TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE BSEC WORKING GROUP
ON COOPERATION IN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
1. The Working Group is established in accordance with the Article 7 of the Agreement among the Governments of the Participating States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters.
2. The Working Group shall examine the ways of implementing and promoting cooperation on the basis of the above Agreement and the Additional Protocol to it.
3. The Working Group shall, inter alia, submit recommendations on the need to:
a) Joint Action for fulfillment of the Agreement among the BSEC Participating States on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters
- Interaction of the BSEC Countries in achieving ways and means of promoting solution and principles reflected by the Agreement on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance;
- elaboration of the proposals on the creation of the International Marine Rescue Center;
- preparation of the Reports and Recommendations as well as guidance for efficient management in the field of the Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response;
- working out and adoption of the standard documents (questionnaires, forms, figures and additional information) in order to ensure further progress in the implementation of the Agreement;
- analysis of the operations finalized by the Participating States for providing emergency assistance and emergency response;
- consideration of the amendments to the Agreement proposed by the BSEC Countries and their adoption;
- consideration of the controversial questions and the adoption of the final decisions;
- creation of a mechanism for coordinated actions and parties aimed at emergency prevention and response;
- control over actions connected to wide-scale disasters, accidents and other emergency situations response;
b) Development of the Regional and Bilateral Relations in the BSEC Framework
- Establishment of the principles and frameworks of the coordinated activities of the BSEC Countries in case of natural and man-made disasters, as well as establishment of the contacts with the regional and international institutions and agencies (including relevant BSEC Working Groups, BSTDB, etc…);
- invitation of the interested international and national organizations and institutions to join the activities connected with the implementation of the Agreement;
- working out of the question of integration of existing national forces and facilities for rendering assistance and the creation on this basis of regional forces for emergency assistance.
c) Subregional Cooperation
- Development of practical contacts with international institutions and organizations dealing with the subject in question in the BSEC region;
- elaboration of mechanism of interaction among the BSEC national authorities and NGOs;
- participation into the subregional education programs for the population concerning the rules of behavior in the open-nature, first-aid provision in case of accidents.
4. The above recommendations shall be submitted to the Meeting of the Ministers/High-level Officials in charge of emergency assistance and emergency response to natural and man-made disasters for endorsement and if necessary for a relative mandate to be issued the draft resolutions, decisions and recommendations proposed by the Working Group shall be adopted by the BSEC Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
5. The Working Group shall exercise the authority over the Network of the Liaison Officers, established under the Additional Protocol to the Agreement among the Governments of the Participating States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Man-made Disasters and will:
a) consider the annual report for the activities Network of the Liaison Officers;
b) make an assessment of the activity of the Network, to be approved by the Meeting of the Ministers/High-level Officials in charge of emergency assistance and emergency response to natural and man-made disasters and the BSEC Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs;
c) propose measures for bolstering the cooperation within the Network;
6. The Working Group shall convene periodically and at least once a year at a reasonable time prior to the Meeting of the /High-level Officials in charge of emergency assistance and emergency response to natural and man-made disasters.