EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 2.6.2020

COM(2020) 220 final

2020/0097(COD)

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism

(Text with EEA relevance)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

·Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

The Union Mechanism has proven to be a useful tool to mobilise and coordinate the assistance provided by the Participating States responding to crises inside and outside the Union, constituting a tangible proof of European solidarity. Similarly, the Union will temporarily facilitate, under the Emergency Support Instrument, the transfer of patients and medical personnel between Member States, an essential contribution which brings tangible benefits given the cross-border dimension of the actions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown - the need for better European Union preparedness for future large-scale emergencies, while proving the limitations of the current framework. The inter-connectedness of our societies confronting the same emergency and their resulting difficulty to help each other has demonstrated the need of enhanced action at Union level, as also requested by the European Council Joint Statement on 26 March 2020.

The Union Mechanism currently relies totally on Member States’ resources. As shown in recent months, this system of mutual European solidarity tends to falter if all, or most, Member States are impacted by the same emergency simultaneously and are therefore unable to offer each other assitance. In such cases of large-scale high impact emergencies, the Union is currently unable to step in sufficiently to fill these critical gaps. Ensuring an effective overall Union response to large-scale emergencies, the Union Mechanism requires more flexibility and autonomy to act at Union level, in situations when overwhelmed Member States cannot do so.

The Commission is proposing to harness the full power of the EU budget to mobilise investment and frontload financial support in the crucial first years of recovery. These proposals are based on:

•         an emergency European Union Recovery Instrument as an exceptional measure, based on Article 122 of TFEU, the financing of which will be based on an empowerment provided in the proposal for the Own Resources Decision. The funds will enable implementation of fast-acting measures to protect livelihoods, increase prevention and strengthen resilience and recovery in response to the crisis.

•       a reinforced Multi-Annual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.

a)Reinforce a cross-sectoral and societal preparedness approach to trans-boundary disaster risk management, including establishing a baseline and planning elements at a European level, taking into account how climate change affects disaster risk.

b)ensure that the Commission is able to directly procure an adequate safety net of rescEU capacities;

c)provide the Commission with the logistical capacity to provide multi-purpose air services in case of emergencies and to ensure timely transport and delivery of assistance;

d)design a more flexible system for response to large-scale emergencies;

e)enhance the Emergency Response Coordination Centre’s operational coordination and monitoring role in support of the EU’s swift and effective response to a broad range of crises inside and outside the Union, in complementarity with existing crisis response mechanisms and in line with existing inter-institutional arrangements;

f)enable stronger investment in preparedness at Union level and further simplification of budget implementation;

g)enable the implementation of recovery and resilience measures under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism through financing from the European Union Recovery Instrument, constituting external assigned revenues according to Article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation.

·Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area

Europe has a responsibility to show solidarity and to support those in need. Solidarity, which underpins Decision No 1313/2013/EU, will be strengthened under this proposal, alongside the principles of shared responsibility and accountability.

This proposal builds on the positive results the existing framework has delivered so far, and intends to correct its shortcomings with reinforced provisions so as to continue to support, coordinate and complement the action of the Member States in this area.

·Consistency with other Union policies

The actions envisaged under the revised Union Mechanism are aligned with the overall objective of the Union to ensure that all relevant Union policies and instruments contribute to reinforcing the Union’s capacities in terms of disaster risk management taking an ‘all hazards’ approach, from response and recovery to disaster prevention.

In particular, special attention is being given to ensuring close coordination and consistency with actions carried out under other Union policies and instruments aiming in particular at preserving people’s lives, preventing and alleviating human suffering and protecting human dignity, including avoiding, minimising and addressing the adverse consequences of climate change.

Specifically important is the coordination with the new Union ‘EU4Health’ programme. Where the Union Mechanism will focus on the direct crisis response capacities which will have to be immediately ready and available in case of an emergency, the ‘EU4Health’ programme will include structural, large-scale reserves, including a reserve of ready medical staff and experts, and the underlying resilience of the health-care systems. Those resources will be crucial for a coordinated crisis response at Union level.

This proposal also provides the necessary budgetary resources to support Union actions in the field of civil protection, notably via a strengthened Union Mechanism. The latter contributes to the overarching objective of a ‘Europe that Protects’ as referred to in the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council on ‘a new, modern multiannual financial framework for a European Union that delivers efficiently on its priorities post-2020’. Under the new multiannual financial framework proposal, funding related to civil protection has been subsumed into one single heading: Heading 5 ‘Resilience, Security and Defence’. The specific cluster ‘Resilience and Crisis Response’, will encompass both the internal and external dimensions of civil protection.

No legislative act under other Union policies can currently achieve the objectives pursued by this proposal. There should therefore also be no overlap of actions in the field.

2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

·Legal basis

The legal basis for this proposal is Article 196 and Article 322(1)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

·Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)

·Proportionality

·Choice of the instrument

3.RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

·Stakeholder consultations

Due to the urgency to prepare the proposal so that it can be adopted on time by the Council, a stakeholder consultation could not be carried out.

·Collection and use of expertise

Not relevant.

   Impact assessment

Due to the urgent nature of the proposal, no impact assessment was carried out. However, preliminary lessons learnt from the COVID-19 outbreak, identified in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, both at national and Union level, have fed into the proposal, thus contributing to a thorough evaluation of the impact of the proposed policies.

·Regulatory fitness and simplification

The proposed amendments are targeted in scope and nature, balances Member States' interests, and are proportional to what is operationally required.

