Signature of an European protocol of cooperation in crisis management
Created in 2018 at the initiative of the Belgian National Crisis Centre and supported by the Benelux Secretariat General, the network of Directors-General aims to develop coordination between national crisis management authorities, to be mutually informed of the challenges faced by the different crisis centres, to share existing expertise and experiences and to simultaneously support each other in implementing common solutions at national level.
Gathering of European countries
On Tuesday 14 September, a protocol of protocol was signed by all the Directors-General in the presence of Annelies Verlinden, Minister of the Interior, and Willem van de Voorde, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the EU. During the day, each representative of the countries present had the opportunity to express their views on the present and future challenges of crisis management, both at national and international level. The Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union also had the opportunity to present its ideas and intentions for crisis preparedness in the EU.
I am convinced that we have a lot to learn from each other, and that to be able to easily reach out to European counterparts is very valuable.
Annelies Verlinden, Minister of the Interior, Institutional Reform and Democratic Renewal.
Objectives of the protocol
The protocol of cooperation illustrates the will of the participants to strengthen international cooperation both in terms of crisis preparedness and effective crisis management. Each signing country intends to encourage the exchange of best practices and experiences in order to provide the best possible response to emergency situations. This collaboration promotes smooth communication between European counterparts while contributing to the search for common solutions to national and international challenges.
Crises, such as Covid-19, flooding and other climate related crisis, are transnational in nature, and influence us all: they require coordinated responses, better contacts, better informing and exchanging best practices to be better prepared.
Alain de Muyser, Secretary General of the Benelux Union
Perspectives
The signature of the protocol marks the beginning of an in-depth collaboration between the members of the Network on crisis management. In the future, the network of Directors-General will meet regularly in order to be informed of each other's challenges and to build a more homogeneous international crisis management together.
At the heart of our Network is the opportunity to share, exchange and discuss with each other, with aim of improving our own national crisis management structures, but also the cooperation between them.
Bart Raeymaekers, Director-General of the Belgian National Crisis Centre.