordisastertoensurecommunicationsbetweenemergencyservicesandauthoritiesandbroadcaststothegeneralpublic.”ItisunclearonthefaceoftheDirectivewhomayhaveaccesstocommunicationsfacilitiesundertheseconditions.However,itislikelythattheindividualMemberStateauthoritieswoulddeterminetheexactparametersoftheconditionsattachedtoaccess.PartBparagraph8relatingtoconditionsattachedtotheuseofradiofrequenciesincludesasacondition“Obligationsunderrelevantinternationalagreementsrelatingtotheuseoffrequencies”,forexample,theTampereConventiondiscussedbelowinPartIV.b.Thismeansthatobligationsthatthefreedomtoprovidee-communicationsnetworksandservicesmaybesubjecttocertainobligationsundertheTampereConventionoranyotherrelevantinternationalagreement.
ThereisnospecificreferencetotheimportationoftelecommunicationsequipmentintotheEU.However,providedthatsuchequipmentisconsidereda‘good’underEClaw,normalcustomsruleswouldapply,includinganyexemptionondutiesfordisasterreliefgoods.
ix. Currency
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection20(2)oftheIDRLGuidelinesurgesthatAssistingStatesandorganisationsbegrantedtherighttofreelybringthenecessaryfundsandcurrenciesinoroutoftheaf-fectedcountryandtoobtainlegalexchangeratesinconnectionwiththeirdisasterrelieforrecoveryassistance.
n TheTECcreatedanareaofeconomicunionwithasinglecurrencythatcontributestothegeneralpolicyoffreemovementofcapitalbetweentheMemberStates.
n EClawlimitstheamountofcashanaturalpersoncancarryintooroutoftheEUto€10,000oritsequivalentinothercurrencies.
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133. This Report will not discuss Directive 2002/22/EC on universal service and users’ rights relating to electronic commu-nications networks and services (Universal Services Directive), Decision 676/2002/EC on a regulatory framework for radio
spectrum policy in the European Community, or Directive 2002/19/EC on access to, and interconnection of, electronic com-munications networks and associated facilities (Access Directive) as these are not pertinent to the discussion herein.
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OneofthefourfreedomsoftheEuropeanCommunityisfreemovementofcapitalunderTitleIV,Chapter4LisbonTFEU(exTitleIII,Chapter4TEC).Article56prohibits“allrestrictionsonthemovementofcapitalbetweenMemberStatesandbetweenMemberStatesandthirdcountries”thatcausesorthreatenstocauseseriousdifficultiesfortheoperationoftheeconomicandmonetaryunion.
TitleVIIILisbonTFEU(exTitleVIITEC)establishes theEconomicandMonetaryUnion(EMU).TheEMUisbasedoncloseco-ordinationoftheMemberStates’economicpolicyatEUleveltopromotestabilityandgrowth.TheEMUledtothedevelopmentofthesinglecurrency,theeuro,in1999.NotalloftheEUMemberStatesparticipateintheeuro:currently15of27MemberStateshaveintroducedthecurrency;theUnitedKingdomandDenmarkhaveoptedoutoftheschemeundertheTEU;therestareintheprocessofqualifyingforthesinglecurrencyframework.
Freemovementofcapitalwasfirst fullyrealizedinDirective88/361/EEC.Article1requiresMemberStatestoabolishanyrestrictionsonmovementsofcapitaltakingplacebetweennaturalorlegalpersonsresidentinMemberStatesandimposesasingleexchangerateonforeigntransactions.
CountriesintheprocessofbecomingfullparticipantsinthesinglecurrencyframeworkarepartytotheAgreementof16March2006betweentheEuropeanCentralBankandthenationalcentralbanksoftheMemberStatesoutsidetheeuro-zone.TheAgreementisaimedatmaintainingstableexchangeratesbetweentheeuroandparticipatingnationalcurrenciesthroughthecreationofacentralexchangerate.134PeopleandorganisationsbasedinMemberStatesthathaveadoptedtheeuroshouldnotencounteranydifficultiesregardingtherighttobringcurrencyinoroutofthecountryorinrelationtoexchangerates.
TherearerulesregardinghowmuchcashcanbebroughtintoandoutoftheEU.Article3ofRegulation1889/2005/EConcontrolsofcashenteringorleavingtheCommunitystatesthatapersoncarryingmorethan€ 10,000(oritsequivalentinothercurrencies)intooroutoftheEUterritorymustdeclareittothecustomsofficials.Article2oftheRegulationdefinescashas:
(1) Bearer-negotiableinstruments,includingmonetaryinstrumentsinbearerformsuchastravellerscheques;
(2) Negotiableinstruments(includingcheques,promissorynotesandmoneyorders)thatareeitherinbearerform,endorsedwithoutrestriction,madeouttoafictitiouspayee,oroth-erwiseinsuchformthattitletheretopassesupondelivery;
(3) Incompleteinstruments(includingcheques,promissorynotesandmoneyorders)signed,butwiththepayee’snameomitted;
(4) Currency,i.e.banknotesandcoinsthatareincirculationasamediumofexchange.135
Theobligationtodeclarethecashisonanynaturalperson.Whereapersoniscarryingcashforalegalentity,heorshemustgivethenameofthecompanyinthedeclaration.Thelimitappliesto
134. Agreement of 16 March 2006 between the European Cen-tral Bank (ECB) and the national central banks (NCBs) of the Member States outside the euro area laying down the operating procedures for an exchange rate mechanism in stage three of Eco-nomic and Monetary Union (EMU). Member countries are: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hun-gary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom. Romania and Bulgaria became parties with the Agreement of 21 December 2006 between the European Central Bank and
the national central banks of the Member States outside the euro area amending the Agreement of 16 March 2006 between the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the Member States outside the euro area laying down the oper-ating procedures for an exchange rate mechanism in stage three of economic and monetary union. 135. More information is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_controls/cash_controls/article_6140_en.htm.
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personsindividuallytravellinginagroup.DependingontheMemberStateatissue,declarationsmaybemadeeitheronacommonform,oranationalform.136Thereisnospecialexemptionforemergencysituations.
x. Extended hours
IDRL Guidelines
PartVSection23oftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesthatAffectedStatesshouldensurethatstate-operatedofficesandservicesessentialtothetimelydeliveryofinternationaldisasterreliefoperateoutsidenormalbusinesshoursintheeventofadisaster.
n ExistingEClegislationonworkingtimeprovidesfordiscretionaryoptionsforMember States in this regard, specifically concerning derogations from themaximumworkingweektimeformanagingexecutivesorotherswithdecision-takingpowers.Suchpeoplemightbeinvolvedintheprovisionofdisasterassist-ance,forexample,customsorimmigrationofficials.
n However,nothingintheEClegislationrequiresgovernmentofficestoremainopenintimesofdisaster.
ECDirective2003/88/ECconcerningcertainaspectsoftheorganisationofworkingtimeisin-tendedtolaydowntheminimumrequirementsregardingthesafetyandhealthofallworkersintheEUinallsectorsofactivity,bothpublicandprivate.Itappliesspecificallyto(a)minimumperiodsofdaily,weeklyandannualrest/leaveand(b)certainaspectsofnightwork,shiftworkandworkpatterns.137TheDirectivealsosetsoutamaximumweeklyworkingtimeof48hours.138Article17providesforanumberofdiscretionaryderogationsfromthebasicprinciplesduetothe“specificcharacteristicsoftheactivityconcerned”.Thosemostrelevanttothisstudyaresub-paragraph1(a)“managingexecutivesorotherpersonswithautonomousdecision-takingpowers”andregardingtheneedforcontinuityofservice,subparagraph3(c)(iii)“press,radio,television,cinematographicproduction,postalandtelecommunicationsservices,ambulance,fireandcivilprotectionservices”and3(c)(iv)“gas,waterandelectricityproduction,transmissionanddistri-bution,householdrefusecollectionandincinerationplants”.WhiletheDirectiveappliestokeygovernmentofficials,nothinginitrequiresgovernmentofficestoremainopenintimesofdisasteroranyotherspecialcircumstance.
3c. Criteria for Eligibility for Action
Section14oftheIDRLGuidelinesprovidesthatStatesshouldestablishcriteriaforassistinghu-manitarianorganisationsseekingeligibilityforlegalfacilities.ThereisnoprovisioninEUlaw,includinginthenewLisbonTreaty,thatregulatesthisissue.
3d. Public Procurement Rules
ECDirective2004/18/ECregulates theprocedures for theawardofpublicworkscontracts,publicsuppliescontractsandpublicservicescontractsbystate,regionalorlocalauthorities,bodies
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136. More information concerning the type of form used by Member States is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/tax-
ation_customs/customs/customs_controls/cash_controls/dec-laration_form/index_en.htm. 137. art 1(2). 138. art 6.
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governedbypubliclaw,associationsformedbyoneorseveralofsuchauthoritiesorbodiesgovernedbypubliclaw.Itappliestowrittencontractsonlyandexcludesseveralthingsfromitsscope,in-cludingcontractsinthewater,energy,transportandpostalsectors,139contractsaimedatprovidingorexploitingpublictelecommunicationsnetworks,secretcontractsrelatingtosecuritymeasures,contractsrelatingtoimmovablepropertyandemploymentcontracts.140TheDirectivealsodoesnotapplywherecontractsareawardedpursuanttointernationalagreementsinconformitywiththeTECsuchastheWTOAgreementonGovernmentProcurement.141Furthermore,inorderfortheDirectivetobeapplicable,certainthresholdamountsmuchbereacheddependingonthetypeofcontractatissue.142However,evenwheretheDirectivedoesnotapply,orthethresholdvaluehasnotbeenmet,theECJhasheldthattheprocurementprocedureusedbytheMemberStatemustcomplywiththefundamentalprinciplesofCommunitylaw,inparticular,theprincipleofnon-discrimination.143
Intheinterestoftransparencyandnon-discrimination,theDirectiverequiresthatthecontractingbodypublicizeanoticesettingoutitsneedsandrequirements.144Itthenprovidesforthreetypesofprocedures:(1)openprocedures,inwhichanyinterestedeconomicoperator145maysubmitatender;(2)restrictedprocedures,wherebyanyeconomicoperatormayrequesttoparticipate,butonlythoseinvitedbythecontractingauthoritymaysubmitatender;and(3)negotiatedprocedures,wherethecontractingauthoritiesengageeconomicoperatorsoftheirchoiceandnegotiatethetermsofcontractwithsuchoperator.ItispreferredundertheDirectivethatprocedures(a)and(b)areused.However,inexceptionalcases,acontractingauthoritymaybepermittedtoawardcontractsbynegotiatedprocedure,withoutthepublicationofatendernotice.Article29alsoallowsMemberStatestheoptiontofollowacompetitivedialogueprocedureinthecaseofparticularlycomplexcontracts.Article31(1)(c)providesthatforeachtypeofcontracttheDirectivecovers,contractingauthoritiesmayusethenegotiatedprocedurewithoutpriorpublicationofacontractnotice:
“insofarasisstrictlynecessarywhen,forreasonsofextremeurgencybroughtaboutbyeventsunforeseeablebythecontractingauthoritiesinquestion,thetimelimitfortheopen,restrictedornegotiatedprocedureswiththepublicationofacontractnoticeasreferredtoinArticle30cannotbecompliedwith.Thecircumstancesinvokedtojustifyextremeurgencymustnotinanyeventbeattributabletothecontractingauthority.”146
Theguidanceissuedtoaccompanytheoriginallegislationbeforeitsrecastingin2004,explainsthemeaningoftheexceptionin31(1)(c):
“Theconceptofunforeseeableeventsistakentomeanoccurrencesthatoverwhelminglytran-scendthenormalboundsofeconomicandsociallife(forexample,anearthquakeorflooding
139. Governed by Directive 2004/17/EC. The provisions in this Directive are essentially similar to those in Directive 2004/18/EC, including the derogation provision discussed below. 140. Directive 2004/18/EC arts 14, 16. 141. Concluded in the framework of the Uruguay Round multilateral negotiations. However, Member States must apply the same conditions they apply to third country applicants for procurement contracts to any Member State applicants (art 5, Directive 2004/18/EC). 142. art 7. 143. Joined Cases C-20/01 and C-28/01 Com-mission v Germany [2003] ECR I-3609 para 62; Case C-525/03 CommissionvItaly [2005] ECR I-9405, Opinion of AG Jacobs para 8. 144. art 29. 145. ‘Economic operator’ encompasses the concepts of contractor, supplier and service pro-vider according to article 1(8). 146. The provisions in Article
29 regarding ‘competitive dialogue’ demonstrate that a possibly lengthy procedure of opening dialogue, engaging in dialogue, as-sessing tenders and formally terminating the dialogue is appli-cable. Article 38 governs the time limits for receipt of requests to participate and for receipt of tenders. Paragraph 1 mandates that when fixing the time limits, Member States must take into account the complexity of the contract and the time necessary for drawing up tenders and that, in the case of open procedures, the minimum time limit for receipt of tenders must be at least 52 days from the date the contract notice was sent. Regarding re-stricted procedures, the minimum time limit is 40 days, and re-garding the dialogue referred to above, the minimum time limit for receipt of requests to participate is 37 days.
