Council Decision No 2007/162/EC, Euratom1 establishes a civil protection financial instrument. Its goal is twofold. Firstly, to support and complement the efforts of Member States for the protection, primarily of people, but also of the environment and property, including cultural heritage, in the event of natural and man-made disasters, acts of terrorism and technological, radiological or environmental accidents. Secondly, to facilitate reinforced co-operation between the Member States in the field of civil protection.

This builds on the legislative framework governing European civil protection assistance. The Council Decision of 23 October 2001 (2001/792/EC, Euratom)2 establishes the Community Mechanism for Civil Protection, intended to facilitate reinforced co-operation in civil protection assistance interventions. On 27 January 2006 the Commission tabled a recast of the 2001 Council Decision, with the aim of improving the Mechanism.

Furthermore, the Commission Decision of 29 December 2003 lays down the rules for the implementation of the Community Mechanism, defining its duties and the functioning of the various tools provided for by the Mechanism. When natural or man-made disasters strike a country, both within and outside the European Union, the Mechanism makes it possible to mobilise the necessary operational resources to assist and provide a prompt response.

The Call for Proposals for prevention and other actions in the field of civil protection is covered by the Civil Protection Financial Instrument. This specific call is aimed at providing financial assistance for prevention and other actions in the field of civil protection that are not directly related to interventions in the framework of the Community Mechanism for Civil Protection.

This means that for instance training or exercise activities directly relating to the Mechanism are excluded from the scope of this call. It also means that training or exercise activities NOT directly related to the Mechanism do fall within the scope of this call for proposals for prevention and other actions in the field of civil protection.

Activities directly related to the civil protection Mechanism (defined as 'preparedness activities') are cofinanced through other specific calls for proposals or calls for tenders. For further information on cofunding opportunities for these preparedness activities you are welcome to consult the civil protection website regularly: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm.