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COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection represents our country in the Council of Europe (CoE) and specifically in the Open Partial Agreement for the Response to Major Disasters (EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement).
The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organization, founded on May 5, 1949 by the Treaty of London, which was signed by 10 countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom) and aims at:

  • Protecting human rights and democratic principles and ideals
  • Promoting awareness and encouraging the development of Europe's cultural identity and diversity
  • Searching for solutions to problems faced by European society, such as racism, xenophobia, intolerance, environmental protection, cloning, AIDS, drugs, organised crime, etc.
  • Consolidating democratic stability in Europe by backing political, legislative and constitutional reform.

The Council of Europe should not be confused with the European Union.

Council of Europe: http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/home

EUR-OPA: Open Partial Agreement on Major Hazards

In 1987, within the framework of convening a Committee of Ministers of a number of European states of the Council of Europe, it was decided to establish an Intergovernmental Agreement on issues of dealing with major disasters. The agreement was called the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement as it remains open to any other country wishing to become a member. The Agreement was ratified in our country by Law 2031/92.

The purpose of the Agreement is the cooperation and exchange of experiences and information between the countries of Eastern and Western Europe and the countries of the southern Mediterranean in addressing major disasters.

The Agreement currently includes 22 member states (Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, Ukraine, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia).

In addition to the member states, the Agreement develops partnerships with international organizations such as the European Union, the UN, UNESCO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Federation of the Red Cross.
EUR-OPA: http://www.coe.int/en/web/europarisks/home
In order to achieve the objectives of the Agreement and to ensure the interest and direct participation of member countries, the creation of specialized Scientific Centres was established, including the European Centre on Prevention and Forecasting of Earthquakes (ECPFE) which operates in the OASP and the European Centre for Forest Fires (ECFF) which operates in the GSCP. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection participates in the regular and extraordinary meetings of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the EUR-OPA Agreement.

European Forest Fire Centre: https://civilprotection.gov.gr/ecff/perigrafi-ekdoseis
European Centre for Earthquake Prevention and Forecasting: https://ecpfe.oasp.gr/el

ACTIONS:

On 24th November 2021, the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the Open Partial Agreement on Major Disasters Response of the Council of Europe (EUR-OPA) was held in Portugal, during which the then Minister of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection Mr. Stylianides highlighted the need to protect its vulnerable groups, as well as the necessity of integrating this dimension into the design and implementation of our policies and practices. Furthermore, Mr. Stylianides underlined that as climate change accelerates, vulnerable groups are even more exposed to disaster risks. The nature of the threats and challenges we face require synergies and joint action, he stressed, noting that states participating in the EUR-OPA Agreement should further cooperate and take concrete measures to increase the resilience of their societies. This, he clarified, needs to be done with particular attention to the needs of vulnerable groups of the population.

On November 8, 2022, a workshop was held at the premises of the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection on "Inclusion in disaster preparedness and response: Active participation of people with disabilities in evacuation exercises" which was co-organized by the Ministry, the European Forest Fire Centre / Council of Europe and the National Technical University of Athens. The purpose of the workshop was the exchange of views and experiences between representatives of the disability community, academia, experts and business actors, in order to record existing limitations and gaps, as well as to discuss proposals for enhancing the capacity of vulnerable groups to effectively deal with emergency situations.

Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)

BSEC started out in 1992 as an informal Black Sea Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation and was transformed into an international financial organization in 1999, with the entry into force of its Charter. Greece participates from the beginning in BSEC as one of the founding members.

Thirteen countries participate in BSEC, whose seat is in Istanbul, (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine).

Intergovernmental cooperation within BSEC focuses mainly on the areas of organized crime, natural disasters, energy, facilitation of goods transport and customs formalities, promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises and protection of the marine environment of the Black Sea.

In the framework of the cooperation of the Member States in the field of Civil Protection, the following have been signed:

• Agreement on cooperation in the field of emergency assistance and immediate response to natural and technological disasters between BSEC countries (15/4/1999, Sochi, Russia)

• Additional Protocol to the Agreement on cooperation in the field of emergency assistance and immediate response to natural and technological disasters (20/10/2005, Kyiv, Ukraine)

The country participates through the GSCP in two working groups of the BSEC, the OC for Cooperation in Emergency Situations and the OC for Seismic Risk. The GSCP participates in the regular and extraordinary meetings of the above working groups.
BSEC: www.bsec-organization.org

Adriatic & Ionian Initiative

The Adriatic Ionian Initiative (AII) was presented by Italy at the European Council in October 1999 and supported by the EU and Greece. The purpose and areas of cooperation were set out in Ancona in 2000 with the participation of the Adriatic and Ionian coastal countries.

