The countries in the Black Sea region are increasingly finding themselves on the frontline of a volatile and unpredictable risk environment. Among the risks, we find: natural and man-made disasters, public health pandemics, terrorist activities.

The risk of such type of incidents is growing. The impact of these crises can seriously harm human safety and security and cripple the economy of the affected regions. Strengthening national preparedness for such situations is the critical first step. Because these crises can have their source in and could affect more than one country, cooperation across the region is needed for both effective prevention and response.

In this broader context, the international workshop on Civil Emergency Planning: Building National and Regional Capability (Neptun, Romania, 1-3 July 2007) aims at launching a cooperation project between specialized institutions from the countries around the Black Sea in order to strengthen the capacity of assessing and preventing civil emergency crises and promote a more coordinated approach to disaster preparedness and response in the region. The launching event is organized by the Romanian Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform and by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.