EU-hulp op weg naar Hongarije voor bestrijding modderverontreiniging (en)
A liaison officer, from the Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) of the European Commission will arrive to Hungary early on Saturday to coordinate the job of the team of experts from Member States. That team is currently being selected by the Hungarian authorities. After yesterday night Hungary launched through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism a request for a small team of 3-5 experts with strong field experience on pollution issues, the MIC has received some proposals from different Member States. These proposals are currently being analysed by the Hungarian authorities, in order to select the experts that best respond to the needs on the ground.
Kristalina Georgieva i, Commissioner responsible for Crisis Response said, "I strongly welcome the generous offers of Member States that massively have proposed experts to support Hungary in their fight against pollution. From the beginning of the crisis, we have had close contacts with the Hungarian Civil Protection authorities, and a fruitful cooperation. We want to continue supporting their efforts to help the victims and reduce damage with our liaison officer and the experts from the Member States".
After arriving in Hungary, the MIC liaison officer will start preparing the arrival of the team of selected experts, will closely plan and coordinate the activities of the team with the Hungarian authorities, and will streamline the communication between the MIC, the experts and the Hungarian authorities.
At 19h36 on 07 October, Hungary activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for European assistance in the response to the pollution caused by the break of a sludge depository in the city of Ajka. The Hungarian authorities identified an immediate need for 3-5 experts with strong field experience in handling toxic sludge, decontamination and mitigation of environmental damage. Since 4 October the Monitoring and Information Centre has been in close contact with the Hungarian authorities to gather information on the incident and to quickly react in case that a request of support come from Hungary. MIC has immediately communicated the request to the 31 countries participating in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and has received already 30 offers from 10 Member States.
Thousands of cubic meters of red sludge mixed with water flooded parts of Kolontár and Devecser in the Veszprém County. The accident occurred when a depository of an industrial waste water containing sodium hydroxide burst on 4 October. The depository is the reservoir of an aluminium plant in the city of Ajka. According to the Hungarian authorities, 4 people died, 5 are missing and 123 hospitalised.
Background
The European Civil Protection Mechanism facilitates cooperation in disaster response. 31 states participate in the Mechanism (EU-27 plus Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). They pool resources that can be made available to disaster-stricken countries all over the world through this Mechanism. When activated, the Mechanism ensures the coordination of assistance interventions inside and outside the European Union. Such activities are coordinated by the European Commission through the Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC). Since its creation in 2001, the Mechanism has been activated for over a hundred disasters in Member States (like floods in Poland, Romania and Hungary in May, and forest fires in Portugal during the Summer), as well as worldwide, including recent disasters in Haiti, Chile and Pakistan.
For More info see MEMO/10/189
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