More generally, this proposal seeks to establish a more flexible system to ensure that response to disasters is agile and straightforward to apply, therefore ensuring Member States are able to access support and facilitation from the Union Mechanism when needed. For example, recent disasters have highlighted that the Union might not be sufficiently equipped for emergencies with wide-ranging impact affecting several Member States at the same time. In such circumstances, Member States, notwithstanding their intention to help, are not always able to offer assistance. In response to the global COVID-19 outbreak, more than 30 countries (10 Member States and Participating States of the Union Mechanism as well as more than 20 third countries) have requested assistance through the Union Mechanism. The Union Mechanism was not able to respond fully to a majority of requests for assistance received during the COVID-19 outbreak. Through this proposal, the Commission aims to deliver better and more efficient results in future situations of similar scale. In such cases of large scale high impact emergencies, the Union is unable to step in to fill these critical gaps as it requires the capacity, legal and financial instruments to also fulfil its supporting competence in the field of civil protection when Member States are under pressure simultaneously and cannot offer each other assistance. Even though the Commission immediately reacted to the outbreak by creating a Union medical stockpile, the first procurement was only launched some four weeks after the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Europe, as Member States were busy in dealing with the emergency and were not in a position to ensure a quick procurement and storage of rescEU capacities in Member State’s facilities.

In terms of simplification, it is important to consider that direct procurement of rescEU capacities by the Commission would, alongside allowing autonomous action at Union level, alleviate the financial and administrative burden on Member States which would not be required to directly acquire, rent or lease the relevant capacities, as is also the case during the COVID-19 outbreak. The new proposed modality would help the Commission save critical time and intervene more rapidly, bringing clear added value to the emergency response efforts laying out the foundation for a sustainable recovery.

Transport, logistics and communication are core elements of any major international assistance operation. The Commission would therefore wish to reinforce provisions in this area to ensure that the Union is able to react quickly to a crisis.

Adding indirect management as a mode of budget implementation would also facilitate budget implementation.

4.BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

1.EUR 1 268 282 000 shall derive from heading 5 “Resilience, Security and Defense” of the MFF 2021-2027 (new paragraph 1a in article 19)

2.EUR 2 187 620 000 shall be made available through the European Recovery Instrument based on empowerment provided in the new Own Resources Decision.

5.OTHER ELEMENTS

·Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements

·Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal

As a result, the proposal also amends Article 30 on the exercise of the delegation of powers conferred on the Commission. While the substance of the Article remains unchanged, the cross-references to Article 19 are removed. Article 30 has not been deleted in order to cater for the possibility to adopt delegated acts.

2020/0097 (COD)

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

amending Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 196 and Article 322(1)(a) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee 2 ,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions 3 ,

Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1)The Union Civil Protection Mechanism (‘the Union Mechanism’) governed by Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 4 strengthens cooperation between the Union and the Member States and facilitates coordination in the field of civil protection in order to improve the Union's response to natural and man-made disasters.

(2)Whilst recognising the primary responsibility of Member States for preventing, preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters, the Union Mechanism promotes solidarity between Member States in accordance with Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union.

(3)The unprecedented experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the Union effectiveness in managing a crisis is limited by the scope of its governance framework, but also by the degree of Union preparedness in case of disasters impacting a majority of Member States.

(4)The European Council in its Joint Statement of 26 March 2020 5 and the European Parliament in its resolution of 17 April 2020 6 have invited the Commission to make proposals for a more ambitious and wide-ranging crisis management system within the Union.

(5)In order to be better prepared when confronted with such events in the future, urgent action is required for reinforcing the Union Mechanism.

(6)To improve planning in prevention and preparedness, the Union should continue advocating for investment in prevention of disasters across sectors, and for comprehensive risk management approaches that underpin prevention and preparedness, taking into account a multi-hazard approach, an ecosystem-based approach and the likely impacts of climate change, in close cooperation with the relevant scientific communities and key economic operators. To that effect, cross-sectoral and all-hazard approaches should be put at the forefront and be based on Union wide resilience goals feeding into a baseline definition of capacities and preparedness. The Commission is to work together with Member States when defining Union wide resilience goals.

(7)The Union Mechanism should continue to exploit synergies with the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection and the Union framework on critical infrastructure protection and resilience should account for the establishment of such Union wide resilience goals.

(8)As a 24/7 operational centre at Union level with capacity to follow and support operations in various types of emergencies, within and outside the Union, in real-time, the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (‘ERCC’) should be further strengthened. This should include enhanced coordination of the ERCC with Member States’ national crisis systems and civil protection authorities, as well as with other relevant Union bodies. The work of the ERCC is supported by scientific expertise, including that provided by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.

(9)The Union Mechanism should make use of Union space infrastructures such as the European Earth Observation Programme (Copernicus), Galileo, Space Situational Awareness and GOVSATCOM, which provide important Union level tools to respond to internal and external emergencies. Copernicus Emergency Management Systems are providing support to the ERCC in the various emergency phases from early warning and prevention to disaster and recovery. GOVSATCOM is to provide secure satellite communication capability specifically tailored to the needs of governmental users in emergency management. Galileo is the first global satellite navigation and positioning infrastructure specifically designed for civilian purposes in Europe and worldwide, and can be used in other areas such as emergency management, including early warning activities. Galileo's relevant services will include an emergency service, which broadcasts, through emitting signals, warnings regarding natural disasters or other emergencies in particular areas. The Member States should be able to use this service. Where they decide to use it, in order to validate the system, they should identify and notify to the Commission the national authorities competent to use that emergency service.

