Margot Wallström, European Commissioner responsible for Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection, welcomes the Council of Ministers' final adoption of an EU action programme in the field of civil protection. The five-year programme (2000-2004) has been allocated an amount of euro 7.5 million. The programme aims at ensuring the continuation of the action programme 1998/1999. The EU programme is not intended to replace the Member States' efforts in the field of Civil Protection. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the aim is to support and to supplement Member States in order to make their initiatives more effective. In particular, the programme allows for extensive pooling of experience at the national level and for mutual assistance in case of need. Prevention of natural and technological disasters and information to the citizen on the potential risks and on the behaviour to adopt in case of accidents will constitute the two key priorities within the new action programme. Other important actions such as a major project on disaster medicine, the integration of new technologies in the civil protection sector, and initiatives concerning crisis management will also be carried out under this programme.