CTIF Executive Committee met with the European Commissioner for Disaster Management

Members of the CTIF Executive Committee were in Brussels on Friday for a meeting with Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management and Humanitarian Aid to discuss cooperation between the International Fire Service Association (CTIF) and the EU.

This is the first brief report from the outcome of this official meeting. 

The official topics of the discussions in the meeting: 

CTIF held a general presentation of CTIFm , highlighting that our International Fire Service Association is the oldest - and the first - of all international associations in the area of civil protection -and it was established historically with the intent of a  wide spectrum of technical activities, with the main goal to exchange knowledge and lessons learned within the field of fire & rescue. 

CTIF´s Executive Committee presented a more detailed insight into our work within our commissions and working groups,  as well as explaining our structure of work and our democratic process. 

Volunteer work and Climate Change highlighted as key area of cooperation

It was established in the discussions that it is of vital mutual importance for CTIF and EU to promote the idea of volunteer work,  and this could be a key future area of joint cooperation.  The European Working Time Directive, (WTD)  which has been an ongoing concern for CTIF, was especially discussed as it pertains to volunteers still being able to fulfill their commitments to their volunteer fire duties, regardless of how many hours they have worked in their regular employment on any particular day . 

CTIF briefed the Commissioner also about past and current cooperation with the EU and CTIF´s involvement in several EU projects, past and present.

The EU commissioner Mr.Lenarčič informed CTIF about their EU Civil Protection Knowledge Platform where CTIF can contribute in the future.

Mr.Lenarčič expressed the importance of fire in rescue service in the past,  and especially in the future with new challenges of both climate change and technical development, which is quickly changing in the fire services. 

(As reported by CTIF President Milan Dubravac, March, 2nd from Brussels) 

Fire Service representatives present at the Meeting in Brussels: 

Milan Dubravac (Slovenia) - CTIF President

Roman Sykora (Austria) - General Secretary

Marc Mamer (Luxembourg) - CTIF Treasurer

Christophe Marchal (France) - Vice President

Tom Van Esbroeck - Belgium) - Project Adviser

Members of the Slovenian Fire Fighter Association´s Delegation:

Janko Cerkvenik -President

Franci Petek - Commander.

Janja Kramer Stajnko - deputy president