(10)In order to have the operational capacity to respond swiftly to a large-scale emergency or to a low probability event with a high impact such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union should have the possibility of acquiring, renting, leasing or contracting rescEU capacities to be able to assist Member States overwhelmed by large-scale emergencies, in line with the supporting competence in the area of civil protection and with a particular attention to vulnerable people. Those capacities are to be pre-positioned in logistical hubs inside the Union or, for strategic reasons, via trusted networks of hubs such as the UN Humanitarian Response Depots.

(11)rescEU capacities acquired, rented, leased or otherwise contracted by Member States could be used for national purposes, but only when not used or needed for response operations under the Union Mechanism.

(12)Where needed, the Union has an interest in responding to emergencies in third countries. Whilst primarily established for use as a safety net within the Union, in duly justified cases and taking into account the humanitarian principles, rescEU capacities could be deployed outside the Union.

(13)In order to support Member States to deliver the assistance, the European Civil Protection Pool should be further reinforced by co-financing the operational costs of the committed capacities when deployed outside the Union.

(14)Obtaining the necessary transport and logistical capacity is essential to allow the Union to respond to any kind of emergency situation within and outside the Union. It is key to provide multi-purpose aircraft services in case of emergencies and to ensure timely transport and delivery of assistance and aid within the Union, but also to and from outside the Union. Therefore rescEU capacities should also include transport capacities.

(15)The Union Mechanism should also provide transport assistance needed in environmental disasters through the furtherance of the "polluter pays" principle in line with Article 191(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), as well as Directive 2004/35/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council 7 on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage.

(16)Given that the deployment of rescEU capacities for response operations under the Union Mechanism provides significant Union added value by ensuring an effective and fast response to people in emergencies, further visibility obligations should be made to provide Union prominence.

(17)In order to increase flexibility as well as achieve optimal budget execution, indirect management should be included as a method of budget implementation.

(18)In order to promote predictability and long-term effectiveness, when implementing Decision No 1313/2013/EU, the Commission should adopt annual or multi-annual work programmes indicating the planned allocations. This should help the Union to have more flexibility in budget execution and thereby enhance prevention and preparedness actions.

(19)In accordance with Regulations (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 8 (‘the Financial Regulation’) and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council 9 and Council Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2988/95 10 , (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 11 and (EU) 2017/1939 12 , the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities, including fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative penalties. In particular, in accordance with Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out administrative investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (‘EPPO’) may investigate and prosecute offences against the financial interests of the Union, as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 13 of the European Parliament and of the Council. In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the financial interests of the Union, grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the EPPO in respect of those Member States participating in enhanced cooperation pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, and the European Court of Auditors, and ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights. For that reason, agreements with third countries and territories and with international organisations, and any contract or agreement resulting from the implementation of this Decision, should contain provisions expressly empowering the Commission, the European Court of Auditors, EPPO and OLAF to conduct such audits, on-the-spot checks and inspections, in accordance with their respective competences and ensuring that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funding grant equivalent rights.

(20)Third countries which are members of the European Economic Area may participate in Union programmes in the framework of the cooperation established under the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which provides for the implementation of the programmes by a decision under that Agreement. Third countries may also participate on the basis of other legal instruments. A specific provision should be introduced in this Decision to grant the necessary rights for and access to the authorising officer responsible, OLAF, EPPO and the European Court of Auditors to comprehensively exert their respective competence.

(21)The Commission should be empowered to adopt immediately applicable implementing acts, in the case of an emergency which needs to be dealt with immediately, where, in duly justified cases, imperative grounds of urgency so require. This would allow the Union to react without delay to large-scale emergencies which might have a high impact on human lives, health, environment, property, and cultural heritage, affecting at the same time the majority or all Member States.

(22)The financial envelope set out in Article 19 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU needs to be replaced by the new figures provided for in the Commission’s updated proposal for the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (‘MFF’).

(23)While prevention and preparedness measures are essential to enhance the robustness of the Union in facing natural and man-made disasters, the occurrence, timing and magnitude of disasters is by its nature unpredictable. As shown in the recent COVID-19 crisis, financial resources requested to ensure an adequate response may significantly vary from year to year and should be made available immediately. Reconciling the principle of predictability with the need to react rapidly to new needs consequently means adapting the financial implementation of the programmes. Consequently, it is appropriate to authorise carry-over of unused appropriations, limited to the following year and solely devoted to response action, in addition to Article 12(4) of the Financial Regulation.

(24)In accordance with Regulation (European Union Recovery Instrument) and within the limits of resources allocated therein, recovery and resilience measures under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism should be carried out to address the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 crisis 14 . Such additional resources should be used in such a way as to ensure compliance with the time limits provided for in Regulation [ERI].

(25)Annex I to Decision No 1313/2013/EU is not flexible enough to allow the Union to properly adjust investments in prevention, preparedness and response and thus it is deleted. Investment levels to be allocated to the different phases of the disaster risk management cycle need to be determined in advance. This absence of flexibility prevents the Union from being able to react to the unpredictable nature of disasters.

