Explanator
European aid can be triggered whenever an emergency overloads the country’s response capabilities. In Portugal, several fires consume mainly, but not only, the northern region of the country for more than two weeks.
The mechanism was activated this Friday European Civil Protection following the statements of The National Commander of Civil Protection, on Thursday, which If Portugal could not extend the permanence of the two Canadair of Morocco planes.
But what is this help? THE European Civil Protection Mechanism is a Help to EU countries and third countries who need respond to emergencies, As natural disasters, sanitary crises or conflicts – in this case, forest fires – and can no longer do so alone.
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The European Civil Protection Mechanism was created in October 2001 by the European Commission for “Strengthen cooperation in civil protection Among the countries “with the objective of” improving prevention, preparation and response to catastrophes “.
“In addition to EU countries, there are 10 more states participating in the EU civil protection mechanism: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine,” he is indicated on the website of .
Between 2007 and 2019, this mechanism was activated on average 6.5 times, by 2020 one and 2021 was activated nine times, according to . Since it was launched, it has responded to More than 770 requests for assistance inside and outside the EU.
Em 2024the mechanism It was activated 58 times To respond to war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, flooding in France, Czech Republic, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Spain, Forest Fires in Europe and in Latin America and the Chido Tropical Cyclone in Mayotte.
Any country hit by a catastrophe in Europe and other countries can request emergency assistance through the mechanism, and the European Commission coordinates the “response to catastrophe and the contribution to the transportation and/or operational costs of mobilization.
What happens after triggering the mechanism
Once triggered, the Emergency Response Coordination Center (ERCC) mobilizes the necessary assistance for the emergency in question. Thus, specialized teams and equipment, As fire -fighting aircraft, they are mobilized quickly.
Furthermore, satellite maps produced by the Copenicus emergency management service also support the Civil Protection Operationsensuring “precise and timely geospatial information, useful for delimiting affected areas”.
