ALARM FWV

The local population along the densely populated Belgian-French border is exposed to multiple risks (e.g. natural, industrial, technological). Several industrial facilities and nuclear power plants operate in the border region, which is also prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides. The ALARM FWV project, supported by the Belgium-France Interreg program and implemented between 2016 and 2020, sought to address these challenges.

The aim of the investment is to establish cross-border operational cooperation between organizations responsible for civil security. It is important that the cooperation covers different types of risk issues, is capable of different levels of cooperation (e.g. risk analysis, planning, crisis management) and provides a secure framework for information exchange and risk identification. The cooperation ultimately brought together 26 stakeholders.

During the project, an integrated risk management system was established, enabling data sharing between partners (e.g. location and capacity of sites) and the preparation of studies on the standardization and harmonization of Belgian and French databases. Consultations and workshops were held to define the principles of cross-border governance for civil protection and the methodology for coordinated action. A study was produced on the joint management of emergencies caused by CBRN (chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear) risks, and various training courses and exercises were organized. In 2019, a new legal framework for emergency management was adopted under a bilateral agreement.