(26)Decision No 1313/2013/EU should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision No 1313/2013/EU is amended as follows:

(1)In Article 3(2), point (b) is replaced by the following:

‘(b) progress in increasing the level of readiness for disasters: measured by the quantity of response capacities included in the European Civil Protection Pool in relation to the capacity goals referred to in Article 11, the number of modules registered in the CECIS and the number of rescEU capacities established to provide assistance in overwhelming situations;’;

(2)Article 6 is amended as follows:

(a)In paragraph 1, point (e) is replaced by the following:

‘(e) participate, on a voluntary basis, in peer reviews on the assessment of risk management capability;’;

(b)The following point (f) is inserted:

‘(f) improve disaster loss data collection at the national or appropriate sub-national level to ensure evidence-based scenario building as referred to in Article 10(1).’;

(c)The following paragraph 5 is added:

‘5. The Commission shall define Union disaster resilience goals to support prevention and preparedness actions. Disaster resilience goals shall ensure a common baseline for maintaining critical societal functions in the face of cascading effects of a high impact disaster and for ensuring the functioning of the internal market. The goals shall be based on forward looking scenarios, including the impacts of climate change on disaster risk, data on past events and cross-sectoral impact analysis with a particular attention to vulnerable people.

The Commission shall be empowered to adopt, where necessary, delegated acts in accordance with Article 30 to define Union disaster resilience goals.’;

(3)Article 7 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 7

Emergency Response Coordination Centre

1. An Emergency Response Coordination Centre (‘ERCC’) is established. The ERCC shall ensure 24/7 operational capacity, and serve the Member States and the Commission in pursuit of the objectives of the Union Mechanism.

The ERCC shall in particular coordinate, monitor and support in real-time the response to emergencies at Union level. The ERCC shall work in close contact with national crisis systems, civil protection authorities and relevant Union bodies.

2.The ERCC shall have access to operational, analytical, monitoring, information management and communication capacities to address a broad range of emergencies within and outside the Union.’;

(4)Article 8 is amended as follows:

(a)point (c) is replaced by the following:

‘(c) work with Member States

–to develop transnational detection and warning systems of Union interest;

–to better integrate existing systems following a multi-hazard approach and minimising the lead time to respond to disaster;

– to maintain and further develop the situational awareness and analysis capability;

–to monitor and provide advice based on scientific knowledge on disasters and, where relevant, climate change impacts;

–to translate scientific information into operational information;

–to create, maintain and develop European scientific partnerships to cover natural and man-made hazards, which in turn should promote the inter-linkage between national early warning and alert systems and their linkage to the ERCC and the CECIS;

–to support the efforts of Member States and mandated international organisations with scientific knowledge, innovative technologies and expertise when those bodies further develop their early warning systems.’ ;

(b)    The following point (l) is inserted:

‘(l) support Member States with targeted situational awareness analysis including through cooperation with early warning services.’;

(5)In Article 9, the following paragraph is added:

‘10. When emergency services are provided by Galileo, Copernicus, GOVSATCOM, or other components of the Space Programme 15 , each Member State may decide to use them.

Where a Member State decides to use the emergency services by Galileo referred to in the first subparagraph, it shall identify and notify to the Commission the national authorities authorised to use that emergency service.’;

(6)Article 10 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 10

Disaster resilience planning

‘1. The Commission and the Member States shall work together to improve cross-sectorial resilience planning, both for natural and man-made disasters likely to have a trans-boundary effect, including the adverse effects of climate change. The resilience planning shall include scenario-building at Union level for disaster prevention and response based on the risk assessments referred to in point (a) of Article 6(1) and the overview of risks referred to in point (c) of Article 5(1), disaster risk management planning referred to in point (c) of Article 6(1), disaster loss data referred to in point (f) of Article 6(1), asset mapping and the development of plans for the deployment of response capacities, taking into account the Union disaster resilience goals referred to Article 6(5).

2. The Commission and the Member States shall identify and promote synergies between civil protection assistance and humanitarian aid funding provided by the Union and Member States in disaster resilience planning of response operations for humanitarian crises outside the Union.’;

(7)In Article 11, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2. On the basis of identified risks, resilience goals referred to in Article 6(5), scenario-building referred to in Article 10(1) and overall capacities and gaps, the Commission shall define, by means of implementing acts in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 33(2), the types and the number of key response capacities required for the European Civil Protection Pool ("capacity goals").

The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall monitor progress towards the capacity goals set out in the implementing acts referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph, and identify potentially significant response capacity gaps in the European Civil Protection Pool. Where such gaps have been identified, the Commission shall examine whether the necessary capacities are available to the Member States outside the European Civil Protection Pool. The Commission shall encourage Member States to address significant response capacity gaps in the European Civil Protection Pool. It may support Member States in this in accordance with Article 20 and Article 21(1)(i) and (2).’;

(8)Article 12 is amended as follows:

(a)Paragraphs 2 and 3 are replaced by the following:

‘2. The Commission shall define, by means of implementing acts adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 33(2), the capacities rescEU shall consist of, based on the resilience goals referred to in Article 6(5), scenario-building as referred to in Article 10(1), taking into account identified and emerging risks and overall capacities and gaps at Union level, in particular in the areas of aerial forest fire fighting, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, and emergency medical response.

3. rescEU capacities shall be acquired, rented, leased, and/or otherwise contracted by the Commission or Member States. The Commission may acquire, rent, lease or otherwise contract rescEU capacities to stock and distribute supplies or to provide services to Member States, through procurement procedures in accordance with the Union's financial rules. Where rescEU capacities are acquired, rented, leased or otherwise contracted by Member States, direct grants may be awarded by the Commission to Member States without a call for proposals.

