The Common Emergency Communication and Information System (CECIS)

The Common Emergency Communication and Information System (CECIS) facilitates communication between the MIC with National Authorities,  making response to disasters faster and more effective. It therefore aims to better protect citizens from natural and technological hazards. This interconnection will facilitate exchange of information and experience between authorities responsible for Civil Protection and Marine Pollution in order to improve the capabilities of these organisations to deal with the different phases of emergencies, namely:

• Prevention
• Preparedness
• Response

Its main task is to host a database on potentially available assets for assistance, to handle requests for assistance on the basis of these data, to exchange information and to document all action and message traffic.

The end-users of CECIS are the MIC and National Contact points:

• The Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) - managed by the Civil Protection Unit of the Directorate General for Environment at the European Commission.
• The National Contact Points that the Member States - these have been designated on the basis of Article 3 (e) of Council Decision of 23 October 2001 establishing the Community Mechanism. These contact points are available on a 24 hr basis. Participating countries may opt to appoint different contacts for civil protection and marine pollution.

Through the CECIS, operational information can be exchanged in a secure and reliable way, as needed for the effective implementation of the mechanism.