CHAPTER VI

TRAINING PROGRAMME
Article 21
1
A training programme covering civil protection assistance interventions is set up. The programme shall include general and specific courses, exercises and an exchange of experts system. The programme shall be aimed at the target groups set out in Article 22.
2
The Commission shall be responsible for the coordination and organisation of the training programme and for defining the content and the schedule of the training programme.
Article 22
The target groups of the training programme shall be:
1. participating States' intervention teams;
2. participating States' intervention team leaders, their deputies and liaison officers;
3. experts of the participating States as set out in Article 15;
4. national key contact point staff;
5. officials of the Community institutions.
Article 23
The general and specific courses shall be aimed at the different target groups set out in Article 22(b) to (e).
Article 24
The exercises shall, in particular with regard to the target group set out in Article 22(a), aim at:
1. improving the response capacity and providing the necessary practice of the teams meeting the criteria for participation in civil protection assistance interventions;
2. improving and verifying the procedures and establishing a common language for the coordination of civil protection assistance interventions and reducing the response time in major emergencies;
3. enhancing operational cooperation between the civil protection services of the participating States;
4. sharing lessons learned;
5. enhancing the interoperability of civil protection modules.
Article 25
The exchange system shall include the exchange of experts between participating States and/or the Commission, with the aim of enabling experts to:
1. gain experience in other fields;
2. become acquainted with various techniques and operational procedures used;
3. study approaches taken by other participating emergency services and institutions.
Article 26
Where appropriate, additional training opportunities to meet identified needs for the smooth and efficient operation of civil protection assistance interventions shall be provided.
Article 27
1
The Commission shall ensure coherence of the level of training and its content.
2
The participating States and the Commission shall designate their trainees for each training session.
3
The Commission shall organise an appropriate evaluation system of the training actions organised.
Substituted by Commission Decision of 20 December 2007 amending Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom as regards rules for the implementation of Council Decision 2007/779/EC, Euratom establishing a Community civil protection mechanism (notified under document number C(2007) 6464) (Text with EEA relevance) (2008/73/EC, Euratom).
Inserted by Commission Decision of 20 December 2007 amending Decision 2004/277/EC, Euratom as regards rules for the implementation of Council Decision 2007/779/EC, Euratom establishing a Community civil protection mechanism (notified under document number C(2007) 6464) (Text with EEA relevance) (2008/73/EC, Euratom).