The Commission and any Member States which so desire may engage in a joint procurement procedure conducted pursuant to Article 165 of the Financial Regulation with a view of acquiring rescEU capacities.

rescEU capacities shall be hosted by the Member States that acquire, rent, lease or otherwise contract those capacities. As a way to enhance Union resilience, rescEU capacities acquired, rented, leased or otherwise contracted by the Commission are to be strategically pre-positioned inside the Union. In consultation with Member States, rescEU capacities acquired, rented, leased or otherwise contracted by the Commission could also be located in third countries via trusted networks managed by relevant international organisations .’;

(b)In paragraph 10, the first subparagraph is replaced by the following:

‘rescEU capacities may be deployed outside the Union in accordance with paragraphs 6 to 9 of this Article.’;

(9)In Article 15(3), point (b) is replaced by the following:

‘(b) collect and analyse validated information on the situation, in conjunction with the affected Member State, with the goal of generating common situational awareness, and disseminate it to the Member States;’;

(10)In Article 17, paragraphs 1 and 2 are replaced by the following:

‘1. The Commission may select, appoint and dispatch an expert team composed of experts provided by Member States:

(a)upon request for prevention expertise in accordance with Article 5(2);

(b)upon request for preparedness expertise in accordance with Article 13(3);

(c)in the event of a disaster within the Union as referred to in Article 15(5);

(d)in the event of a disaster outside the Union as referred to in Article 16(3);

Experts from the Commission and from other services of the Union may be integrated in the team in order to support the team and facilitate liaison with the ERCC. Experts dispatched by UN agencies or other international organisations may be integrated in the team in order to strengthen cooperation and facilitate joint assessments.

Where operational effectiveness so requires, the Commission may facilitate additional experts, technical and scientific support, through deployment, and reach back to specialist scientific, emergency medical and sectoral expertise.

2. The procedure for the selection and appointment of experts shall be the following:

(a)Member States shall nominate experts, under their responsibility, who can be deployed as members of expert teams;

(b)the Commission shall select the experts and the leader for those teams on the basis of their qualifications and experience, including the level of the Union Mechanism training undertaken, previous experience of missions under the Union Mechanism and other international relief work; the selection shall also be based on other criteria, including language skills, to ensure that the team as a whole has the available skills needed in the specific situation;

(c)the Commission shall appoint experts and team leaders for the mission in agreement with their nominating Member State.

The Commission shall notify Member States of additional expert support provided in accordance with paragraph 1.’;

(11)Article 18 is replaced by the following:,

‘Article 18

Transport and equipment

1. In the event of a disaster, either within or outside the Union, the Commission may support Member States in obtaining access to equipment or transport and logistical resources by:

(a) providing and sharing information on equipment, and transport and logistical resources that can be made available by Member States, with a view to facilitating the pooling of such equipment or transport and logistical resources;

(b) assisting Member States to identify, and facilitating their access to, transport and logistical resources that may be available from other sources, including the commercial market; or

(c) assisting Member States to identify equipment that may be available from other sources, including the commercial market.

2. The Commission may complement the transport and logistical resources provided by Member States by providing additional resources necessary for ensuring a rapid response to disasters.

3. The assistance requested by a Member State or a third country may consist only of transport and logistical resources in order to respond to disasters with relief items or equipment procured in a third country by the requesting Member State or country.’;

(12)Article 19 is amended as follows:

(a)the following paragraph is inserted:

‘1a. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Union Mechanism for the period 2021 to 2027 shall be EUR 1 268 282 000 in current prices.’;

(b)paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2. Appropriations resulting from reimbursement made by the beneficiaries for disaster response actions shall constitute assigned revenue within the meaning of Article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation.’;

(c)paragraph 4 is replaced by the following:

‘4. The financial envelope referred to in paragraphs 1 and 1a shall be allocated to cover actions on preventing, preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters.’;

(d)paragraphs 5 and 6 are deleted.

(13)The following Article is inserted:

‘Article 19a

Resources from the European Union Recovery Instrument

Measures referred to in Article 2 of Regulation [ERI] shall be implemented under this Decision through amounts referred to in point (iv) of Article 3(2)(a) of that Regulation, subject to its Article 4(4) and (8).

These amounts shall constitute external assigned revenue in accordance with Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council.’;

(14)Article 20a is replaced by the following:

‘Article 20a

Visibility and awards

1The recipients of Union funding, as well as the beneficiaries of the delivered assistance, shall acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the Union funding (in particular when promoting the actions and their results) by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public.

Any assistance or funding provided under this Decision shall be given appropriate visibility. In particular, Member States shall ensure that public communication for operations funded under the Union Mechanism:

-    include appropriate references to the Union Mechanism;

-    provide visual branding on the capacities funded or co-funded by the Union Mechanism;

-    deliver actions with the Union emblem;

-    proactively communicate the Union support to national media and stakeholders as well as on their own communication channels;

-    support the Commission’s communication actions on the operations.

2. The Commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to this Decision, and its actions and results. Financial resources allocated to this Decision shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, as far as they are related to the objectives referred to in Article 3(1).

3. The Commission shall award medals in order to recognise and honour longstanding commitments and extraordinary contributions to Union Mechanism.’;

(15)Article 21 is amended as follows:

(a)In paragraph 1, point (g) is replaced by the following:

‘(g) developing resilience planning under the Union Mechanism, as referred to in Article 10.’;

(b)Paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3. The financial assistance for the action referred to in point (j) of paragraph 1 shall cover all costs necessary to ensure the availability and deployability of rescEU capacities under the Union Mechanism in accordance with the second subparagraph of this paragraph. The categories of eligible costs necessary to ensure the availability and deployability of rescEU capacities shall be as set out in Annex Ia.

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 30 to amend Annex Ia regarding the categories of eligible costs.

The financial assistance referred to in this paragraph may be implemented by multi-annual work programmes. For actions extending beyond one year, budgetary commitments may be broken down into annual instalments.’;

(c)paragraph 4 is deleted.

