Panel sessions

Working together

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Cross-border co-operation  

Is Europe sufficiently prepared in the case of simultaneous disasters affecting adjacent European countries? What are the problems one encounters? Can we deal with a mass displacement of our neighbours' citizens as a result of a catastrophe?

MODERATOR  Eladio Fernandez-Galiano

SPEAKERS Rod Stafford, Philippe Nardin, Maria Nygren

RAPPORTEUR Arjen Boin

Looking at new  threats 

How can EU Member States better prepare their civil protection forces for different forms of terrorism? How can they rise to threats from suicide bombings, bioterrorism, etc? What are the different aspects of preparedness/response which European states have to look out for? How can one improve further the cooperation among emergency services?

MODERATOR Patrick Lagadec

SPEAKERS Martin Dijkstra, Alexander Theus, Peter Tallantire

RAPPORTEUR Christian Sommade

Training - the key to a common approach  

All field experts speak the same language – the civil protection language. In order to have successful and effective operations, interoperability and a common procedural understanding need to be guaranteed. Training at a European level has bridged the gap – is this however enough? Do we have the will power to continue working together? Is the interpretation of our future a real problem? If so how can it be tackled best?

MODERATOR Themis Themistocleous

SPEAKERS Krzysztof Biskup , David Horobin, Sabine Lackner

RAPPORTEUR Petter Nuland

Planning together

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Assisting those at risk

Children, the aged, the hospitalised and people with special needs have their vulnerability increased when disaster strikes. How do local/regional/national emergency plans take into consideration? Are people caring for these society groups prepared for such eventualities?

MODERATOR Kathy Sinnott MEP

SPEAKERS Nelson Pereira, Bruno Lartigue, Claudio Detogni

RAPPORTEUR Jacques Faye

Tasking volunteers 

Volunteers have always played a significant role in the provision of assistance. It is a basic behavioural mode of mankind to assist those in need. Volunteers selflessly dedicate their time, energy and sometimes their lives to save that of others.

MODERATOR Markus Held

SPEAKERS Toni Jokinen, Moya Wood Heath

RAPPORTEUR Cécile Wending

Raising the alarm

What links exist between alert systems, early warning, decision-making, and eventual implementation of contingency plans when disaster strikes? Is Europe investing enough resources on developing European early warning systems?

MODERATOR Douglas Pattie

SPEAKERS Peter Billing, Alessandro Annunziato, Bernardo De Bernardinis

RAPPORTEUR Carlos Mendes

The wider picture

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Climate change – getting to grips with its consequences 

How are civil protection authorities preparing themselves to the ever-increasing number of weather-related disasters such recurrent floods, hurricanes and forest fires? What long-term planning is envisaged for an effective response? 

MODERATOR Lars Müller

SPEAKERS Laszlo Kozari, Edite Estrela MEP, Jeremy Collymore

RAPPORTEUR François d'Alançon

Mighty media 

What role do the media play in shaping the international response to a major disaster? What are the challenges posed to good reporting, namely on transparency versus confidentiality, and objectivity vs the political agenda? Have recent disasters shown that the media is able to cover a disaster while remaining respectful of the human tragedy surrounding it? Do the media have an obligation in helping out during an emergency through vital information broadcasts and the like?

MODERATOR Gianni Rufini

SPEAKERS Carol McCall , Patricia Gaspar, Richard Werly

RAPPORTEUR Emily Hough

Can our children handle tomorrow's emergency?                  

Do national curricula prepare children from a young age in being able to take life-saving decisions? Are children well aware of the perils and threats that surround them? Are we educating responsible citizens for the future?

MODERATOR Karin Viklund

SPEAKERS Rosanna Briggs, Alain Chiapello, Marta Spalenkova

RAPPORTEUR Chantal Dauphin