THE EU INTEGRATED POLITICAL CRISIS RESPONSE ARRANGEMENTS in
brief
The EU Emergency and Crisis Coordination Arrangements (CCA) were
designed in the wake of major terrorist attacks (2004 bombings in
Madrid and 2005 bombings in London) and disasters (the 2004 tsunami
in the Pacific and Indian Ocean) to allow the EU and its member
states to provide a strategic and political response to crises in a
coordinated manner. Following the 2004 European Council invitation
to establish an integrated EU crisis-management arrangement, the
CCAs were formally agreed by the Council in 2006.
Since then, the webpage has been activated three times for
information-exchange purposes:
during the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008,
in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake of January 2010,
following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajkull
and the related ash cloud problems in April 2010.
Following the experience gained from real-life situations as
well as exercise simulations, the CCA underwent a major review
process between 2011 and 2013. This revision was finalised in June
2013 and resulted in the development of the new IPCR arrangements
that now replace the CCA.
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Contact: Directorate-General Foreign Affairs, Enlargement and
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Protection, Foreign Affairs Council SupportCivil Protection
UnitIPCR SecretariatOffice
[email protected]
WHERE WE COME FROM
European UnionCouncil of the
Approval of the IPCR arrangements at the General Affairs Council
on 25 June 2013
The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajkull triggered
an extraordinary Council meeting of Transport Ministers in 2010
C
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Hen
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European Union, 2014 Photos: fotolia.com; Creative Commons
Henrik ThorburnISBN 978-92-824-4454-2doi:10.2860/34338RS
88/2014
QC-02-14-713-EN
-C
fotolia.com
The EU Integrated Political Crisis Response arrangements (IPCR)
reinforce the European Unions ability to take rapid decisions when
facing major crises requiring a response at EU political level.
They were approved on 25 June 2013 by the Council of the European
Union.
The IPCR also allows the Council to carry out political
coordination of the response to the invocation of the solidarity
clause (Article 222 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union), which stipulates that the Union and its member
states shall act jointly in a spirit of solidarity if a member
state is the object of a terrorist attack or the victim of a
natural or man-made disaster. The IPCR ensures coherence and
complementarity of Union and member states action.
The IPCR arrangements are flexible and scalable, enabling a
tailored response at EU political level and providing the necessary
support from EU institutions and services in the context of a
crisis and its evolution. They make full use of synergies between
stakeholders and existing resources, structures and
capabilities.
The IPCR arrangements are based on the principle of
subsidiarity, fully respecting member states responsibilities in a
crisis situation. They do not replace existing arrangements at
sectorial level.
The IPCR process is driven by the Presidency, which ensures
coherence of handling in the Council and of the overall response at
Union political level. It is supported by the General Secretariat
of the Council (GSC), the European Commission, the European
External Action Service (EEAS) and, in the case of terrorist
attacks, the EU Counter-Terrorism coordinator, acting in accordance
with their respective roles and responsibilities.
The process is centred on Coreper and follows existing Council
procedures.
The Presidency gathers support and advice through an informal
Presidency-chaired round table so as to prepare decisions on the
possible handling of the crisis within the Council and to develop
proposals for action to be presented to Coreper/Council.
The IPCR is based on a progressive approach. Its activation by
the Presidency, at the request of the affected member state(s),
leads to a number of stages, starting from situational awareness to
political coordination and decision-making, at Coreper, Council or
even European Council level.
SUPPORT TO THE PRESIDENCY ANDTO COUNCIL DECISION-MAKING
Collecting and analysing the situational information: ISAA
capabilityIn an IPCR context, a common and shared picture of the
situation at hand is crucial to support the Presidency and to
inform the Councils decision-making. Using their existing
structures and capabilities, the Commission and EEAS join forces to
develop an Integrated Situational Awareness and Analysis (ISAA)
capability that will serve this purpose.
Upon activation, ISAA support is available on a lasting basis.
It provides an integrated overview of the situation, as well as the
situations possible evolution and consequences. It also provides
input for the member states and supports the Commission and the
EEAS in their activities.
The IPCR Web Platform: a virtual crisis roomAnother key element
for the IPCR process is the IPCR Web Platform, which acts as the
central information-sharing tool. It is accessible to all relevant
stakeholders at member state and EU level and supports the timely
exchange of information relevant to EU political
decision-making.
The IPCR Web Platform is owned by the Council, is permanently
available and its access is protected. It is managed by the GSC
with the support of the Commission and of the EEAS.
Upon IPCR activation, a crisis page can be generated, depending
on the situation and political needs. But the IPCR Web Platform
also allows information-sharing on a permanent basis. It is used
notably for preparedness purposes, for instance in relation to the
monitoring of on-going crisis situations that do not (yet) require
an activation of the IPCR.
Spreading the IPCR and EU crisis management cultureIn order to
enhance EU crisis response capacity, including supporting a
possible invocation of the solidarity clause, there is a need to
spread the IPCR culture at all levels. This is based mainly on
preparedness activities, including exercises and training courses
which ensure that the relevant decision-makers are fully aware and
trained, as well as on communication with the relevant
audiences.
A PRESIDENCY-LED COORDINATION AND DECISION-MAKING TOOL
A POLITICAL COORDINATION TOOL FOR MAJOR CRISES
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