Recent events in Boscastle have focused attention once again on the terrible damage that can be caused by floods. Each time a flood occurs, questions are asked about how it happened, whether or not it could have been prevented and what role global warming had to play. Across Europe national governments are busy working up plans and policies to deal with floods in their countries. Now, with the adoption of the Water Framework Directive and its emphasis on sound river basin management, it seems as if there may be new opportunities for the EU to provide help. Earlier this year, the commission published a communication on flooding which looked at what form that help could take and suggests an action plan for the future.

The communication begins with the startling fact that in the four years between 1998 and 2002 Europe suffered over 100 major damaging floods, including the catastrophic floods along the Danube and Elbe rivers in 2002. Since 1998, it is estimated that some 700 fatalities and the displacement of about half a million people have resulted from floods (EEA, 2003). Apart from the environmental degradation and human suffering, the potential costs to local economies could be enormous. The total value of economic assets located within 500 metres of the European coastline, including beaches, agricultural land and industrial facilities, is estimated to be around €500 to €1,000bn.

The EU currently assists in a number of ways, for example by supporting research. This has led to an improvement in our understanding of floods and their consequences as well as our capacity to estimate the likelihood and extent of floods in given areas, says the commission. It has also highlighted the limits to technical methods of flood prevention and the need for providing opportunities for the restoration and protection of highly valuable ecosystems. Various tools for forecasting floods and their associated risks have been developed and are being used in catchments across the continent (see the recently launched research project FLOODsite at www.floodsite.net for details). Future research will address issues such as quantifying and forecasting environmental changes, for example on climate, assessing the full range of their impacts and helping to prevent natural and industrial risks.

The EU can also provide funding for preventative (infrastructure) investments under the EU structural funds. The European regional development fund, meanwhile, can help finance infrastructure- related research and technological development. Following the 2002 floods, an EU solidarity fund was created to grant rapid financial assistance in the event of a major disaster where damage is in excess of €3bn.

At an agricultural level, reforms to the common agricultural policy can help by, for example, promoting soil protection and the maintenance of permanent pastures, thereby improving the capacity of soils for water retention. The reforms will also reduce the likelihood of floods by addressing climate change issues via measures like the promotion of biomass for growing energy crops or the reduction of harmful emissions by promoting less intensive stocking rates.

On the preventive front, the EU has developed a series of monitoring instruments capable of forecasting and monitoring floods at a pan-European level. Where floods occur, results can be delivered to the competent national authorities and civil protection services, as well as to the commission's monitoring and information centre, which coordinates mutual assistance interventions whenever such help is requested. In addition, the commission organises training courses for national intervention teams and major exercises. One tool currently being developed is flood risk mapping which will provide information not only to the public but also to planning authorities and the insurance industry.

Inevitably, much of the commission's work will focus on areas where floods could potentially cross national boundaries. However, the commission also recognises that coastal flooding is an issue for some member states and that other countries may be able to learn from programmes such as the current UK catchment flood management plans initiative.

The communication proposes that all member states work together to develop and implement a coordinated action programme which includes guidelines for the development and implementation of flood risk management plans and flood risk maps.

The proposed plan includes setting up flood risk management plans for each river basin and coastal zone where floods could cause damage, creating flood risk maps and greater sharing of flood-related experiences between member states. Other strands of the plan include developing stronger links between the research community and those responsible for water management and flood protection, improving co-ordination between the relevant community policies and increasing awareness of flood risks through wider stakeholder participation and more effective communication.

COM (2004) 472. Communication from the Commission... flood risk management, flood prevention, protection and mitigation.

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/cnc/2004/com2004_0472en01.pdf

EUROPEAN CLINICAL GUIDELINES FOR BIOTERROR AGENTS

Following the terrorist attacks on the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001 and the subsequent releases of anthrax in the USA, governments around the world were forced to take a long hard look at their procedures for dealing with civil emergencies. Here in Europe, there have been a number of programmes, resolutions and initiatives on civil protection over the years but the events of 2001 led member states to wonder just how well the EU would cope in a similar situation. At the European Council meeting in Ghent in October 2001 ministers resolved to prepare a programme for improving cooperation between member states in the evaluation of risks, alerts and interventions. An action programme of cooperation on preparedness and response to biological and chemical agent threats was drawn up. A health security committee was set up to coordinate and consult, along with a small taskforce of seconded national experts from academic medical centres and research, public health and emergency agencies in the EU countries, together with commission officials. One of its tasks was to prepare and disseminate EU clinical guidelines on any biological agents that may be used in terrorist attacks or threats.

A number of guidelines already exist both at national and at international level. However, they tend not to focus very much on the clinical features of these agents, and where they do, the information tends to be limited, says the commission. As a result, they do not represent the powerful tool that is likely to be needed by most clinicians if they were to tackle successfully the challenge of managing cases from bioterrorist attacks. The situation is complicated by the fact that more than 150 pathogens have been reported to be potential agents for acts of bioterrorism, many of which are uncommon in the EU and whose sudden appearance could easily be mistaken for a new disease outbreak rather than a biological attack. Hence the need for new guidelines easily accessible to clinicians and specialist practitioners across the community.

Altogether 10 clinical guidelines have been published, covering some 50 pathogens, all of which could be used in an aerosolised form which is the most effective route of contamination in a bioterrorist attack, have been published. The 10 guidelines are: anthrax, plague, smallpox, tularaemia, haemorrhagic fever viruses, botulism, brucellosis, glanders and melioidosis, Q fever and viral encephalitis.

Each contains a summary of the epidemiology of the agent and its potential use in bioterrorism, the microbiological characteristics of the agent, the microbiological diagnosis and the treatment. The clinical features of the disease, the main issue of these guidelines, are then described. To keep them up to date, regular revisions will be made based on new medical knowledge and developments in science and technology. Guidelines on other agents may also be produced in the future, if circumstances so require. The guidelines are available on the Europa website.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_threats/Bioterrorisme/clin_guidelines_en.htmhav