Joint Statement of the Directors General for Civil Protection of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland, the Slovak Republic

The Directors General for Civil Protection of the Visegrad Group (V4), continuing in their tradition of meetings, came to Szczecin, Poland on 20th–22nd May 2009 for the meeting organized within the Polish V4 Presidency.
 

• Joint Declaration from Budapest, signed on 16th October 2001
• Joint Statement from Bratislava, signed on 25th April 2003
• Joint Statement from Wrocław, signed on 30th June 2005
• Joint Statement from Eger, signed on 28th April 2006
• Joint Statement from Bratislava, signed on 22nd June 2007
• Joint Declaration from Brno, signed on 3rd April 2008

• existing good cooperation among the V4 countries
• the 5th anniversary of entering the European Union (hereinafter EU) by the V4 countries and experiences gained during this period
• the development of initiatives in the field of civil protection at the EU level
• the scope of challenges and tasks which authorities in charge of the civil protection in Europe are faced with due to the appearance of new threats
• the diversity of tools serving to the primary objective which is the provision of safety and security to citizens of the Visegrad countries and citizens of other EU countries as well

1. stress the need and the will to continue in the mutually beneficial cooperation, exchange of experiences and information about the civil protection in the V4 countries
   
2. acknowledge the need of an active support of common initiatives in the field of civil protection within the EU, primarily focused on the development of the Community Mechanism potential aimed at the facilitation of joint assistance interventions in the event of major emergencies
   
3. undertake steps towards an accomplishment of common projects co-financed by the EU, especially in the framework of the Civil Protection Financial Instrument
   
4. express the will to support each V4 country holding the EU Presidency in its actions undertaken to strengthen the civil protection in the EU dimension; and especially to support activities and initiatives agreeable to other V4 countries
   
5. stress the need of holding regular meetings of the Directors General for Civil Protection of the V4 countries