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Chapter 3. Areas of EU Regulation
inthewakeofwhichessentialsuppliesareneededasamatteroftheutmosturgencyinordertoprovidereliefandshelterforthevictims.”147
Acontractingauthoritycanonlyrelyonthisprovisiontocopewiththeeventimmediatelyafteritoccurs,which,accordingtotheguidance,shouldequalaperiodofapproximatelyonemonth.Anyproducts,suppliesorservicesneededsubsequentlymustbetenderedforaccordingtothenormalproceduresintheDirective.
ThisissuewasbrieflytoucheduponinAdvocateGeneralJacob’sOpinioninthecaseCommission v ItalywhichinvolvedItaly’sacquisitionoffire-fightingaircrafttodealwithseasonalforestfires.148ThecasewasdeclaredinadmissiblebytheECJ,butAGJacobstooktheviewthatthederogationcouldnotbeappliedwhereequipmentorservicesweresoughtforrecurringevents.
ECpublicprocurementrulesmaythereforeinterferewithaMemberState’sabilitytoreceiveassist-ance,certainlyinthelongtermaftertheimmediateaftermathhassubsided,butalsopossiblyinrelationtoongoingorrecurringemergencies.
3e. Privileges and Immunities
UnderArticle343LisbonTFEU(exArticle291TEC),theCommunity“shallenjoyintheterri-toriesoftheMemberStatessuchprivilegesandimmunitiesasarenecessaryfortheperformanceofitstasks”.AprotocolwasdraftedandattachedtotheTreatywhichpresentstheconditionsofsuchprivilegesandimmunities.149TheProtocolappliestotheCommunityinstitutionsandstaff,in-cludingtheEuropeanCentralBank,theEuropeanInvestmentBank,theCommunityCourtsandmissionsofthirdcountriesaccreditedtotheEC.Itprovidesprivilegesandimmunitiesregardingdirecttaxationandcustomsduties150andcontainsprovisionsregardingofficialcommunicationsandtravelpassesforofficialsandotherservantsoftheCommunities.151ItalsoprovidesforthefreemovementofMembersofEuropeanParliamentinrespectofcustomsandexchangecontrolwhiletravellingtoandfromitsmeetings152,andgrantsMembersimmunityfromliabilityfromlegalproceedingsduringparliamentarysessions.153ChapterVoftheProtocolgrantscertainprivilegesandimmunitiestoofficialsandotherservantsoftheEuropeanCommunitiesbutdoesnotdefine‘servants’;thus,itisuncertainwhetherconsularmissionstaffcanbenefitfromthisprovisioniftheyareworkingaspartofanEUteam.
TheProtocolisstrictlyconcernedwithprivilegesandimmunitiesoftheCommunitiesanditsstaff.Itmakesnomentionofwhetherhumanitarianorganizations,memberstatecivilprotectionper-sonnelorinternationalorganizationsareconsidered‘servantsoftheCommunities’inthecontextofreliefoperations,nordoesitmakeanyseparateprovisionsforsuchbodies.NeitherdoesthereseemtobeaseparateEUdocumentspecificallyaddressingthisissue.
3
147. Guide to the Community Rules on Public Supply Contracts other than in the Water, Energy, Transport and Telecommunica-tions Sectors: Directive 93/36/EEC. Although this guidance is aimed at previous legislation applying specifically to supply con-tracts, it has been stated by the Advocate General in CommissionvItaly (n 143) that “whatever view is reached with regard to one directive will be valid with regard to the other” as the same dero-gation was present in the legislation specifically relating to public
service contracts. Of course, that legislation has been consolidated into the current regime in Directive 2004/18/EC and the dero-gation applies not only to those two types of contracts, but also to public works contracts. 148. (n 143). 149. Protocol (No 36) on the privileges and immunities of the European Commu-nities (1965). 150. Articles 3 and 4. 151. Articles 6 and 7. 152. Article 8. 153. Article 10.
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3f. Other Forms of EU Co-operation
i. Nuclear Safety
TheCouncilhasadoptedlegislationtopromotetheearlyexchangeofinformationintheeventofaradiologicalemergency.154ThedecisionisintendedtoapplytosituationswhereaMemberStatechoosestotakebroadmeasuresinresponsetoaccidentsinvolvingorlikelytoinvolveasignificantreleaseofradioactivematerialorthedetectionofabnormallevelsofradioactivity.155TheMemberStatetakingactionmustnotifytheCommissionandanyMemberStatesthatareormightbeaf-fectedbythemeasuresofitsintentiontotakeactionanditsreasonsfordoingso,andmustprovidethemwithinformationrelatingtotheradiologicalconsequencesoftheincident.156TheinformedMemberStatesmustthendothesameiftheydecidetotakeactionthemselves.157
TheCouncilhasalsoadoptedmeasuresrelatingtopublichealthprotectionmeasuresintheeventofaradiologicalemergency.158ThepurposeoftheDirectiveis“todefine,atCommunitylevel,commonobjectiveswithregardtomeasuresandproceduresforinformingthegeneralpublic”.159TheMemberStatesmustsupplythepubliclikelytobeaffectedwithinformationconcerningtheapplicablehealthprotectionmeasuresintheeventofaradiologicalemergency.Theinforma-tionshouldbeupdatedanddistributedregularly.160Intheeventofaradiologicalemergency,theMemberStatesmustinformtheaffectedpopulationimmediatelyastoanystepstobetakenandanyrelatedhealthmeasures.161
ii. Marine Pollution
TheEuropeanCommunityhasbeen involved inresponse tomarinepollutionsince its1978CouncilResolutionsettingupanactionprogrammeonthe“controlandreductionofpollutioncausedbyhydrocarbonsreleasedatsea”,whichwaslateramendedtodealwithotherharmfulsubstances.TherearethreecurrentpiecesoflegislationrelatingtoCommunityprotectionagainstmarinepollution.ThefirstisDecision2850/2000/ECofParliamentandCouncilsettingupaCommunityframeworkforco-operationinthefieldofaccidentalordeliberatemarinepollutionwhichwasapplicablefrom1January2000to31December2006.Itsaimsareto:
n SupportMemberStates’effortstocombatmarinepollution;n HelpimproveMemberStates’capacitytorespondtoaccidents;n Encourageandstrengthenmutualassistancethroughactivitiessuchasexchangeofex-
perts,trainingandexercises;andn PromoteMemberStateco-operationrelatingtocompensationfordamageaccordingtothe
polluter-paysprinciple.
UnderthisDecision,DGEnvironmentsetupaCommunityInformationSystemfortheexchangeofdataonpreparationandresponsetomarinepollutionandarollingthree-yearplanconsistingoftraining,expertexchange,exercisesandpilotprojectsinordertoimplementtheframeworkforco-operation.
FollowingthisDecision,theCounciladoptedthefirstCPM,whichisalsoapplicabletomarinepollution.TheCPMwasdiscussedaboveinPartIII.a.
154. Council Decision 87/600/Euratom on Community ar-rangements for the early exchange of information in the event of a radiological emergency. 155. ibid art 1. 156. ibid art 2. 157. ibid art 4. 158. Directive 89/618/Euratom on informing
the general public about health protection measures to be applied and steps to be taken in the event of a radiological emergency. 159. ibid art 1. 160. ibid art 5. 161. ibid art 6.
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In2002Regulation1406/2002/ECestablishedaEuropeanMaritimeSafetyAgency.162TheAgency’sobjectiveistoprovidetechnicalandscientificassistancetotheEuropeanCommissionandMemberStatesrelatedtoproperimplementationofEuropeanlegislationbyshipsandtocarryoutspecifictaskswithregardtooilpollutionresponse.
InDecember2006,theCommissionissuedaCommunication163regardingthestateofCommunityactioninthefieldofaccidentalordeliberatemarinepollutionandestablishingitsintentregardingeffortsfrom2007.AccordingtotheCommunication,asof2007,20MemberStates,alongwithNorwayandIceland,participateintheCommunityframeworkforco-operation.ItdiscussedtheroleplayedbytheCPMandtheMICinrelationtothePrestige marinepollutionincidentof2002andaMICresponsein2006tomaritimepollutioninLebanon.Itsgoalsforthe2007+cyclein-cludedimprovingconsistencyofCommunitypolicyregardingpreparedness,enhancingprepared-nessactionsoftheEuropeanMaritimeSafetyAgency,increasingtheexchangeofgoodpracticeatCommunitylevel,enhancingresponsethroughgreaterconsistencyattheEuropeanlevelandimprovingoperationalsupporttotheMemberStates.
TheEuropeanCommunityisalsopartytothefollowingregionalinstruments:
n TheConventionof1974and1992ontheprotectionofthemarineenvironmentoftheBalticSeaarea(HelsinkiConvention);
n TheConventionof1976fortheprotectionoftheMediterraneanSeaagainstpollution(BarcelonaConvention)anditsProtocols;164
n TheAgreementof1983forcooperationindealingwithpollutionoftheNorthSeabyoilandotherharmfulsubstances(BonnAgreement);and
n ThecooperationAgreementsignedin1990fortheprotectionofthecoastsandwatersoftheNorth-EastAtlanticagainstpollution(LisbonAgreement–notyetinforce).
iii. Forests
DGEnvironmentandtheJointResearchCentrecreatedtheEuropeanForestFireInformationSystem(EFFIS)in1998tosupportfirefightingservicesintheMemberStatesandtoprovideser-vicesandParliamentwithinformationonEuropeanforestfiresandstatisticstoaidinresponse.165EFFISconductsscientificandtechnicalresearchonforestfiresandissuesannualreportsonforestfiresinEurope.ItalsomaintainsalargedatabasewhichrecordstheoccurrenceoffireswithinEurope.EFFISissupportedbyateamofexpertsfrom22EUMemberStatesthatmeetsregularly.
iv. Pandemic Influenza
AlthoughitisprimarilytheresponsibilityofMemberStatestoadoptmeasuresbestsuitedtofighttheonsetofhumaninfluenzapandemics,theEUhasstressedthatasingleMemberStatemaybeunabletodealwithanoutbreakonitsown,especiallywheretheoutbreakcrossesitsborderandaffectsitssurroundingneighbours.Tothatend,theEUconsidereditnecessarytodevelopEU-levelco-ordinationmeasurestostrengtheninternationalco-operationandreducetheimpactofany
3
162. Information on the Agency is available at: http://www.emsa.europa.eu/. 163. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, to the European Economic and Social Committee and to the Committee of Re-gions: Cooperation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine
pollution after 2007, COM(2006) 863 final. 164. See http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/water_protec-tion_management/l28084_en.htm for more details concerning the adoption of the eight protocols. 165. More information on EFFIS is available at: http://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/.
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pandemic.TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)hasissuedguidelines166regardingactiontotakebeforeandduringpandemicsthatarefollowedbymostcountries.AnyEU-levelactionwillalsofollowtheserecommendations,takingintoaccountspecificmeasuresnecessaryduetocir-cumstancesparticulartotheEU.TheEUhasalong-standingrelationshipwiththeWHO,begin-ningin2000withanexchangeofletters.167Theletterswereaimedatstrengtheningco-operationbetweentheCommissionandtheWHOandidentifiedanumberofpriorityareas,includingcom-municablediseases,environmentandhealth.
