News

• Balkan societies recommit to IDRL advocacy (July 2008)
• First steps on the IDRL Guidelines in Europe (May 2008)
• EU humanitarian consensus “subscribes” to IDRL principles (March 2008)
• Nordic states gather to improve their “Host Nation Support” (March 2008)

Meetings

• European Forum on International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (Antalya, May 2006)

Case studies and reports

• Turkey: Case study on the 1999 Marmara earthquake (March 2006, conducted by the Turkish Red Crescent Society)
• European Union: The Regulatory Framework for Disaster Response established within the European Union: A focus on Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Legal Study (2005 - conducted by the Austrian Red Cross and the International Federation)
• Mediterranean: International legal mechanisms regulating disaster response in countries of the Mediterranean region, (July 2004, conducted by the French Red Cross Society)
• Belgium: International legal framework relevant to disaster preparedness and disaster response applicable to Belgium (2004, conducted by the Belgian Red Cross Society)
• Poland: International legal mechanisms regulating disaster response in Poland (April 2003, conducted by the Polish Red Cross Society)
• Germany: Disaster Response in Germany – regulations concerning relief actions (March 2003, conducted by the German Red Cross Society)

Selected regional instruments

European Union

• European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid: Joint Statement by the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
• Council of the European Union: Regulation (EC) No. 1257/96 concerning humanitarian aid
• Council decision of 8 November 2007 establishing a Community Civil Protection Mechanism (recast)
• Commission Decision of 8 August 2007 laying down rules for the implementation of the provisions on transport in Council decision 2007/162/EC, Euratom establishing a Civil Protection Financial Instrument
• Council of the European Union decision of 23 October 2001 establishing a Community mechanism to facilitate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance interventions

Council of Europe

• Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Resolution 87(2): Setting up a co-operation group for the prevention of, protection against, and organisation of relief in major natural and technological disasters
• Agreement on the temporary importation, free of duty, of medical, surgical and laboratory equipment for use on free loan in hospitals and other medical institutions for purposes of diagnosis or treatment
• European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International Non-Governmental Organisations

Other

• Agreement among the Governments of the Participating States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters
• Additional Protocol to the Agreement among the Governments of the Participating States of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on Collaboration in Emergency Assistance and Emergency Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters
• Agreement on the establishment of the Civil-military Emergency Planning Council for South-Eastern Europe
• Cooperation Agreement on the Forecast, Prevention and Mitigation of Natural and Technological Disasters
• Agreement between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden on Cooperation across State Frontiers to Prevent or Limit Damage to Persons or Property or to the Environment in the Case of Accidents

National Law

• Click here to find national laws on the IDRL database

Regional Red Cross Red Crescent policy documents

• Istanbul Commitments, 7th European Regional Conference