(16)In Article 22, point (b) is replaced by the following:

‘(b) in the event of a disaster, supporting Member States in obtaining access to equipment and transport and logistical resources as specified in Article 23;’;

(17)Article 23 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 23

Eligible actions linked to equipment and operations

1. The following actions shall be eligible for financial assistance in order to allow access to equipment and transport and logistical resources under the Union Mechanism:

(a)providing and sharing information on equipment and transport and logistical resources that Member States decide to make available, with a view to facilitating the pooling of such equipment or transport and logistical resources;

(b)assisting Member States to identify, and facilitating their access to, transport and logistical resources that may be available from other sources, including the commercial market;

(c)assisting Member States to identify equipment that may be available from other sources, including the commercial market;

(d)financing transport and logistical resources necessary for ensuring a rapid response to disasters. Such actions shall be eligible for financial support only if the following criteria are met:

(i)a request for assistance has been made under the Union Mechanism in accordance with Articles 15 and 16;

(ii)the additional transport and logistical resources are necessary for ensuring the effectiveness of disaster response under the Union Mechanism;

(iii)the assistance corresponds to the needs identified by the ERCC and is delivered in accordance with the recommendations given by the ERCC on the technical specifications, quality, timing and modalities for delivery;

(iv)the assistance has been accepted by a requesting country, directly or through the United Nations or its agencies, or a relevant international organisation, under the Union Mechanism;

(v)the assistance complements, for disasters in third countries, any overall Union humanitarian response.

1a. The amount of Union financial assistance for the transport of capacities not pre-committed to the European Civil Protection Pool and deployed in the event of a disaster or imminent disaster inside or outside the Union and for any other transport support needed to respond to a disaster shall not exceed 75 % of the total eligible cost.

2. The amount of Union financial assistance for capacities pre-committed to the European Civil Protection Pool shall not exceed 75 % of the costs of operating the capacities, including transport, in the event of a disaster or imminent disaster inside or outside the Union.

4. The Union financial assistance for transport and logistical resources may, in addition, cover a maximum of 100 % of the total eligible costs specified in points (a) to (d), where this is necessary to make the pooling of Member States' assistance operationally effective and where the costs relate to one of the following:

(a)short-term rental of warehousing capacity to temporarily store the assistance from Member States with a view to facilitating their coordinated transport;

(b)transport from the Member State offering the assistance to the Member State facilitating its coordinated transport;

(c)repackaging of Member States' assistance to make maximum use of available transport capacities or to meet specific operational requirements; or

(d)local transport, transit and warehousing of pooled assistance with a view to ensuring a coordinated delivery at the final destination in the requesting country.

4a. When rescEU capacities are used for national purposes in accordance with Article 12(5), all costs, including maintenance and repair costs, shall be covered by the Member State using the capacities.

4b. In the event of deployment of rescEU capacities under the Union Mechanism, Union financial assistance shall cover 75 % of the operational costs.

By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, Union financial assistance shall cover 100 % of the operational costs of rescEU capacities necessary for low probability disasters with a high impact, when those capacities are deployed under the Union Mechanism.

4c. For deployments outside the Union, as referred to in Article 12(10), Union financial assistance shall cover 100 % of the operational costs.

4d. When the Union financial assistance referred to in this Article does not cover 100 % of costs, the remaining amount of the costs shall be borne by the requester of the assistance, unless otherwise agreed with the Member State offering assistance or the Member State hosting the rescEU capacities.

4e. For the deployment of rescEU capacities, Union financing may cover 100% of any direct costs necessary for the transport of cargo, logistical means and services, within the Union, and to the Union from third countries

5. In case of pooling of transport operations involving several Member States, a Member State may take the lead in requesting Union financial support for the entire operation.

6. When a Member State requests the Commission to contract transport services, the Commission shall request partial reimbursement of the costs according to the funding rates set out in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.

6a. Without prejudice to paragraphs 2 and 3, Union financial support for the transport of assistance, as referred to in paragraph 1a, needed in environmental disasters in which the ‘polluter pays principle’ applies may cover a maximum of 100% of the total eligible costs. The following conditions shall apply:

(a) the assistance is requested by the affected Member State based on a duly justified needs assessment;

(b) the affected Member State takes all necessary steps to request and obtain compensation from the polluter, in accordance with all the applicable international, Union or national legal provisions;

(c) upon receiving compensation from the polluter, the affected Member State shall immediately reimburse the Union.

7. The following costs shall be eligible for Union financial support for transport and logistical resources under this Article: all costs relating to the movement of transport and logistical resources, including the costs of all services, fees, logistical and handling costs, fuel and possible accommodation costs as well as other indirect costs such as taxes, duties in general and transit costs.

8. Transport costs may consist of unit costs, lump sums or flat rates, determined per category of cost.’

(18)Article 25 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 25

Types of financial intervention and implementing procedures

1.The Commission shall implement the Union's financial support in accordance with the Financial Regulation.

2.The Commission shall implement the Union's financial support in accordance with the Financial Regulation in direct management or in indirect management with bodies referred to in Article 62(1)(c) of the Financial Regulation.

3.Financial support under this Decision may take any of the forms laid down in the Financial Regulation, in particular the form of grants, procurement or contributions to trust funds.

4.In order to implement this Decision, the Commission shall adopt annual or multi-annual work programmes, by means of implementing acts. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 33(2). The annual or multi-annual work programmes shall set out the objectives pursued, the expected results, the method of implementation and their total amount. They shall also contain a description of actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action and an indicative implementation timetable. With regard to the financial support referred to in Article 28(2), the annual or multi-annual work programmes shall describe the actions foreseen for countries referred to therein.

