Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-05-Speech-1-089"
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"en.20050905.18.1-089"2
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"Mr President, over the last 100 years the temperature of the planet has increased by 0.6ºC and in Europe, in particular, we have had an increase of 0.9ºC. That is why several Members – Mr Maat, Mr Prodi, Mr Turmes and others – have mentioned the connection between climate change and the recent phenomena and catastrophes. Over the last few months, the tragic catalogue of natural disasters has tested the European Union's civil protection response to the limit. Using the Commission's civil protection mechanism, the European Union has dispatched field hospitals, search and rescue teams and forensic experts to help to deal with the aftermath of the Asian tsunami. Pumps and medical supplies were sent to the flood-affected areas of Romania and Bulgaria. Water bomber aircraft and specialist helicopters were sent to deal with Portugal's forest fires. Today, the first consignments of European Union assistance arrived in the United States, following the destruction caused by hurricane Katrina.
The civil protection mechanism response to this year's natural disasters has provided a clear example of European Union added value. It is important that all Member States channel their assistance to the United States through that mechanism in order to avoid overlapping. We will use the United Kingdom Presidency as the contact point. That has worked very well up until now.
Mr Pinheiro and others raised the question of whether the mechanism could work more efficiently. The mechanism has worked excellently up until now and help from the Member States has been coordinated immediately. Of course, there is still room for improvement. That is why, in April this year, the Commission made proposals which would effectively create a European civil protection force, more or less along the lines suggested by Mr Prodi and others.
Having heard the comments today, I am confident that Parliament will support these proposals.
Finally, on behalf of the whole College of Commissioners, I would like to express solidarity with the continued suffering of the victims of hurricane Katrina. We are standing by to provide any assistance that might be needed.
Over this period, it has been demonstrated that the European Union system works, and works well. By pooling the civil protection resources of Member States, we were able to provide a common response that is more effective than any Member State can provide on its own.
A well-coordinated response is always more effective. In the natural desire to show solidarity with the victims of natural disasters, many nations spontaneously offer support, but without clear coordination there is a risk that assistance will be duplicated or that what is sent will not meet the real needs of the affected region.
The Commission's monitoring and information centre provides a real-time service matching resources with requirements. In Romania and Bulgaria the crisis had passed by 24 August, when we received the message that no further international assistance was needed. Nevertheless, the situation could deteriorate quickly, and the Commission is continuing to monitor the overall flood situation in Central and Eastern Europe.
Romania was immediately offered assistance by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia and the United Kingdom – almost all the Member States. The assistance took the form of intervention teams, highly specialised material and financial support. Assistance in the form of highly-specialised material was immediately offered to Bulgaria by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Malta, Sweden and Slovakia.
Portugal was offered assistance by France, two water bomber aircraft by Italy, one water bomber aircraft by Germany, as well as three Puma helicopters and four other helicopters, and Spain offered one water bomber aircraft in addition to bilateral assistance. The Netherlands offered two helicopters, Slovakia one. Norway also offered assistance, but those offers were not needed, so were not taken up. Today, in Portugal, there are only five fires. The Dutch helicopters will return tomorrow to the Netherlands and the German helicopters are still operating today but will be going home tomorrow.
I should like to refer to what Mrs Grossetête said about arson. In Portugal, 98% of the fires were caused by humans. Twenty percent were caused by arson and the rest by negligence. Many people have been arrested.
In the United States, the European Union's mobilisation is only just beginning. Following yesterday's request from the United States Government, the first European Union assistance arrived within 24 hours from Italy and Germany. It is important to note that, even though the rules of our civil protection mechanism prevent it from being activated until a formal request is received, Commission experts had contacted their US counterparts last week to explore areas where the European Union could provide the most help. We received the request yesterday morning.
It is too early to have a final picture, but it is clear that thousands of lives may have been lost. According to the United Nations, the cost of the damage is likely to be several times that of last December's tsunami. Even though the request for help was only received yesterday, a large number of states have already offered assistance, including medical teams, water purification equipment and heavy-duty pumps. I am aware that other Member States are in the process of preparing additional offers. Some of the assistance is already on site, whereas the rest is still being considered by the United States or is in the process of being dispatched."@en1
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