Bearinginmindtheabove,theECadoptedRegulation851/2004/ECestablishingaEuropeanCentrefordiseasepreventionandcontrol.TheCentreisintendedto“enhancethecapacityoftheCommunityandtheMemberStatestoprotecthumanhealththroughthepreventionandcontrolofhumandisease”.168ThemaintaskoftheCentreisto“identify,assessandcommunicatecurrentandemergingthreatstohumanhealthfromcommunicablediseases”.169IthastheauthoritytoactonitsowninitiativeintheeventofanoutbreakthatmayspreadwithintheCommunitywheretheoriginoftheillnessisunknown.170TheCentreactslargelyasaninformationclearinghouse,providingscientificandtechnicalinformationtotheECinstitutionsandMemberStatesandco-or-dinatinganybodiesoperatinginthefieldscomingwithinthescopeofitsmission.171TheMemberStatesalsohaveadutytoprovidetheCentrewithtimelyinformationrelatedtoitspurposeandtoforwardtotheCentreanymessagesreceivedthroughitsearlywarningnetwork.
ThebasisfortheEuropeanCentreforDiseasePreventionandControlisapreviousDecisionoftheParliamentandCouncilin1998regardingthecreationofanetworkforsurveillanceandcontrolofcommunicablediseases.172ThisDecisioncalledfortheimprovementofexistingnetworksbetweenMemberStatesdedicatedtothemonitoringofintra-Communitycommunicablediseases,aswellasheightenedmeasuresfortheearlyexchangeofinformationbetweenMemberStates.TheDecisionsetupanetworkatCommunityleveltaskedwithsurveillanceandearlywarningandresponsewithaviewtowardstrengtheningco-operationandco-ordinationamongtheMemberStates.173TheMemberStatesareobligedtoconsultwitheachotherandtheCommissioninordertoco-ordinatetheireffortsforthepreventionandcontrolofcommunicablediseases.
Morerecently,theCommissionhasissuedcommunicationsregardingstrengthenedco-ordinationonpreparednessforhealthemergenciesatEUlevel174andonpreparednessandresponseplan-ningspecificallyinrelationtopandemicinfluenza175.Together,thesedocumentsformthebasisforfutureCommunity-levelactionthatwillassisttheMemberStatesindevelopingtheirownplanstodealwithpublichealthemergencies.TheCommissionhasidentifiedsixkeyissuestoaddressatCommunitylevel:(1)informationmanagement;(2)communications;(3)scientificadvice;(4)liaisonandcommandandcontrolstructures;(5)preparednessofthehealthsector;and(6)prepar-ednessinallothersectorsandinter-sectorally.176
166. These guidelines are available at: http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/inf luenza/WHO_CDS_CSR_GIP_2005_5.pdf. 167. Exchange of Letters between the World Health Organisation and the Commission of the European Communities concerning the consolidation and intensification of cooperation and attached Memorandum concerning the frame-work and arrangements for cooperation between the World Health Organization and the Commission for the European Communi-ties (2001/C 1/04). 168. Regulation 851/2004/EC art 3(1). 169. ibid. 170. ibid. 171. ibid art 3(2). 172. Decision 2119/98/EC setting up a network for the epidemiological surveil-lance and control of communicable diseases in the Community.
173. ibid art 1. 174. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Eco-nomic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on strengthening coordination on generic preparedness planning for public health emergencies at EU level, COM(2005) 605 final, 28 November 2005. 175. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Eu-ropean Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Planning in the European Community, COM(2005) 607 final, 28 November 2005. 176. COM(2005) 605 final (n 174) 5; see also ibid, p 7.
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3
On15September2009,theCommissionadoptedastrategypaperonpandemicH1N1supportingtheMemberStates’effortstorespondtothepandemic.Thestrategypaperemphasisestheco-ordinationofpreparationsinordertoeffectivelyrespondtopandemics.IthighlightsvaccinationsasaneffectivemeansofpreventionandurgesMemberStatestorevisetheirvaccinationstrategiesinlightofcurrentscientifictrends.Thepaperdiscussestheneedtogivesupporttothirdcoun-triesandtoimproveinternationalco-operationtoensureacoherentglobalpublichealthresponse.Businesscontinuityconcernsarealsoaddressed,aspandemicsoftenleadtoothersocialandeco-nomicconsequencessuchaslowerproductivityandadeclineinretailactivity.TheCommissionwasrequestedtoreviewandreportonfivespecificareas177inrelationtopandemicswhichformedthebasisofdiscussionsofthehealthministerson12October2009.
TheInternationalHealthRegulations(IHR)shouldalsobementioned.TheIHRenteredintoforcein2007andisbindingonallMemberStatesoftheWHO,includingalltheEUMemberStates.TheIHRisaimedatco-operationinpreventionandresponsetohealthrisksthathavethepotentialtocrossbordersandcauseaworld-widepandemic.TheIHRincludesreportingrequire-mentsintheeventofanoutbreakandestablishesprocedurestofollowshouldanoutbreakoccur.TheIHRalsoplaceanobligationonmembercountriestostrengthentheirexistingframeworksforpreparationandresponse.
v. Victims of Terrorism
AlthoughthepreventionandpunishmentofterrorismisoutsideofthescopeofthisReport,itshouldbementionedthattheEUhasanextensiveprogrammeinplaceregardingthefightagainstterrorism.Ofparticularrelevance,since2004,theCommissionhasbeenactivelypursuingaprogrammetoaidvictimsofterroristattacks.Thishasmainlybeendonethroughthefinancingofaprojectdedicatedtovictimassistance.TheEUisintheprocessofadoptinglegislationconcerningcompensationforharmsufferedandtheprovisionofmaterial,psychological,medicalandsocialassistance.178CouncilDirective2004/80/ECrelatingtocompensationtocrimevictimsrequiresMemberStatestosetupcompensationschemesforvictimsofviolentinternationalcrimescommittedwithintheirterritories.
3g. Recent Trends in Co-Operation
Inthelasttenyears,theEUhasenteredaphaseofco-operationwiththirdcountriesthatisin-clusiveofconcernsrelatedtodisasterassistance.TheseagreementsdemonstrateawillingnessoftheEUtoshareitsdisasterresponsecapacitywiththosestateslessabletocopewiththeeffectsofdisasters.Theagreementstendtoincludeformlanguagerelatedtoco-operationinnaturaldisas-ters.TheydemonstrateanawarenessonthepartoftheEUoftheimportanceofco-operationinthefieldofnaturaldisasters.Althoughtheyseemspecificallygearedtowardcomingtotheaidoftheirthirdcountrypartners,theagreementsprovidefor‘co-operation’andthereforecontemplatesassistancebetweenallpartners,includingtheEUMemberStates.
Forexample,the2000PartnershipAgreementbetweentheECanditsMemberStatesandtheAfrican,CaribbeanandPacific(ACP)StatesincludesChapter6,HumanitarianandEmergencyAssistance,whichpledgesthatassistancetotheACPpopulationwillbeprovidedinsituations“resultingfromnaturaldisaster,man-madecrisessuchaswarsandotherconflictsorextraordinarycircumstanceshavingcomparableeffects”.179
177. These areas were: vaccine development, vaccine strategies, joint procurement, communication to the public and support to third countries. 178. European Parliament, ‘Protection of
Victims of Crime’, available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/libe/elsj/zoom_in/17_en.htm. 179. Article 72.1.
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 4: Other Sources of Norms
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 4. Other Sources of Norms
Chapter 4Other Sources of Norms
Muchoftherelevantregionalmaterialshavebeendiscussedina2007studybytheIFRCentitled‘Lawandlegalissuesininternationaldisasterresponse:adeskstudy’.Somewillberepeatedhere,butthisreportattemptstouncoveradditionalregionalagreementsrelevanttotheEUMemberStatesinrelationtoresponsetodisasters.Asthereaderwillseebelow,asidefromtheConventionslisted, thereare severalEuropeanpartnershipscentredondisaster relief.Beforedetailing therelevantinstruments,itisnecessarytoconsiderbrieflythelegalstatusofsuchinstrumentswithintheEClegalorder.
4a. The Legal Status of Agreements in the EC Order
n ThelegitimacyofanyinternationalagreementmadebytheMemberStatesisdependentuponwhethertheagreementwasconcludedbeforeoraftertheentryintoforceoftheTECin1958.
n WherethereisaconflictbetweeninternationalagreementsandprimaryEClaw,pri-maryEClawhaspriorityunlesstherightsofathirdcountryareaffected.
i. Agreements with Third States
Article351LisbonTFEU(exArticle307TEC)referstointernationalagreementsofMemberStateswiththirdcountriespriortoEUaccession.Itstatesthatanyrightsandobligationsarisingfromagreementswiththirdcountriesenteredintopriorto1958(i.e.whentheTECenteredintoforceandhencewhentheMemberStatesbecameobligatedundertheEClegalorder)willnotbeaffectedbytheTEC.ItthencontinuestoreadthatMemberStatesmusttake”allappropriatestepstoeliminatetheincompatibilities”andworktogetherintheattempttorepairtheincongruities.
ii. Agreements between Member States
Thereareestablishedrulesandjurisprudenceregardingthematterofso-called‘inter-se’agree-mentsbetweenMemberStates.Ingeneral,theconclusionofinter-seagreementsispermissible,eveniftheyfallwithintheCommunitycompetence,aslongasco-operationiscompliantwithCommunitylawanddoesnotimpedeEUco-operationorpolicymaking.
PrimaryEClaw(theTreaties,directivesandregulations)haspriorityoverconflictingnationallaw,includinginternationalagreements,unlesstherightsofathirdcountryareaffected.However,thelegallimitofMemberStateactionininter-seagreementsisfoundinthedutyofco-operationinArticle4LisbonTEU(exArticle10TEC).Statesmaynotuseintergovernmentalco-operationthattheyhaveestablishedamongthemselvesasanargumenttoimpedethedevelopmentofanEUpolicy.
AgreementsconcludedbyaMemberStatefollowingitsaccessiontotheEUmustrespectEClaw.
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4b. International Agreements
The1970Recommendation of the Customs Co-operation Council to Expedite the Forwarding of Relief Consignments in the Event of DisasterswaspartiallyintegratedintospecificannexesoftheInternationalConventiononthesimplificationandharmonizationofCustomsprocedures(KyotoConvention)of1974(andrevisedin2000).Itsprovisionsrecommendthatpartieswaiveexportandimportconditionsregardingreliefconsignmentsandare largelymirroredinAnnexesB3andJ5.TheConventionalsotakesintoaccounttheUNOCHAModelCustomsFacilitationAgreementbetweentheUNandaStateorGovernment,whichprovidesmeasurestoexpeditetheimport/exportandtransitofreliefconsignments,aswellasthepersonalitemsofreliefpersonnel.
The UN Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (1946) and theConvention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies(1947)areanexpansionofArticles104and105oftheCharteroftheUnitedNationsthatclarifythelegalstatus,rightsandprivilegesandimmunitiesofUNpersonnelandspecializedagenciessuchastheInternationalLabourOrganizationortheInternationalMonetaryFund.Itismuchliketheprivilegesandim-munitiesprotocoloftheTECinthatitdeterminesthestatusofUNproperty,MemberStaterepre-sentativestotheUNandUNofficials,andsetsouttherulesapplyingtotheUNLaissez-Passer.180Onehundredfifty-sevenstatesarepartytothe1946Convention,while116statesarepartytotheConventionrelatingtoSpecializedAgencies.