However no annual or multi-annual work programmes shall be required for actions falling under the disaster response laid down in Chapter IV, which cannot be provided for in advance.

5.In addition to Article 12(4) of the Financial Regulation, commitment and payment appropriations, which have not been used by the end of the financial year for which they were entered in the annual budget shall be automatically carried over and may be committed and paid up to 31 December of the following year. The carried-over appropriations shall be used solely for response actions. The carried-over appropriations shall be used first in the following financial year.’

(19)Article 27 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 27

Protection of the financial interests of the Union

Where a third country participates in the Union Mechanism by a decision under an international agreement or by virtue of any other legal instrument, the third country shall grant the necessary rights and access required for the authorising officer responsible, OLAF and the European Court of Auditors to comprehensively exert their respective competences. In the case of OLAF, such rights shall include the right to carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, as provided for in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013.’

(20)Article 30 is amended as follows:

(a)Paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 6(5) and in the second subparagraph of Article 21(3) shall be conferred on the Commission until 31 December 2027.’

(b)paragraph 4 is replaced by the following:

‘4. The delegation of power referred to in Article 6(5) and in the second subparagraph of Article 21(3) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.’

(c)paragraph 7 is replaced by the following:

‘7. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 6(5) or the second subparagraph of Article 21(3) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.’

(21)In Article 32 (1), point (i) is replaced by the following :

‘(i) the organisation of support for the transport of assistance, as provided for in Articles 18 and 23;’;

(22)In Article 33, the following paragraph is added:

‘3. On duly justified imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission shall adopt immediately applicable implementing acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011’;

(23)Annex I is deleted.

(24)The title of Annex Ia is replaced by the following:

‘Categories of eligible costs in accordance with Article 21(3)’

Article 2

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

However, points (a) and (c) of Article 1(12) shall apply from 1 January 2021.

Article 3

Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels,

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

1.1.Title of the proposal/initiative

1.2.Policy area(s) concerned (Programme cluster)

1.3.The proposal/initiative relates to:

1.4.Grounds for the proposal/initiative

1.4.1.Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for roll-out of the implementation of the initiative

1.4.2.Added value of Union involvement.

1.4.3.Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past

1.4.4.Compatibility and possible synergy with other appropriate instruments

1.5.Duration and financial impact

1.6.Management mode(s) planned

2.MANAGEMENT MEASURES

2.1.Monitoring and reporting rules

2.2.Management and control system(s)

2.2.1.Justification of the management mode(s), the funding implementation mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed

2.2.2.Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up to mitigate them

2.2.3.Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio of "control costs ÷ value of the related funds managed"), and assessment of the expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure)

2.3.Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities

3.ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

3.1.Heading of the multiannual financial framework and new expenditure budget line(s) proposed

3.2.Estimated impact on expenditure

3.2.1.Summary of estimated impact on expenditure

3.2.2.Summary of estimated impact on appropriations of an administrative nature

3.3.Estimated impact on revenue

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE 

1.1.Title of the proposal/initiative 

1.2.Policy area(s) concerned (Programme cluster)

1.3.The proposal/initiative relates to: 

◻ a new action 

◻ a new action following a pilot project/preparatory action 16  

x the extension of an existing action 

◻ a merger or redirection of one or more actions towards another/a new action 

1.4.Grounds for the proposal/initiative 

1.4.1.Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for roll-out of the implementation of the initiative

1.4.2.Added value of Union involvement.

1.4.3.Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past

1.4.4.Compatibility and possible synergy with other appropriate instruments

1.5.Duration and financial impact 

X limited duration

–X    in effect from 1/01/2021 to 31/12/2027

–X    Financial impact from 2021 to 2027 for commitment appropriations and from 2021 to 2032 for payment appropriations.

◻ unlimited duration

–Implementation with a start-up period from YYYY to YYYY,

–followed by full-scale operation.

1.6.Management mode(s) planned 20  

X Direct management by the Commission

–X by its departments, including by its staff in the Union delegations;

–◻    by the executive agencies

◻ Shared management with the Member States

X Indirect management by entrusting budget implementation tasks to:

–◻ third countries or the bodies they have designated;

–X international organisations and their agencies (to be specified);

–X the EIB and the European Investment Fund;

–◻ bodies referred to in Articles 70 and 71 of the Financial Regulation;

–X public law bodies;

–X bodies governed by private law with a public service mission to the extent that they provide adequate financial guarantees;

–◻ bodies governed by the private law of a Member State that are entrusted with the implementation of a public-private partnership and that provide adequate financial guarantees;

–◻ persons entrusted with the implementation of specific actions in the CFSP pursuant to Title V of the TEU, and identified in the relevant basic act.

COMMENTS:

Introducing the possibility of the indirect management mode of execution of the Union Mechanism budget alongside the direct management mode used until now provides an additional instrument to optimise budget implementation. The variety of bodies as per list will enhance overall efficiency in absorbing Union funds in light of the increased budget. Given the context of civil protection policy which often deals with unpredictable events (different kind of man-made and natural disasters), it is essential to guarantee an inclusive (in terms of actors involved) and flexible MFF framework.

2.MANAGEMENT MEASURES 

2.1.Monitoring and reporting rules 

Specify frequency and conditions.