The Ancona Declaration has two pillars: (1) security and anti-crime actions in the area and (2) the gradual but systematically planned development of the area.

The Adriatic-Ionian countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia signed the Ancona Declaration on "Development and Security in the Adriatic and Ionian Sea" (March 2000) participate in the AII. In 2018, with the signing of the Catania Declaration, North Macedonia was added to the list of members.

Country meetings are scheduled by the presiding country and are usually round table meetings, where all issues are put up for discussion in turn, in the presence of all country representatives and experts.

Greece held the Presidency of the AII during the periods 2008-2009 and 2016-2017.

The Greek Presidency of 2008 coincided with the commencement of the operation of the Permanent Secretariat of the Initiative undertaken by Italy. The Permanent Secretariat is based in Ancona and was started its operation on 19 June 2008.

Two (2) Round Tables on Cooperation on Fire Protection were organized. The 1st Meeting took place on 20 June 2008 in Ancona and the 2nd Meeting was held in Athens on 5 March 2009. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection undertook the works of the meetings.

The topic discussed during the two meetings was titled "Terms and preconditions for the deployment of aerial forest firefighting means". More specifically, the proposed field of cooperation was the definition of parameters and information that will facilitate the provision of aerial firefighting means. During the second meeting, the following issue was also discussed: “Protection of Tourists in cases of Disasters”.

During the 2016 Greek Presidency, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection organised a meeting of the Environment and Civil Protection Round Table in Athens on 21 March 2017, attended by representatives from member countries. During the meeting, Civil Protection issues were discussed, such as actions to prevent and deal with forest fires, the use of social media to inform and raise public awareness about disasters, as well as the Daily Fire Forecast Map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.

The Adriatic and Ionian Initiative is part of the EU macro-regional strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), developed by the European Commission and the countries of the Adriatic and Ionian region, with the aim of promoting economic growth and prosperity, as well as developing synergies on sustainable tourism themes, environmental quality, advanced interconnection and blue growth.

Greece will undertake the Presidency again in the years 2024-2025.

Secretariat for the Adriatic Ionian Initiative: http://www.aii-ps.org/

Southeast Europe Cooperation Process - SEECP

It is a forum of high-level meetings, in the framework of which Summits, meetings of Ministers of Foreign Affairs or other Ministries and bodies are held, on current issues and wider interest for the region of Southeast Europe.

The objective of the SEECP is to strengthen good neighbourly relations between participants and regional cooperation, with a focus on economic sectors, and to prepare appropriately for integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, with cooperation in areas such as the rule of law and security.

The actions carried out include, among others, seminars, visits and workshops.

It is the only vehicle for regional cooperation in which all the countries of Southeastern Europe and Kosovo participate. Apart from Greece, participating countries are: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Croatia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.

Greece chaired the SEECP between 1997-1998 and 2005-2006 and took over the Presidency for 2021-2022.

During this Presidency, a series of actions were carried out, with the participation of individual actors.

ACTIONS:

On April 12, 2022, within the framework of the Greek Presidency of SEECP during 2021-2022, the Ministry for Climate Crisis & Civil Protection in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a seminar with representatives from Ankara, Bucharest, Pristina, Podgorica, Tirana and Zagreb. The seminar focused on the coordinated management of the COVID-19 pandemic by Civil Protection, the exchange of information and best practices among participants, as well as the identification of synergies.

SEECP (Southeast Europe Cooperation Process): https://www.rcc.int/pages/111/south-east-european-cooperation-process--seecphttp://rspcsee.org/en/pages/read/.

South East Europe Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative - DPPI/SEE

This Initiative aims to develop a cohesive strategy at regional level on disaster preparedness and prevention, strengthening mutual cooperation, developing programmes and projects aimed at strengthening capacities in the above areas in cases of natural and man-made disasters, encouraging the exchange of information, lessons learned and good practices.

Regular regional meetings are held within the framework of DPPI/SEE to discuss issues of related topics.

There is a Memorandum of Understanding on the Institutional Framework of the DPPI SEE, which has not been signed by Greece.

Participating countries are: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.

There is a possibility of Greece participating in future DPPI/SEE actions, in a framework to be determined at a later time.

DPPI/SEE (South East Europe Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative: http://www.dppi.info/