TheConvention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel(1994)anditsOptional Protocol(2005)appliestoUNoperations:“(i)wheretheoperationisforthepurposeofmain-tainingorrestoringinternationalpeaceandsecurity;or(ii)wheretheSecurityCouncilortheGeneralAssemblyhasdeclared,forpurposesoftheConvention,thatthereexistsanexceptionalrisktothesafetyofthepersonnelparticipatingintheoperation”.181TheConventionisnarrowlyfocusedanddoesnotapply tootherpeacekeepingmissions.Therefore, in2005, theGeneralAssemblyadoptedtheOptionalProtocolinordertoexpandthescopeoftheConventiontoUNandassociatedpersonnel“deliveringemergencyhumanitarianassistanceorprovidinghumani-tarian,politicalordevelopmentassistanceinpeacebuilding”.182TheConventionenteredintoforceon15January1999andcurrentlyhas87parties;theProtocolhas18parties,butisnotyetinforce.
TheTampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations(1999)establishesaframeworkforfacilitatingtheuseoftelecommunica-tionsresourcesintheeventofadisasterbyrequiringstatepartiestoreduceorremoveanybarrierstobringingtelecommunicationsequipmentacrossbordersduringandafteradisaster.Itrequiresstates,non-stateentitiesandintergovernmentalorganisationstoco-operatetofacilitatetheuseoftelecommunicationresourcesfordisastermitigationandrelief.Italsoincludesprovisionforconfer-ringthenecessaryprivilegesandimmunitiesondisasterreliefpersonnel.Therearecurrentlyonly37parties,including25EUMemberStates.Ithasbeeninforcesince8January2005.
TheConvention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention)(1990)isaconsolidationofsev-eralagreementsrelatingtotemporaryadmission.AnnexAconcernstemporaryadmissionpapersandreplacestheA.T.A.Conventionof1961.AnnexB.2coversprofessionalequipment,forex-ample,transmissionandcommunicationequipment.AnnexB.9allowsthefreeimportationofgoodsimportedforhumanitarianpurposessuchasreliefconsignmentsandmedicalequipment,as
180. The UN Laissez-Passer is a travel document issued by the United Nations to its staff which can be used like a national
passport (in connection with travel on official missions for the United Nations only). 181. Article 1(c). 182. Article II.1.
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longastheyareintendedforre-export.AnnexCcoverstemporaryadmissionofmeansoftrans-port.AnnexDallowsforthetemporaryadmissionofrescueanimals.Ithasbeeninforcesince27November1993.TheConventionhas51parties;theECbecameapartyin1993.183
TheConvention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accidentwasadoptedin1986followingtheChernobylnuclearplantaccident.ItestablishesanotificationsystemfornuclearaccidentsthatarecapableofhavinginternationaltransboundaryeffectandrequiresStatestoreportthetime,locationandtypeofreleaseinconnectionwiththeaccidenteitherdirectlytotheaffectedStatesorthroughtheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency.TheConventionhas105parties;EuratombecameapartytotheConventionin2005.184Atthesametime,theConvention on Assistance in the Case of Nuclear Accident or Radiological EmergencywasadoptedundertheauspicesoftheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgencyandhasbeeninforcesince1986.ThisConventionestablishesaframeworkforinternationalco-operationtofacilitateassistanceandsupportintheeventofaradiologicalornuclearemergency.StateshavetonotifytheAgencyoftheiravailablereliefresources,suchasexpertsandequipment,anddecidewhetheritiscapableofrespondingtoanyrequestsforassist-ance.TheAgencyfunctionsastheco-ordinatorbetweenStatesinthisregard.TheConventionhas103parties;EuratomaccededtothisConventionin2005.185
The1992Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidentsenteredintoforceon19April2000andhas37parties,includingtheEC.186ItoperatesundertheframeworkoftheUNEconomicCommissionforEurope.TheConventionappliestoallindustrialaccidentscapableofhavingtransboundaryeffects,includingaccidentscausedbynaturaldisasters,except:
n nuclearaccidentsorradiologicalemergencies;n accidentsatmilitaryinstallations;n damfailures;n land-basedtransportaccidents;n accidentalreleaseofgenetically-modifiedorganisms;andn accidentscausedbyactivitiesinthemarineenvironment.
TheConventionoperatesagainstaframeworkofco-operationandinformationexchange.ItobligestheContractingPartiestoidentifyhazardousactivitieswithintheirjurisdictionandtoinformanyaffectedpartiesastotheirintentiontoconductsuchactivities.ThePartiesarealsorequiredtoestab-lishasystemofnotificationandtodesignateasinglepointofcontacttoreceiveandsendnotifications.
The1968Vienna Convention on Road Trafficreplacedthe1949GenevaConventiononRoadTrafficandisaimedatfacilitatinginternationalroadtrafficandincreasingroadsafety.Itpro-videsthatContractingPartiesmustrecognisethelegalityofvehiclesfromothersignatorycoun-triesandimposesobligationsonsignatoriesregardingthedisplayofvehicleregistrationnumbers.TheConventionenteredintoforceon21May1977.Itcurrentlyhas68parties,including24EUMemberStates.TheConventionhasbeensupplementedbytheEuropean Agreement Supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic,adoptedon1May1971andenteringintoforceon7June1979.Thislateragreementhas33parties,including22EUMemberStates.
183. Council Decision 93/329/EEC concerning the conclu-sion of the Convention on Temporary Admission and accepting its annexes. 184. Decision 2005/844/Euratom concerning the accession of the European Atomic Energy Community to the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident. 185. Council Decision 2005/845/Euratom concerning the
accession of the European Atomic Energy Community to the Convention on Assistance in the case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency 186. Council Decision 98/685/EC concerning the conclusion of the Convention on the Transbo-unary Effects of Industrial Accidents.
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Regardingmedicines,threeUNConventionsarerelevant.TheSingle Convention on Narcotic Drugs(1961)andtheConvention on Psychotropic Substances(1971)areaimedatcreatinganinternationalsystemforthecontrolandmonitoringoftheproductionofnarcoticdrugsandpsychotropicsub-stances.Together,theConventionsprohibitanyuseorpossessionofscheduledsubstancesandcallonStatesPartiestotheconventionstocriminalizetheseandrelatedoffences.BothConventionsincludeanexceptionforuseofthesubstanceswhenexclusivelyintendedformedicalpurposes.187The1961Conventionenteredintoforceon8August1975andcurrentlyhas153parties,including24EUMemberStates.188The1971Conventionenteredintoforceon16August1976andhas183parties,includingalltheEUMemberStates,butnottheECitself.
TheUN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic SubstancesrequiresStatesPartiestocriminalizecertainactsrelatingtotheactionsprohibitedunderthe1961and1971UNConventions.Althoughthe1988Conventiondoesnotcitemedicalpurposesasanexplicitexception,becausesuchusageispermissibleundertheearlierconventions,suchuseisalsopossibleunderthe1988Convention.The1988Conventionenteredintoforceon11November1990andcurrentlyhas184parties,includingtheECitself.189
4c. Regional Agreements
TheEUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement(PartialAgreementonthePreventionof,ProtectionAgainst,andOrganizationofReliefinMajorNaturalandTechnologicalDisasters)wasdraftedbytheCouncilofEuropein1987soastoestablishaforumforco-operationbetweenEasternEurope,WesternEuropeandtheSouthernMediterraneanregion.Itsmainobjectiveisto“makeamultidisciplinarystudyoftheco-operationmethodsforthepreventionof,protectionagainst,andorganisationofreliefinmajorandtechnologicaldisasters”.TheAgreementisaso-called‘partial’agreementandisthereforenotaformalinternationaltreaty,butratheramethodofcooperationwithintheCouncilofEurope.Ithasaunilateralaccessionmechanism.Todate,ithas25membersandtheEuropeanCommissionhas‘participant’status.190
TheEuropean Convention on EstablishmentwasdraftedbytheCouncilofEuropestatesin1955andenteredintoforceon23February1965.TheConventionguaranteesseveralbenefitstona-tionalsoftheContractingPartiessuchasfacilitatedentryfortemporaryvisitsandfreetravel,equaltreatmentwithrespecttothepossessionandexerciseofprivaterights,therighttoengageingainfulemploymentandlegalandjudicialprotection.TheConventionhasbeensignedby12EUMemberStatesandratifiedbyten.
The European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International Non-Governmental Organizations(1986)hasbeeninforcesince1January1991andappearstobethesoleinternationalinstrumentpertainingtotherecognitionofforeignNGOs;however,itonlyhas11ratifications.Itprovidesamethodfortherecognitionof“associations,foundationsandotherprivateinstitutions”satisfyingcertainconditionsviaproductionoftheNGO’smemorandumandarticlesofassociation.
187. art 4.c, 1961 Convention; art 5.2, 1971 Convention. 188. Estonia, Malta and Slovenia are neither signatories nor parties to the Convention. 189. Council Decision 90/611/EEC concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Eco-nomic Community, of the United Nations Convention against
Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. 190. A list of acceding states is available at: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeTableauAP.asp?AP=6&CM=&DF=&CL=ENG. .
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In 1996, under a programme entitled the Central European Initiative, the governments ofAustria,Croatia,Hungary,Italy,PolandandSloveniaconcludedtheCooperation Agreement on the Forecast, Prevention and Mitigation of Natural and Technological DisastersviatheCentralEuropeanInitiative.191Co-operationundertheagreementisbasedontheexchangeofscientificandtechnicalinformation,commonresearchprogrammesandexperttrainingwithaviewtowardsettingupcommonprogrammesonCivilProtectionandDisasterManagement.192Theagreemententeredintoforceon1August1994.
TheEU Euro-Med Civil Protection BridgeisaprogrammeestablishedbytheEU.Thefirstphaseoftheprogrammetookplacefrom2003to2008andsoughttostrengthenthecivilprotectioncapacitiesintheMediterraneanregionthroughinformationandexpertexchangeandtheprovisionoftechnicalassistanceinthecontextofprevention,riskreductionandresponsecapacity.AnewprogrammehasbeenfundedbytheEUfrom2008to2011whichfocusesmorespecificallyonpre-ventionissues.193OthersimilarprogrammesundertheumbrellaoftheEUincludeTheNorthernDimensionandtheCounciloftheBalticSeaStates.The Northern Dimension 194wasestablishedin1999andincludesanEnvironmentalPartnershipwhichseekstostrengthenthedialoguebetweentheEU,Norway,IcelandandtheRussianFederation.TheEnvironmentalPartnershipfocusesonnuclearsafetyandnaturalresources.The Council of the Baltic Sea Stateswasestablishedin1992andconsistsofthe11statesoftheBalticSearegionaswellastheEuropeanCommissionandwasformedwiththeoverarchingpurposeofregionalinter-governmentalco-operation.195Ithasexperi-encedsuccessinfieldssuchasnuclearsafetyandthefacilitationofcross-borderco-operation.The Barents Euro-Arctic CouncilinvolvingNorway,Finland,RussiaandSwedenissimilar.196
EU Member States Bulgaria, Greece and Romania are, together with Albania, Armenia,Azerbaijan,Georgia,Ukraine,RussiaandMoldova,parties totheAgreement of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Manmade Disasters,concludedin1998.197Theagreementenablesthepassageofassist-anceacrosstheterritoryofthestatespartiesandestablishesbodiesandfocalpointsfornotificationandco-ordinationofassistanceincaseofemergencies.Furthermore,theagreementprovidesforfreemedicalassistance,foodandaccommodationfortheassistingpartyaswellassimplifiedbordercrossingprocedures.Itreferstoquarantinerulesforsearchdogteamsandexemptsequipmentandgoodsofassistancefromcustomsduties,taxesandfees.Finally,itexemptsemergencyoperationsaircraftfromroyaltiesforlanding,parkingandtakingoff.Therearealsoprovisionsregardingthebearingofcosts,thewaivingofdamageclaimsandtheprotectionofpersonaldata.
