Šarūnas Radvilavičius - Vilkaviskis District Municipality, LT-PL

In the case “Cooperation protocol aimed at simplifying LT-PL cross-border institutional cooperation in emergency management” the Vilkaviskis District Municipality pointed out that fire and rescue services are not developed in a cross-border perspective along the boundary between Lithuania and Poland because of the absence of proper legal indications.

Šarūnas Radvilavičius, the expert contracted in the framework of the initiative b-solutions to consult the case, observed that, on the contrary, there are already provisions at national level that allow cooperation of the fire and rescues services between the two countries.

A bilateral agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Republic of Poland signed in 2000 and the Methodical instruction for rescues services of the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland (2005) serve as sound legal basis to foster further stages of cooperation in this field.

Radvilavičius proposes a simple update of the two agreements to adapt them to the current needs of citizens and professionals operating in the sector of rescue services. He advises to introduce provisions concerning insurances for fire-figthers and equipment and the regulation of financial compensation. Also, he reckons as crucial the effort to make the flow of information across the border more efficient.

Further suggestions to improve the quality of the services are included in the full report, as i.e. the organisation of joint trainings and the application for Interreg fundings.

The full report is available here for consultation.

The information here provided have been developed in the framework of b-solutions, an initiative of the European Comission’s DG REGIO managed by the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR).

The reports here included are the result of a consultation provided by legal/cross-border cooperation experts on obstacles of a legal or administrative nature - referred to as Advice Cases - selected in the framework of the II Call for Proposals of the initiative b-solutions.