2.2.Management and control system(s) 

2.2.1.Justification of the management mode(s), the funding implementation mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed

2.2.2.Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up to mitigate them

2.2.3.Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio of "control costs ÷ value of the related funds managed"), and assessment of the expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure) 

2.3.Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities 

Specify existing or envisaged prevention and protection measures, e.g. from the Anti-Fraud Strategy.

3.ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE 

3.1.Heading of the multiannual financial framework and new expenditure budget line(s) proposed 

3.2.Estimated impact on expenditure 

3.2.1.Summary of estimated impact on expenditure 

This table presents the financial envelope allocated to the Union Civil protection Mechanism for the 2021-2027 period under article 19(1a). This table replaces the one presented in the Legislative Financial Statement of proposal COM (2019) 125 final.

The indicative breakdown of the expenditure from Heading 5 is as follows:

EUR million (to three decimal places)

In addition to the financial envelope defined in Article 19 (1a), EUR 2 187 620 000 (in current prices) will be available as external assigned revenues, within the meaning of Article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation as financing from the European Union Recovery Instrument. Out of this up to EUR 22 580 000 may be dedicated to administrative expenditure, including external staff costs.

The indicative breakdown of the expenditure from external assigned revenue is as follows:

EUR million (to three decimal places)

EUR million (to three decimal places)

3.2.2.Summary of estimated impact on appropriations of an administrative nature

–◻    The proposal/initiative does not require the use of appropriations of an administrative nature

–X    The proposal/initiative requires the use of appropriations of an administrative nature, as explained below:

EUR million (to three decimal places)

The appropriations required for human resources and other expenditure of an administrative nature will be met by appropriations from the DG that are already assigned to management of the action and/or have been redeployed within the DG, together if necessary with any additional allocation which may be granted to the managing DG under the annual allocation procedure and in the light of budgetary constraints.

3.2.2.1.Estimated requirements of human resources

–◻    The proposal/initiative does not require the use of human resources.

–X    The proposal/initiative requires the use of human resources, as explained below:

Estimate to be expressed in full time equivalent units

The human resources required will be met by staff from the DG who are already assigned to management of the action and/or have been redeployed within the DG, together if necessary with any additional allocation which may be granted to the managing DG under the annual allocation procedure and in the light of budgetary constraints.

Description of tasks to be carried out:

3.3.Estimated impact on revenue 

–X    The proposal/initiative has no financial impact on revenue.

–◻    The proposal/initiative has the following financial impact:

–◻    on own resources

–◻    on other revenue

please indicate, if the revenue is assigned to expenditure lines ◻    

EUR million (to three decimal places)

For assigned revenue, specify the budget expenditure line(s) affected.

Other remarks (e.g. method/formula used for calculating the impact on revenue or any other information). 

(1)    COM(2019)125 of 7.3.2019.

(2)    OJ C , , p. .

(3)    OJ C , , p. .

(4)    Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 924).

(5)    Joint statement of the Members of the European Council, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/43076/26-vc-euco-statement-en.pdf  

(6)    European Parliament resolution of 17 April 2020 on EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences (2020/2616(RSP))

(7)    Directive 2004/35/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage, (OJ 143, 30.04.2004 p.56.)

(8)    Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 ( OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1)

(9)    Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 (OJ L 248, 18.9.2013, p. 1)

(10)    Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests (OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1)

(11)    Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities (OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2)

(12)    Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L 283, 31.10.2017, p. 1)

(13)    Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, p. 29)

(14)    OJ L …….

(15)    Regulation (EU) 2019/… of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the space programme of the Union and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013, (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision 541/2014/EU

(16)    As referred to in Article 58(2)(a) or (b) of the Financial Regulation.

(17)    COM(2019) 125 final of 7.03.2019

(18)    European Court of Auditors, ‘Union Civil Protection Mechanism: the coordination of responses to disasters outside the EU has been broadly effective’, Special Report no. 33, 2016.

(19)    Staff Working Document, ‘Overview of Natural and Man-made Disaster Risks the European Union may face’, SWD (2017)176 final, 23.5.2017.

(20)    Details of management modes and references to the Financial Regulation may be found on the BudgWeb site: https://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/budgweb/EN/man/budgmanag/Pages/budgmanag.aspx  

(21)    Diff. = Differentiated appropriations / Non-diff. = Non-differentiated appropriations.

(22)    EFTA: European Free Trade Association. EFTA countries that are part of the EEA can join the Union Civil Protection Mechanism as ‘Participating States’ as provided for in Article 28(1)a of Decision No 1313/2013/EU.

(23)    Candidate countries and, where applicable, potential candidates from the Western Balkans. These countries can join the Union Civil Protection Mechanism as ‘Participating States’ as provided for in Article 28(1)b of Decision No 1313/2013/EU.

(24)    For the purpose of this table, the reference to third countries should be understood as ‘other European countries’ that are not yet part of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, but that might join in the future as provided for in Article 28(1)a of Decision No 1313/2013/EU. No contributions are expected from third countries other than the ones specified above.

(25)    Technical and/or administrative assistance and expenditure in support of the implementation of EU programmes and/or actions (former ‘BA’ lines), indirect research, direct research.

(26)    Assigned revenue

(27)    Assigned revenue.

(28)    Assigned revenue.

(29)    AC= Contract Staff; AL = Local Staff; END = Seconded National Expert; INT = agency staff; JPD= Junior Professionals in Delegations.

(30)    Sub-ceiling for external staff covered by operational appropriations (former ‘BA’ lines).

(31)    As regards traditional own resources (customs duties, sugar levies), the amounts indicated must be net amounts, i.e. gross amounts after deduction of 20 % for collection costs.