In2005, sevenEUMemberStates signed theConvention on the Stepping Up of Cross-Border Cooperation, Particularly in Combating Terrorism, Cross-Border Crime and Illegal Migration, or the ‘Prüm Treaty’.198ThePrümTreatyisfocusedonmutualexchangeoflawenforcementinformationsuchasDNAprofiles,fingerprintdata,vehicleregistrationdataandotherbitsofpersonaldata.MostrelevanttothisstudyisArticle26,whichprovidesforco-operationinconnectiontomajorevents,disastersandseriousaccidents.Itprovidesforpromptnotificationofanyseriousevent,
191. Information on the Initiative is available at: http://www.ceinet.org/. 192. Article 1. 193. More information on the Euro-Med Bridge is available at: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.313.content.en.html. 194. More information on the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership is available at: http://www.ndep.org/home.asp. 195. More information on the Council of the Baltic Sea States is available at: http://www.cbss.org/. 196. More information on the Barents Euro-Arctic
Council is available at: http://www.beac.st/contentparser.asp?deptid=25225. 197. Available at: http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/idrl/I260EN.pdf, last visited 17 August 2009. 198. One year later, the Administrative and Technical imple-menting Agreement to the Prüm Convention was signed in order to make operative certain technical matters of the Treaty. The text has not been published.
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co-ordinationofpolicemeasures,andthedispatchofassistingofficers,specialists,advisersandequipmentifanaffectedStaterequestssuchassistance.In2008,theEUadoptedCouncilDecision2008/615/JHA199recognizingthesubstantiveprovisionsofthePrümTreatyandincorporatingthemintothelegalframeworkoftheEUtherebymakingthemapplicabletotheMemberStates.
4d. Bilateral Agreements between Member States
ThereisamultitudeofbilateralagreementsonmutualdisasterreliefassistanceinEurope.InthisReport,abroadoverviewofthetreatiesthatwerepubliclyavailableandaccessibletotheresearcherswillbepresented.AmoredetailedexaminationofbilateralagreementsbetweenMemberStateswillbepresentedintheindividualnationalreports.
From27EUMemberStates,23werefoundtobepartiestoatleastonebilateralormultilateralagreementonmutualassistanceincivilprotectionordisasterandaccidentoperationsonEUter-ritory.ExceptionsareCyprus,Malta200IrelandandtheUnitedKingdom.ThepostColdWarerahasresultedinseveralbilateraldisasterreliefagreementsinCentralandEasternEurope.Austria,Belgium,FranceandGermanyhaveconcludedagreementswithalltheirEuropeanneighbours.
Theresearchcovered33bilateralagreementsconcludedbetween1973and2002.201Theinstru-mentsrangefromrathervaguegeneraldeclarationsongoodneighbourlyrelations,traininganddataexchange,todetailedtreatiesregulatingthecrossingofcommonbordersofpersonnelandmaterial,dataprotection,exemptionoftaxesandcustomsdutiesandtherepatriationofevacuees.Mostofthemregulatethecompensationofcostsaswellasdeath,injuryanddamageclaims.202
WithaviewtoPartVoftheIDRLGuidelines,thefollowingobservationscanbemade:
i. Personnel
Therulesareinconsistent.Someagreementswaivevisa,residenceandworkpermitrequirementscompletelyfordisasterreliefoperationpersonnel.Othersdonotregulatetheareaatallorarelessspecific,referringtoquickandminimalformalitiesorgrantingfreeaccesstoemergencysites.Teammembersandteamleadersareusuallyrequiredtopresentapieceofidentityoracertificate(permission)issuedbytherequestingstate.InonlyonecasedoestheagreementreferdirectlytotheSchengenacquis.
ii. Goods and Equipment
Mostagreementsprovideforthefacilitationofentryandexitofgoodsandequipmentingeneralterms,reducingfrontiercrossingformalitiestotheabsoluteminimum.Somewaiveimport/export/transitdocumentsandothersexpresslyexemptequipmentfromallduties,tariffsandcharges.Inmostcases,alistofmaterialshastobeshowntotheborderauthorities.Therulesareratherhetero-geneous;13outof33agreementsfounddonotregulatethesubjectmatteratall.
199. Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime. 200. Cyprus and Malta are part of the Co-operation group for the Prevention of, Protection Against, and Organisatin of Relief in Major Natural and Technological Disasters of the European Council (status as of 24 June 2009, see www.conventions.coe.int; see also Council of Europe Resolution
(87)2 as of 20 March 1987. 201. See Annex III for a com-plete table of these bilateral agreements. No agreements have been concluded past 2002. 202. Bochum University for the IFRC, ‘A Preliminary Overview and Analysis of Existing Treaty Law: Summary of the report conducted by Professor Horst Fischer’, January 2003, available at: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/pubs/disasters/idrl_lawtreaty.pdf.
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iii. Special Goods and Equipment
Inseveralcases,agreementsexemptnarcoticdrugsand/orpsychotropicsubstancesfromnationallegislationregardingimportandexportanduseofsuchsubstances.Telecommunication,licenses,theapprovalofmedication,labellingetc.aregenerallynotregulatedtotheextentrecommendedbytheGuidelines.
iv. Transport (speedy passage of land, marine and air vehicles)
Inmostagreements,thereareexplicitprovisionsregulatingtheuseofairspace,overflightandlandingrightsaswellasthefree-of-chargeuseofairfieldsandairports,and,inonecase,theex-emptionofmotorwayandtunnelfees.MorerecentagreementswaivevehiclepermitsormandatoryinsurancerequiredinaMemberState.Seventeenagreementsdonotregulatethesubjectmatteratall.
v. Temporary domestic legal status and Taxation (VAT)
Theseareasareleftunregulatedbyallagreements.
vi. Security
Insomeagreements,therequestingstategrantstheprovisionoffood,temporaryaccommodationandmedicaltreatmentfortheemergencypersonneloftheassistingstate.
vii. Extended Hours
Noagreementcontainsregulationsregardingthisissue.
viii. Costs
Twentyoutof33agreementscontainprovisionsregardingtheallocationofcostscausedbythedisasterreliefoperations.Costsaresometimesbornebytherequestingstate,sometimesbytheas-sistingstate.Inmostagreements,thepartiesmutuallywaiveclaimsfordamagescausedduringtheperformanceoftheoperations.
4e. Bilateral Agreements with Third States
i. United States
In1990theEUandtheUnitedStatessignedtheTransatlanticDeclarationonEC-USRelationsthatprovidesaframeworkforco-operationthroughregularpresidentialsummits.Whilethisagreementdoesnotenvisionco-operationinthefieldofdisasterresponse,theCommunityCPMwasactivatedintheUnitedStatesafterHurricaneKatrinaandrepresentativesfromtheMIChavemetwiththeUSFederalEmergencyManagementAgencyonanumberofoccasions.
203. The Road Maps are available at: http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/russia/common_spaces/index_en.htm.
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ii. Russia
In2005theEUandRussiaenteredintopackageagreementofso-called‘roadmaps’,203whichestab-lishedandimplementedfourcommonspaces:economics;freedom,securityandjustice;researchandeducation;andexternalsecurity.Civilprotectionco-operationwithRussiafallsunderthecommonspaceofexternalsecurity.TheRoadMapfortheCommonSpaceofExternalSecuritycites“strengtheneddialogueandco-operationonthe internationalscene”asoneof itsobjec-tivesalongside“co-operationincivilprotection”.204TheRoadMapstatesthattheobjectisto“strengthenEU-Russiadialogueandco-operationtopromotecommonabilitytorespondtodis-asterandemergencies,includinginspecificcrisismanagementsituations”throughtheexchangeofexpertinformation,co-ordinationofcapabilities,continueddiscussiononconcreteareasofco-operationsuchascivilprotectionandassistanceinresponsetonaturaldisasters,sharingofles-sonslearnedfromterroristattacks,andthefacilitationofmutualassistanceinsearchandrescueoperations.205
iii. Ukraine
TheEUand theUkrainehave explicitly endeavoured to co-operate closely in the sphereofcivilprotection.TheMICandtheMinistryofUkraineofEmergenciesandAffairsofPopularProtectionhaveconcludedanadministrativeagreementprovidingforinformationexchangeduringemergencies,includingofoperationalcontactdetails,andforjointcommunicationexercises.206
iv. Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
TheparticipationoftheFormerYugoslavRepublicofMacedoniaintheCommunityMechanismwillbepossibleonceaMemorandumofUnderstandingissigned.Thisisexpectedbytheendof2009.
v. Canada, Iceland, Norway, Turkey
Throughitscommonforeignandsecuritypolicy,theEUhas,basedonArticle37LisbonTEU(exArticle24TEU),concludedagreementswithCanada,Iceland,Norway,TurkeyandRomania(beforeitsaccession),establishingaframeworkfortheparticipationofthesecountriesinEUci-viliancrisismanagementoperations.Thoseoperationscanalsoincludecivilprotection.However,theseagreementsregulatetheparticipationofthirdcountriesinoperationsoutsidetheEUter-ritory.TheydonotprovideforanymutualassistanceofthecontractingpartiesindisasterreliefoperationswithintheEU.
Inadditiontotheabovebilateralagreementswiththirdstates,itshouldbenotedthattheMemberStatesthemselveshaveenteredintobilateralagreementswiththirdstatesinthecontextofdisasteras-sistance.DetailsoftheseagreementsarediscussedinthereportsofthenationalRedCrossSocieties.
ItshouldberecalledthatthelegitimacyofanyinternationalagreementtheMemberStatesmakeoutsidethecontextoftheEUisgenerallydependentuponwhethertheagreementwasconcluded
204. Road Map pp 40, 44. 205. ibid. 206. At the time of writing, the text of this agreement could not be located; however, information about the EU-Ukraine co-operation is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neigh-bourhood/country-cooperation/ukraine/ukraine_en.htm
and a discussion of the signing can be found in the 2009 Progress Report Ukraine published by the Commission on 23/04/09. As it has the status of an ‘administrative’ agreement; it is unclear whether the text is available to the public.
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beforeoraftertheentryintoforceoftheTECin1958.Wheretheagreementwasconcludedpriorto1958andiswithathirdcountry,theagreementwillnotbeaffectedbytheLisbonTreaty.AgreementsbetweenMemberStatesarepermissibleaslongas:(1)theagreementiscompliantwithexistingCommunitylaw,and(2)theagreementdoesnotimpedeEUco-operationorpolicymaking.
Furthermore,wherethereisaconflictbetweeninternationalagreementsandprimaryEClaw(e.g.,theTreaties,directivesandregulations),primaryEClawhaspriorityunlesstherightsofathirdcountryareaffectedVI.
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Chapter 5Conclusion
ThisreporthasdemonstratedthewaysinwhichEUlegislationrelatestothesubjectmatteroftheIDRLGuidelines.ThefactthattheEuropeanCommunityisfoundedontheideaofacommonmarketwithfreemovementofgoods,services,personsandcapitalmeansthatpeopleanditemsoriginatingfromEUMemberStatescanfreelytravelacrossEUterritorywithoutbeingsubjecttotheconstraintsthatapplyinthecaseofthirdcountrynationals.Furthermore,asdiscussedinPartII.d,EUlegislationdiscussedinthisreportcouldbebindingonprivateactors,suchasNationalRedCrossSocietiesornon-governmentalorganisations,iftheiroperationsconcernthesubjectmattertoucheduponbythelegislation.ItmayalsocreaterightsthatmaybeassertedbyprivateindividualsorbodiesagainsttheStateorindividuals.
