European Commission communication: A community approach on the prevention of natural and man-made disasters
The objective of this Communication is to identify measures which could be included in a community strategy for the prevention of natural and man-made disasters, building upon and linking existing measures. Prevention is understood as (i) where possible preventing disasters from happening, and (ii) where they are unavoidable taking steps to minimise their impacts.
This Communication follows up on the commitment made by the Commission to develop proposals on disaster prevention and responds to the calls of the European Parliament and the Council for increased action at Community level to prevent disasters and mitigate their impacts. It contributes to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 and is part of a package comprising an external and internal dimension. It does not cover conflict-related complex emergencies or acts of terrorism.