IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU PROGRAMME FOR STRENGTHENING COOPERATION WITH CANDIDATE AND POTENTIAL CANDIDATE COUNTRIES IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL PROTECTION

Abstract

In the 2011–2012 period, the RS Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief has been implementing part of the EU Programme for strengthening cooperation with candidate and potential candidate countries in the field of Civil Protection under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance – IPA. The programme is intended for candidate countries (Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey) and potential candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo) for accession to the EU. The EU IPA Programme aims to contribute to the development of Civil Protection capabilities of countries beneficiaries, familiarise them with the operation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and to strengthen international assistance in the event of major natural and other disasters in South Eastern Europe. As part of the EU IPA Programme, the RS Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief is running a sub-programme which deals with the organisation of regional emergency response exercises. It has organised and implemented two international practical emergency response exercises. In 2011, Slovenia organised the practical exercise IPA SI – QUAKE 2011 exercise and in 2012, Croatia hosted the exercise IPA CRO – FLOODS 2012.