Inseveralareas,EUlawcorresponds,atleastpartially,totheproposedprinciplesintheGuidelines:
n TheEUCPMandtheMICprovideaframeworkforco-operationthatincludesmech-anismsforprevention,notificationandresponsethatcorrespondtoPartsIIandIIIoftheGuidelinescallingforearlywarningproceduresandproceduresfortheinitiationandterminationofreliefandnotification(PartIII.ainfra).
n Section16oftheIDRLGuidelinesconcerningexpeditedorfreevisaandworkpermitpro-ceduresisnotrelevantforEUcitizensunderthegeneralprovisionsforfreemovementofpersonsandworkers.EUlegislationallowsMemberStatestoexemptreliefpersonnelfromnon-EUMemberStatesfromthevisarequirementintheeventofadisasteroraccident(PartIII.b.iinfra).
n TheoverallframeworkforfreemovementofpeopleundertheTECallowsEUcitizenstoresideinanyEUMemberStatewiththesameprivaterightsavailabletothenationalsofthatstate.ThisissimilartothewaythatSection20oftheIDRLGuidelinesenvisionsthatAffectedStatesshouldallowassistingorganisationsandtheiractorstemporarydomesticlegalstatus(PartIII.b.iiinfra).
n EUlegislationprovidesfortherecognitionofprofessionalqualificationsforseveralprofes-sions,includingdoctors,architectsandengineers,whohaveobtainedtheirqualificationsinotherEUMemberStates,andinsomecases,fromoutsidetheEU.ItalsorequiresthatMemberStatespermitthetemporaryprovisionofservices(regulatedundertherelevantEUlegislation)byapersonestablishedinanotherMemberState.However,theproceduresapplicabletosuchrecognitionarecanbetime-consumingwithoutexceptionforemer-gencysituations.Section16oftheIDRLGuidelinesisaimedatthistypeofmeasure(PartIII.b.iiinfra).
n CustomsandVATlegislationattheEClevelgoessomewaytosatisfythestandardsinsections17,18and21oftheGuidelinesrelatingtoexemptionfromcustomsdutiesandVATofgoodscomingfrombothwithinandoutsideoftheEUthatareintendedforreliefandthosegoodsintendedtomeettheneedsofdisasterreliefagenciesduringtheiractivityintheaffectedstate.Certainothergoodsarealsoexempt,includingmedical,surgicalandlaboratoryequipmentthatisintendedfortemporaryimportintotheEUcustomsterritory(PartIII.b.iiiinfra).
n Section17oftheIDRLGuidelinescontemplatestheexemptionfromorsimplificationofcustomsandtaxationproceduresapplicabletogoods,includingfood.EUfoodlawisconcernedprimarilywithfoodqualitystandardsforpurposesofmarketingandsaletoconsumersthatareapplicabletoanyfooditemsproducedwithinorenteringtheEUfrom
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thirdcountries.However,undercustomsandtaxationrules,foodisconsidereda‘good’thatwouldreceivefavourabletreatmentifshippedasdisasterreliefaid(PartIII.b.ivinfra).
n Section17oftheIDRLGuidelinesalsoconsidersrulesrelatingtotheimportationofmedicines.Likefoodlaw,EUpharmaceuticalslawimposesobligationsrelatingtomanu-factureandqualitythatmustbeensuredinproductsmanufacturedinsideandoutsideoftheEU.Undercustomsandtaxationrules,pharmaceuticalswouldbetreatedasa‘good’forcustomsreliefpurposesifintendedasaidinadisastersituation(PartIII.b.vinfra).
n Section17oftheIDRLGuidelinesmayalsoapplytotheimportationofcertaincontrolledsubstancestoaidindisasterrelief.TheEUhaslimitedcompetencetolegislateintheareaofcontrolledsubstances;competenceismostlylefttotheMemberStateswhoaremembersofthethreeUNConventionsondrugs,psychotropicsubstancesandillegaltraffickinginnarcotics.TheseConventionsallowanexceptiontotheprohibitionofuseofcertaincontrolledsubstancesformedicalpurposes,whichwouldbeapplicableintimesofdisaster(PartIII.b.vandPartIV.binfra).
n EUlegislationconcerningtheentryintoEUterritoryofanimalsfromwithintheEUgoessomewaytofulfillingtheaimofSection18oftheIDRLGuidelinesrelatingtotheimpor-tationofspecialgoodsbyprovidingamechanismforthefreecirculationofpetanimals(e.g.snifferdogs)intheCommunitywithoutlengthybordercontrols.Althoughthereisnospecificregimeapplicabletosnifferdogs,ifthedogssatisfytherequirementsofthepetsregulationandare‘Community’animals,theycanmovefreelybetweentheMemberStates(PartIII.b.viinfra).
n Speedypassageofland,marineandairvehiclesisthesubjectofSection19oftheIDRLGuidelinesandismettosomeextentbytheEU’scommontransportpolicy.Air,landandseavehiclesregisteredwithintheCommunityareallowedaccesstotheEUterritorybasedonprinciplesofmutualrecognitionandnon-discrimination.Thereisalsosomediscussionoftheavailabilityofemergencymeasuresinrelationtoairtransportandexemptionsfromauthorisationproceduresforthecarriageofdisasterreliefmaterialsbyroad(PartIII.b.viiinfra).
n Section18oftheIDRLGuidelinesdiscussesreducedbarrierstoaccesstotelecommunica-tionsandinformationtechnology.EClegislationregulatingelectroniccommunicationsprovidesaframeworkforaccessandauthorisationthatisaimedatstrengtheningcompeti-tionthroughtheUnioninthissector.TheECAuthorisationDirectivemakesprovisionforconditionalauthorisationtoensurecommunicationbetweenemergencyservicesandauthoritiesduringtimesofdisaster(PartIII.b.viii).
n Section23oftheIDRLGuidelinesrelatingtoextendedhoursispartiallysatisfiedinthisregardbyEClegislationonworkingtimethatallowsfordiscretionaryderogationsfromthemaximumworkingweektimeforessentialservices(PartIII.b.xinfra).
Consideringtheabove,itisclearthatEUlegislationasitcurrentlystands,alreadymeetstheob-jectivesoftheIDRLGuidelinesinmanyrespects.However,thereareseveralgaps,specificallyinrelationtopeopleandthingsoriginatingfromnon-EUMemberStates.Whilesomeofthelegis-lationaboveconsidersthisissue(i.e.,customsandVATrulesandsomelegislationregardingentryvisas)mostlegislationeitherdoesnotprovideforexpeditedproceduresintheeventofadisaster,ordoesnotmentionthecaseofdisasteratall.Moreover,theredoesnotappeartobeanylegislationrelevanttothefollowingareasintheeventofadisaster:
n Importationofmedicinesindisastersituationsbymethodsotherthanroadcarriage;n Safetyandsecurityofdisasterreliefpersonnelandorganisations;n Temporaryrecognitionofforeignregistrationplates;
63
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Chapter 5. Conclusion
n Extendedhoursprovisionsexpresslyrelatedtodisasterscenarios;n Provisionsregardingcriteriaforassistinghumanitarianorganisationsseekingeligibilityfor
legalfacilities;n Provisionsundertheair,railandseatransportpolicyregardingexpeditedorexempted
authorisationproceduresandprovisionsrelatingtoaccessbythirdcountryoperators;n ExemptionsrelatingtotheamountofcashindividualscanbringintotheEUintimesof
publicemergencyordisaster;n Expeditedproceduresorexemptionsrelatingtosnifferdogscomingfromthirdcountries
andseekingentryintotheEU;andn ProvisionsrelatingtotheIDRLGuidelinesqualitystandards.
However,onemustconsiderthecharacteroftheIDRLGuidelines.TheGuidelinesincludepro-visionsaffectingseveralareasoflaw,fromgeneralcivilprotectionandtransport,tocustomsandimmigrationlaw.AsdiscussedintheintroductiontothisReport,EUcompetencetolegislateineachoftheseareasdiffers,asdothelegalbasesandassociateddecision-makingprocedures.WhileseveraloftheconsiderationsoftheIDRLGuidelineswerefoundinvariousEUlegislativepol-icies,theywerespreadacrossseveraldocumentsandareasofcompetence.ThereisnotoneunifieddocumentunderEUlawthatprovidesforallofthemeasurescontainedintheIDRLGuidelines.WhiletheCPMprovidesageneralframeworkforco-operation,itdoesnotincludeanyoftheoper-ationalrulesthatnecessarilycomeintoplayduringareliefoperation.ThisisbecausesuchrulesarebeyondthescopeoftheMechanismandfallintootherareasofECcompetence.ItshouldalsoberecalledthatEUlegislationcomprisesanentirelegalsystemencompassingmanyareasoflaw,eachdevelopingatadifferentpaceaccordingtotheapplicablecompetencies.Evenwithinspecificareas,suchastheinternalmarket,competencetoactandthelegalbasisforactionmaydiffersothatsomeareashavebecomemoreadvancedthanothersandconsistofhigherlevelsofregulationbytheEU.
Thesefactorspartlyexplainthelackofintegrationofdisasterconsiderationsintoalltheareasoflawwhereactionasbeentaken.AsidefromthebasicCPMlegislation,alloftheoperationallegislationdiscussedinthisReporthasbeenprimarilyaimedatotherobjectives,mostnotablythefunctioningoftheinternalmarketandfreedomofmovement.Itisnotdraftedwiththeissuesas-sociatedwithdisasterresponseinmind.Therefore,disasterreliefconsiderationsarenotintegratedintoallareasofCommunitypolicyinthewaythatenvironmentalprotectionrequirementshavebeenintegratedunderArticle6TEC.Consequently,provisionsrelevanttointernationalassistanceindisasterhavebeenscatteredamongvariouspiecesoflegislationobviouslyrelevanttodisaster,suchascustomslawandimmigrationrules,butoftenomittedfromotherlegislationthatisstillapplicabletodisastersrequiringinternationalassistance,suchasrulesonanimalquarantineorrulesconcerninggoodsorpeoplecomingfromnon-EUMemberStates.EvenwhereprovisionsoftheIDRLGuidelinesarecoveredbyEClegislation,theymostoftendonotspecificallyrelatetodisasterscenariosormakeitclearthatthereshouldbeexceptionsorexpeditedproceduresincaseofdisaster.
5
64
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 1 | Consulted Parties
Annex IConsulted Parties
ThefollowingpeoplewereconsultedinconnectionwiththisStudy:
1. MrHansDas,DeputyHeadofUnit,CivilProtection,DGEnvironment,EuropeanCommission
2. MsEsméDobson,CivilProtection,DGEnvironment,EuropeanCommission3. MrTimGordon,UKCSDR/RGR/TORPolicyAdvisor,HMRCCustoms
&InternationalDirectorate4. ProfessorMargotHorspool,ProfessorialFellow,BritishInstituteofInternational
andComparativeLaw5. MsHélèneKlein,DGHealthandConsumers,EuropeanCommission6. MrGüntherEttl,DGEnergyandTransport,EuropeanCommission7. MrBrendanHughes,EuropeanLegalDatabaseonDrugs,EuropeanMonitoringCentre
forDrugsandDrugAddiction8. EuropeanFoodandVeterinaryOffice,DGHealthandConsumers,European
Commission
Additionally,thereportwasreviewedandcommentedonby:
1. MrHansDas,DeputyHeadofUnit,CivilProtection,DGEnvironment,EuropeanCommission
2. MsEsméDobson,CivilProtection,DGEnvironment,EuropeanCommission
65
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 2 | Table of Legislation2
Ann
ex II
Tab
le o
f L
egis
lati
on
Tit
leR
elev
ant
Bo
dy
Leg
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ulat
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539
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
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Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 2 | Table of Legislation2
Tit
leR
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Bo
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Leg
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Med
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68
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 2 | Table of LegislationT
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urop
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opea
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mun
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fo
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69
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 2 | Table of Legislation2
Tit
leR
elev
ant
Bo
dy
Leg
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Cou
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216
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on
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urop
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orc
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 2 | Table of LegislationT
itle
Rel
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t B
od
yL
egal
Fo
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Cur
renc
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Dire
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imp
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7 of
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C o
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avin
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ityE
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mm
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8/E
C c
onc
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eE
urop
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mm
unity
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lic P
rocu
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Dire
ctiv
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04/1
8/E
C o
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atio
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nite
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157
par
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curr
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Co
nven
tion
on
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Saf
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Co
unci
l Dec
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/60
0/E
urat
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mm
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the
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rad
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Eur
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Co
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on
Ear
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ucle
ar A
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rgy
Ag
ency
In f
orc
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nce
1986
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nven
tion
on
Ass
ista
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in t
he C
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of N
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or
Rad
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l Em
erg
ency
Inte
rnat
iona
l Ato
mic
Ene
rgy
Ag
ency
In f
orc
e si
nce
1986
71
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 2 | Table of Legislation2
Tit
leR
elev
ant
Bo
dy
Leg
al F
orc
e
Mar
ine
Po
llutio
n
The
Co
nven
tion
of
1974
and
19
92 o
n th
e p
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ctio
n o
f th
e m
arin
e en
viro
nmen
t o
f th
e B
altic
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are
a (H
elsi
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onv
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Gov
erni
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od
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elsi
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Bal
tic M
arin
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nviro
nmen
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om
mis
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n
In f
orc
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etw
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Den
mar
k,
Est
oni
a, E
uro
pea
n C
om
mun
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inla
nd,
Ger
man
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atvi
a, L
ithua
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P
ola
nd, R
ussi
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wed
en
and
the
Eur
op
ean
Eco
nom
ic
Co
mm
unity
Th
e C
onv
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of
1976
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n o
f th
e M
edit
erra
nea
n S
ea a
gai
nst
po
lluti
on
(Bar
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Co
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tion
)U
N E
nviro
nmen
tal
Pro
gra
mm
e16
Med
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un-
trie
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d t
he E
C –
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spec
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!
