Eliminare gli ostacoli alla cooperazione dei servizi di emergenza nelle regioni frontaliere dell'UE

The Commission welcomes the European Committee of Regions’ (CoR) support to the Interreg programme as the main EU instrument for tackling the persistent cross-border obstacles facing emergency services. It also welcomes the CoR’ support to the adoption of the Regulation on Facilitating Cross-Border Solutions which establishes a flexible cooperation framework that will contribute to a better identification of cross-border obstacles and legislative disparities and their potential resolution by the Member States, taking into account the various tools at their disposal. The Commission further welcomes the CoR support to the Commission’s b-solution initiative as a relevant tool for the identification of legal and administrative obstacles to cross-border cooperation and supports its continuation. The Commission agrees with the obstacles to cross-border cooperation among emergency services identified by the CoR in its opinion and underlines that most solutions require intervention at national level.
Legal obstacles
The Commission takes note of the proposal of the CoR for establishing a framework convention template for bilateral/multilateral agreements on cross-border emergency cooperation. The Commission underlines the effectiveness of these agreements in enabling cross-border disaster risk management (DRM) capacity and cross-border emergency cooperation.
The Commission is convinced that its proposal for a Regulation on Facilitating Cross-Border Solutions will allow to address the existing legislative disparities in border regions where intergovernmental agreements are not in place and ensures efforts for its adoption .
The Commission welcomes the plea to the Member States to remove or significantly reduce obstacles by implementing EU legislation in a cross-border-friendly way, and to continue concluding bi- and multilateral intergovernmental agreements to provide a solid legal basis for the efficient functioning of emergency services across borders in all phases of disaster risk management. Furthermore, the Commission agrees with the importance of cross-border data sharing and interoperability of data for timely, effective, and efficient decision-making and action in cross-border regions.
The Commission shares the plea to Member States to develop, in cooperation with the local and regional levels, joint protocols or provide mutual recognition of protocols and encourage joint cross-border training and agrees with the need to focus on preparedness.
The Commission stresses the importance of cross-border governance to strengthen cross-border disaster risk management capacity. For this purpose, the Commission shares the CoR acknowledgement of using the available legal tools, and particularly European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation, for the establishment of cross-border governance structures and provision of cross-border emergency services, given their legal nature and their role in coordinating and facilitating partnerships across borders.
Financial obstacles
The CoR is calling for robust budget for cross-border cooperation. The Commission cannot prejudge future proposals on the next Multiannual Financial Framework. In line with the political guidelines for the 2024-2029 Commission, the next Multiannual Financial Framework should draw lessons from the current budget and be an opportunity to define a strengthened and modernised cohesion and growth policy to be aligned with the EU’s wider priorities. In this context, Cohesion Policy will remain a pivotal policy of the EU in the future with regions at the centre.
Cross-border (health) emergency services can be financed from different existing EU funding sources, acting in synergies among each other.
Technical obstacles
The Commission agrees with the relevance of digital solutions to reduce response times and supports the development of cross-border digital (radio) communication solutions to ensure uninterrupted cross-border communication before, during and after disasters, not only for the deployment of emergency services across borders, but also to ensure effective communication on critical needs such as transportation, utilities, and industrial applications. It notes the challenges related to the use of emergency vehicle signals by foreign rescue services, while recognising that the regulation of emergency service vehicle operation, including the use of audio and visual warning devices, remains under national jurisdiction. Furthermore, the Commission agrees on the importance of cross-border risk assessments and cooperation in managing cross-border risks, while noting that the Decision on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism already promotes the strengthening of cooperation and coordination at the cross-border level.
The Commission highlights the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network as a valuable tool for improving access at the EU level to good practices and information that support cross-border risk assessment and management efforts, and encourages national and regional authorities to actively use it for this purpose. It notes the idea to establish a new EU-wide platform for data exchange enabling a better cooperation among emergency services, but recalls the need to build upon the already existing EU platform. The Commission also highlights the need to clarify the meaning of Early Warning Systems. An Early warning system is a national, regional, and local responsibility and a complex system including hazard/risk assessment, institutional arrangements amongst competent authorities, development of models and IT platform, information sharing process, alert procedures, education, risk awareness campaign, development of mobile network cell broadcasting system, among others. The Commissions therefore suggests speaking about an EU wide platform for data and active alert exchange.
Lastly, the Commission recalls the recently published study on Strengthening the resilience of EU border regions , which allows for access to good practices, to cross-border risk and impact assessment in 53 EU border areas, and to an overview of the tools already available for cross-border DRM efforts and recommendations on how to enhance capacity.
Mental and cultural obstacles
The Commission is committed to supporting people-to-people projects through Interreg. These projects play an important role in establishing cross-border cooperation, building trust, overcoming prejudices, and learning about the culture of the neighbour across the border.