The
Ag
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f 198
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pol
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onn
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Dec
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50/2
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elib
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1 D
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20
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urop
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a n
etw
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om
mun
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fo
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WH
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lob
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fluen
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pla
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of W
HO
and
rec
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for
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bef
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and
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pan
dem
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Wo
rld H
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Org
anis
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nN
on-
bin
din
g G
uid
elin
es
72
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 2 | Table of LegislationT
itle
Rel
evan
t B
od
yL
egal
Fo
rce
Vic
tims
of T
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Co
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artic
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Ter
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Cro
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ord
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and
Ille
gal
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ratio
n (‘
Prü
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y’)
Reg
iona
l EU
Ag
reem
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In f
orc
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nce
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Dire
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C r
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to c
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satio
n to
crim
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ctim
sE
urop
ean
Uni
on
In f
orc
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Ind
ustr
ial A
ccid
ents
1992
Co
nven
tion
on
the
Tran
sbou
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ffec
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f Ind
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UN
Eco
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mis
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urop
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fo
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e 19
Ap
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00
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Co
unci
l Dec
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n 98
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co
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co
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n of
the
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on
the
Tran
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ffec
ts
of In
dus
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urop
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Co
mm
unity
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orc
e
NG
Os
Eu
rop
ean
Co
nven
tio
n o
n th
e R
eco
gn
itio
n o
f L
egal
Per
son
alit
y o
f In
tern
atio
nal
No
n-G
ove
rnm
enta
l O
rgan
izat
ions
Cou
ncil
of E
urop
eIn
fo
rce
sinc
e 1
Janu
ary
1991
Gen
eral
Co
-op
erat
ion
EU
R-O
PA
Maj
or
Haz
ard
s A
gre
emen
t (P
artia
l Ag
reem
ent
on
the
Pre
vent
ion
of,
Pro
tect
ion
Ag
ains
t, a
nd
Org
aniz
atio
n of
Rel
ief i
n M
ajo
r N
atur
al a
nd T
echn
olo
gica
l Dis
aste
rs)
Cou
ncil
of E
urop
eS
et u
p in
198
7 an
d in
clud
es
a un
ilate
ral a
cces
sio
n m
ech-
anis
m; c
urre
ntly
25
mem
ber
s
Co
op
erat
ion
Ag
reem
ent
on
the
Fo
reca
st,
Pre
ven
tio
n an
d M
itig
atio
n o
f N
atu
ral
and
Tec
hn
olo
gic
al
Dis
aste
rsC
entr
al E
urop
ean
Initi
ativ
eIn
fo
rce
bet
wee
n th
e g
over
n-m
ents
of A
ustr
ia, C
roat
ia,
Hun
gar
y, It
aly,
Po
land
and
S
love
nia
sinc
e 19
96
Eur
o-M
ed C
ivil
Pro
tect
ion
Brid
ge
Eur
opea
n U
nio
nT
his
is a
pro
gra
mm
e, r
athe
r th
an a
n ag
reem
ent,
aim
ed
at s
tren
gth
enin
g ci
vil p
ro-
tect
ion
cap
aciti
es in
the
M
edite
rran
ean
regi
on
; orig
i-na
lly la
unch
ed in
20
03 a
nd
curr
ently
in a
pro
gra
mm
e sc
hed
uled
to
last
unt
il 20
11
73
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 2 | Table of Legislation2
Tit
leR
elev
ant
Bo
dy
Leg
al F
orc
e
No
rthe
rn D
imen
sio
nE
urop
ean
Uni
on
Env
ironm
enta
l pro
gra
mm
e se
ekin
g to
str
eng
then
the
d
ialo
gue
bet
wee
n th
e E
U,
No
rway
, Ice
land
and
the
R
ussi
an F
eder
atio
n (1
999
)
Cou
ncil
of t
he B
altic
Sea
Sta
tes
Eur
opea
n U
nio
nO
ver-
arch
ing
pur
po
se is
re
gio
nal i
nter
-gov
ernm
enta
l co
-op
erat
ion
; mem
ber
s ar
e th
e E
uro
pea
n C
om
mis
sio
n an
d t
he 1
1 B
altic
Sea
sta
tes;
si
nce
1992
Bar
ents
Eur
o-A
rctic
Cou
ncil
Eur
opea
n U
nio
nS
imila
r p
rog
ram
me
invo
lvin
g N
orw
ay, F
inla
nd, R
ussi
a an
d
Sw
eden
(199
3)
74
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 3 | Bilateral Agreements between EU Member StatesA
nnex
3B
ilate
ral A
gre
emen
ts b
etw
een
EU
Mem
ber
Sta
tes
Bila
tera
l A
gre
emen
tE
U-
Sta
tes
Sig
ned
UN
TS
e.p
. p
erso
nn
ele.
p. g
oo
ds
and
equi
p-m
ent
e.p
. sp
ecia
l g
oo
ds
Sp
eed
y tr
ansp
ort
tem
p.
dom
estic
le
gal
st
atu
s
Tax/
VAT
ex
.C
ost
s b
orn
e/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Trea
ty o
n m
utua
l as-
sist
ance
in t
he e
vent
of
dis
aste
rs o
r se
rious
ac
cid
ents
Aus
tria
, C
zech
R
epub
lic
12/1
4/1
998
3726
7w
aive
s vi
sas
and
wo
rk
per
mits
faci
litat
ion
of
entr
y an
d e
xit/
lis
t re
qui
red
narc
otic
s an
d
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces
gra
nted
, als
o ai
rcra
ftex
emp
tion
fro
m d
utie
s,
taxe
s,
char
ges
req
. sta
te/
wai
ver
of d
amag
es
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reem
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mut
ual a
ssis
t-an
ce in
the
eve
nt o
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isas
ters
or
serio
us
acci
den
ts
Aus
tria
, G
erm
any
11/1
9/1
992
2922
4w
aive
s vi
sas,
re
sid
ence
an
d w
ork
p
erm
its
no p
rohi
biti
on
or
rest
rictio
n/
cert
ifica
te
req
uire
d
narc
otic
d
rug
s g
rant
ed, a
lso
airc
raft
exem
ptio
n fr
om
dut
ies,
ta
xes,
ch
arg
es
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ w
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r of
d
amag
es
Ag
reem
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mut
ual
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stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
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ents
Aus
tria
, H
ung
ary
12/1
4/1
998
w
aive
s vi
sas,
re
sid
ence
an
d w
ork
p
erm
its
no p
rohi
biti
on
or
rest
rictio
n/
list
req
uire
d
narc
otic
s an
d
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces,
te
leco
m.
syst
ems
gra
nted
, als
o ai
rcra
ftex
emp
fro
m
dut
ies,
ta
xes,
ch
arg
es
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ w
aive
r of
d
amag
es
Ag
reem
ent
on
the
fa-
cilit
atio
n of
air
amb
u-la
nce
flig
hts
in f
ront
ier
regi
ons
fo
r ur
gen
t tr
ansp
ort
of i
njur
ed o
r se
rious
ill p
erso
ns
Aus
tria
, Ita
ly2/
21/1
989
2826
7no
tra
vel
do
cum
ents
re
qui
red
exem
pt
fro
m
all d
utie
s (in
cl.
fuel
)
no c
usto
ms
do
cum
ents
re
q. f
or
air-
craf
t, f
uel,
med
ical
eq
uip
men
t
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ w
aive
r of
d
amag
es
Trea
ty c
onc
erni
ng c
o-
oper
atio
n an
d m
utua
l as
sist
ance
in t
he
even
t of
dis
aste
rs
Aus
tria
, S
lova
k R
epub
lic
6/1
1/19
9735
260
wai
ves
visa
s,
resi
den
ce
and
wo
rk
per
mits
faci
litat
ion
of
entr
y an
d e
xit/
lis
t re
qui
red
narc
otic
s an
d
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces,
te
leco
m.
syst
ems
gra
nted
, als
o ai
rcra
ftex
emp
tion
fro
m d
utie
s,
taxe
s,
char
ges
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ w
aive
r of
d
amag
es
Ab
kom
men
ueb
er
die
geg
ense
itig
e H
ilfel
eist
ung
en
bei
Kat
astr
ophe
n o
der
sch
wer
en
Ung
luec
ksfa
elle
n
Aus
tria
, S
love
nia
6/2
8/1
996
no
info
rma-
tion
avai
lab
leno
info
rmat
ion
avai
lab
leno
info
rma-
tion
avai
lab
leno
info
rma-
tion
avai
lab
leno
t av
.no
info
r-m
atio
n av
aila
ble
no in
fo
75
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 3 | Bilateral Agreements between EU Member States3
Bila
tera
l A
gre
emen
tE
U-
Sta
tes
Sig
ned
UN
TS
e.p
. p
erso
nn
ele.
p. g
oo
ds
and
equi
p-m
ent
e.p
. sp
ecia
l g
oo
ds
Sp
eed
y tr
ansp
ort
tem
p.
dom
estic
le
gal
st
atu
s
Tax/
VAT
ex
.C
ost
s b
orn
e/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
on
col-
lab
ora
tion
with
in t
he
field
of e
mer
gen
cy
pre
vent
ion,
pre
par
ed-
ness
and
res
po
nse
Est
oni
a,
Sw
eden
1/30
/20
0239
278
min
imis
es
entr
y/ex
it fo
rmal
ities
, ch
arg
es a
nd
dut
ies
req
uest
ing
stat
e/
liab
ility
of
req
. sta
te f
or
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
on
co-
oper
atio
n an
d m
utua
l as
sist
ance
in c
ases
of
acci
den
ts
Finl
and
, E
sto
nia
6/2
6/1
995
3339
3q
uick
and
un-
com
plic
ated
fo
rmal
ities
g
uara
ntee
d
exem
pt
fro
m a
ll d
utie
s, t
axes
, ot
her
pay
men
ts
req
uest
ing
stat
e/
mut
ual w
aive
r of
d
amag
e cl
aim
s
Ag
reem
ent
on
Co
oper
atio
n in
mar
i-tim
e an
d a
ero
naut
ical
re
scue
ser
vice
s
Finl
and
, S
wed
en11
/17/
1993
3106
4ev
ery
stat
e b
ears
ow
n ex
pen
ses
Co
nven
tion
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
ccid
ents
Fran
ce,
Bel
gium
4/2
1/19
8124
347
limits
fo
rmal
i-tie
s in
volv
ed
in b
ord
er
cro
ssin
g, n
o tr
avel
do
c.no
re
s.p
erm
it
tem
po
rary
ad
mis
sio
n, n
o im
po
rt t
axes
narc
otic
d
rug
s re
que
stin
g st
ate,
ass
. Sta
te
pro
vid
es f
oo
d
and
lod
ging
/ m
utua
l wai
ver
of
dam
age
clai
ms
Ag
reem
ent
on
the
mo
dal
ities
of F
ranc
o-
Hel
leni
c co
oper
atio
n w
ith r
egar
d t
o m
ajo
r na
tura
l haz
ard
s
Fran
ce,
Gre
ece
5/1
1/19
8926
941
Co
nven
tion
on
the
pre
dic
tion
and
pre
ven-
tion
of m
ajo
r ha
zard
s an
d o
n m
utua
l ass
ist-
ance
in t
he e
vent
of
natu
ral o
r m
an-m
ade
dis
aste
rs
Fran
ce, I
taly
9/1
6/1
992
3353
2fr
ee a
cces
s to
any
site
, ce
rtifi
fcat
e re
qui
red
red
uces
fro
n-tie
r cr
oss
ing
form
aliti
es t
o m
inim
um, n
o im
po
rt/e
xpo
rt
do
cum
ents
, ex
emp
tion
of
cust
om
s d
utie
s
narc
otic
d
rug
s g
rant
ed
for
spec
ial
tran
spo
rts,
ex
emp
tion
fro
m c
harg
es
for
mot
orw
ay
and
tun
nel
fees
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ re
que
stin
g st
ate
liab
le f
or
dam
ages
Co
nven
tion
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce b
etw
een
Fren
ch a
nd S
pan
ish
fire
and
em
erg
ency
se
rvic
es
Fran
ce,
Sp
ain
2/8
/197
313
576
red
uces
fo
rmal
ities
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
red
uces
fo
rmal
ities
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
over
flig
ht
per
mits
req
uest
ing
/ w
aivi
ng o
f d
amag
es
76
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 3 | Bilateral Agreements between EU Member StatesB
ilate
ral
Ag
reem
ent
EU
-S
tate
sS
ign
edU
NT
Se.
p.
per
son
nel
e.p
. go
od
s an
d eq
uip-
men
t
e.p
. sp
ecia
l g
oo
ds
Sp
eed
y tr
ansp
ort
tem
p.
dom
estic
le
gal
st
atu
s
Tax/
VAT
ex
.C
ost
s b
orn
e/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
, in
clud
ing
serio
us a
cci-
den
ts (w
ith p
roto
col)
Ger
man
y,
Net
herla
nds
6/7
/198
834
861
exem
pt
fro
m
pas
spo
rt
req
uire
men
ts
no im
po
rt/
exp
ort
do
cu-
men
ts, e
xem
pt
fro
m im
po
rt/
exp
ort
tax
es
narc
otic
d
rug
s ov
erfli
ght
p
erm
itsas
sist
ing
stat
e/
foo
d a
nd
lod
ging
, med
ical
ca
re f
rom
req
. st
ate,
hal
f co
st
of a
ircra
ft b
y re
q.
par
ty/
wai
ving
of
dam
ages
Co
nven
tion
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
ccid
ents
Ger
man
y,
Bel
gium
11/6
/198
023
197
limit
fro
ntie
r cr
oss
ing
pro
ced
ures
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
, ce
rtifi
cate
re
q.
tem
po
rary
ad
-m
issi
on,
fac
ili-
tate
d c
ross
ing,
ex
emp
t fr
om
im
po
rt t
axes
narc
otic
d
rug
s ov
erfli
ght
p
erm
its,
land
ing
per
mits
assi
stin
g st
ate
/ fo
od
and
lo
dgi
ng, m
edic
al
care
fro
m r
eq.
stat
e, h
alf c
ost
of
airc
raft
by
req
. p
arty
/ w
aivi
ng o
f d
amag
es
Ag
reem
ent
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
ccid
ents
Ger
man
y,
Cze
ch
Rep
ublic
9/1
9/2
00
0
no t
rave
l do
c.
req
uire
d, n
o re
sid
ence
p
erm
it,
no w
ork
p
erm
it, d
ata
pro
tect
ion
no r
estr
ictio
ns,
dut
ies,
fee
s,
char
ges
narc
otic
s,
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces
no p
erm
it fo
r ve
hicl
es
req
uire
d,
over
flig
ht
per
mits
, la
ndin
g p
erm
its
assi
stin
g st
ate,
m
utua
l wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
ccid
ents
Ger
man
y,
Den
mar
k5
/16
/198
526
375
Co
nven
tion
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
or
serio
us a
ccid
ents
Ger
man
y,
Fran
ce2/
3/1
977
1956
1lim
it fr
ontie
r cr
ossi
ng
pro
ced
ures
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
, ce
rtifi
cate
req
.
faci
litat
ion
of
entr
y an
d e
xit/
lis
t re
qui
red
, ex
emp
t fr
om
ta
riffs
, tax
es
narc
otic
s,
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces
over
flig
ht
per
mits
, la
ndin
g p
erm
its
assi
stin
g p
arty
Ag
reem
ent
con-
cern
ing
mut
ual a
ssis
t-an
ce in
the
eve
nt o
f d
isas
ters
or
serio
us
acci
den
ts
Ger
man
y,
Hun
gar
y6
/9/1
997
77
Analysis of Law in the European Union pertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
Annex 3 | Bilateral Agreements between EU Member States3
Bila
tera
l A
gre
emen
tE
U-
Sta
tes
Sig
ned
UN
TS
e.p
. p
erso
nn
ele.
p. g
oo
ds
and
equi
p-m
ent
e.p
. sp
ecia
l g
oo
ds
Sp
eed
y tr
ansp
ort
tem
p.
dom
estic
le
gal
st
atu
s
Tax/
VAT
ex
.C
ost
s b
orn
e/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
con-
cern
ing
mut
ual a
ssis
t-an
ce in
the
eve
nt o
f d
isas
ters
or
serio
us
acci
den
ts
Ger
man
y,
Lith
uani
a4
/15
/199
435
491
limit
fro
ntie
r cr
oss
ing
pro
ced
ures
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
, ce
rtifi
cate
re
q.
exem
pt
fro
m
all c
usto
ms
dut
ies,
cha
rges
ov
erfli
ght
p
erm
its,
land
ing
per
mits
assi
stin
g st
ate
may
off
er a
s-si
stan
ce f
ree
of
char
ge.
Req
. st
ate
reim
bur
ses
cost
s./
mut
ual
wai
ving
of
dam
ages
Ag
reem
ent
con-
cern
ing
mut
ual a
ssis
t-an
ce in
the
eve
nt o
f d
isas
ters
or
serio
us
acci
den
ts
Ger
man
y,
Luxe
mb
ourg
3/2
/197
8
Ag
reem
ent
con-
cern
ing
mut
ual a
ssis
t-an
ce in
the
eve
nt o
f d
isas
ters
or
serio
us
acci
den
ts
Ger
man
y,
Po
land
4/1
0/1
997
3709
1ce
rtifi
cate
fo
r te
mp
. bo
rder
cr
oss
ing
req
uire
d
faci
litat
ion
of
entr
y an
d e
xit/
lis
t re
qui
red
narc
otic
s,
psy
chot
rop
ic
sub
stan
ces
over
flig
ht
per
mits
, la
ndin
g p
erm
its
assi
stin
g st
ate,
fo
od
, lo
dgi
ng,
half
airc
raft
co
sts,
med
ical
tr
eatm
ent
Fram
ewo
rk A
gre
emen
t b
etw
een
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
the
ev
ent
of d
isas
ters
Latv
ia,
Est
oni
a6
/4/2
001
4037
7si
mp
lified
re
gim
enex
emp
t fr
om
d
utie
s, c
us-
tom
s, t
axes
, fe
es
req
uest
ing
stat
e/
mut
ual w
aive
r of
d
amag
es
Ag
reem
ent
on
the
mut
ual s
upp
ort
in t
he
even
t of
nat
ural
dis
as-
ters
and
oth
er la
rge-
scal
e ac
cid
ents
Latv
ia,
Lith
uani
a5
/31/
2001
4037
9
Ag
reem
ent
on
col-
lab
ora
tion
with
in t
he
field
of e
mer
gen
cy
pre
vent
ion,
pre
par
ed-
ness
and
res
po
nse
Latv
ia,
Sw
eden
6/1
7/20
0241
019
min
imis
es
entr
y/ex
it fo
rmal
ities
, ch
arg
es a
nd
dut
ies,
cer
tifi-
cate
req
uire
d
no c
harg
es/
dut
ies
req
uest
ing
par
ty/
liab
ility
of r
e-q
uest
ing
par
ty
for
dam
ages
ca
used
Co
nven
tion
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce in
co
m-
bat
ing
dis
aste
rs a
nd
acci
den
ts
Net
herla
nds,
B
elgi
um3
/14
/198
926
466
limits
fo
rmal
i-tie
s in
volv
ed
in b
ord
er
cro
ssin
g, n
o tr
avel
do
c.
no im
po
rt/
exp
ort
d
ocu
men
ts
narc
otic
d
rug
s ov
erfli
ght
p
erm
itsno
imp
ort
/ex
po
rt t
axes
ass.
stat
e/
cost
s fo
r lo
dgi
ng f
oo
d
etc.
req
. sta
te/
wai
ver
of d
am.
78
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Annex 3 | Bilateral Agreements between EU Member StatesB
ilate
ral
Ag
reem
ent
EU
-S
tate
sS
ign
edU
NT
Se.
p.
per
son
nel
e.p
. go
od
s an
d eq
uip-
men
t
e.p
. sp
ecia
l g
oo
ds
Sp
eed
y tr
ansp
ort
tem
p.
dom
estic
le
gal
st
atu
s
Tax/
VAT
ex
.C
ost
s b
orn
e/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Trea
ty o
n fr
iend
ly c
o-
oper
atio
n an
d B
altic
g
oo
d-n
eig
hbou
rho
od
Po
land
, E
sto
nia
7/2/
1992
Trea
ty o
n fr
iend
ship
an
d c
oop
erat
ion
Po
land
, G
reec
e6
/12/
1996
Trea
ty o
n fr
iend
ship
an
d c
oop
erat
ion
Po
land
, La
tvia
7/1/
1992
Trea
ty o
n fr
iend
ly r
ela-
tions
and
go
od
-nei
gh-
bou
rly c
oop
erat
ion
Po
land
, Li
thua
nia
1994
Trea
ty o
n ci
vil p
rote
c-tio
n an
d s
ecur
ityS
pai
n,
Fran
ce10
/11/
2001
3948
5re
fers
to
Sch
eng
en,
cert
ifica
te
req
uire
d
m
utua
l wai
ver
of p
aym
ent.
R
efue
l of a
ir-cr
aft,
fo
od
and
lo
dgi
ng b
y as
s.
par
ty/
wai
ver
of
dam
ages
Pro
toco
l on
tech
nica
l co
oper
atio
n an
d
mut
ual a
ssis
tanc
e in
the
fiel
d o
f civ
il d
efen
ce
Sp
ain,
P
ort
ugal
8/2
3/1
993
3021
8re
duc
es
form
aliti
es
to a
bso
lute
m
inim
um
no c
usto
ms
faci
litie
s
over
flig
ht
per
mits
mut
ual w
aive
r of
p
aym
ent/
wai
ver
of d
amag
es
Ag
reem
ent
on
mut
ual
assi
stan
ce b
etw
een
Po
rtug
uese
and
S
pan
ish
fire
and
em
erg
ency
ser
vice
s
Sp
ain,
P
ort
ugal
3/3
1/19
8018
837
red
uces
fo
rmal
ities
to
ab
solu
te
min
imum
over
flig
ht
per
mits
The Fundamental Principles of the International Red Crossand Red Crescent Movement
HumanityThe International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desireto bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battle-field, endeavours, in its international and national capacity, to prevent andalleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to pro-tect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotesmutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongstall peoples.
ImpartialityIt makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class orpolitical opinions. It endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals,being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgentcases of distress.
NeutralityIn order to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sidesin hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial,religious or ideological nature.
IndependenceThe Movement is independent. The National Societies, while auxiliaries inthe humanitarian services of their governments and subject to the laws oftheir respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so thatthey may be able at all times to act in accordance with the principles ofthe Movement.
Voluntary serviceIt is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire forgain.
UnityThere can be only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any onecountry. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian workthroughout its territory.
UniversalityThe International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, in which allsocieties have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties inhelping each other, is worldwide.
1933
00 0
3/20
10 E
The International Federation ofRed Cross and Red CrescentSocieties promotes thehumanitarian activities of NationalSocieties among vulnerablepeople.
By coordinating internationaldisaster relief and encouragingdevelopment support it seeks toprevent and alleviate humansuffering.
The International Federation, theNational Societies and theInternational Committee of the RedCross together constitute theInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Analysis of Law in the European Unionpertaining to Cross-Border Disaster Relief
A publication from the International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
For more information, please contact: [email protected]