The aim of MIRG EU was to reduce casualties and economic/environmental damage caused by incidents on passenger ships and cargo vessels. The project objective was to increase the readiness of the fire brigades by rolling out the following activities: developing of procedures, trainings and exercises. MIRG EU facilitated cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience between firefighters. By developing a uniform international approach, the teams will be able to assist each other in the event of long-term large-scale maritime incidents.

The MIRG EU project will directly contribute to the environmental, economic and social development of the 2 Seas area. Incidents on vessels can result in severe casualties and damage to property, businesses, the natural environment and infrastructure. By developing procedures and training maritime incident response teams, the project has minimized and mitigated this impact. The project also supports the development of increased and meaningful cooperation within the 2 Seas area. It brought together a cross-border team of experts to jointly develop organizational and technical procedures. The project has therefore removed traditional working boundaries and promoted joint approaches. MIRG EU facilitates cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience between firefighters in order to minimize the impact of maritime incidents.

Activity 1 consisted of four main activities: developing a risk analysis of the area and activities of the MIRG team, developing a training manual, deployment of equipment and the composition of 3 mirg teams. All activities were carried out according to plan altough it took more time than innitially planned with m ost of the activities reaching their end in the secon or even third activity period. Special mention here is to the work related to the common standar operational procedures (SOP). This proved to be the key product around which all other actvities were centered and it was not perceived as being so importnat at the satrt of the project.

Activity 2 consisted of three main activities: education, training and exercises (ETE) MIRG EU, implementation of alert and assistance protocols and the development of a, two yearly, education, training and exercise (ETE) program. All activities were carried out with the exception of the implementation of the alert and assistnace protocols. These have been developed and discussed with the maritime authorities in all three countries (UK already had them in place) and a blue print is avalable. Due to different legal, financial and capacity problems the protocols have not been tested and therefore implmented at this time. All countries foresee to get this underway in 2015 and achiev the end goal by then.

Activity 3 consisted of `two main activities: the large scal exercise (LSE) and the evaluation of the LSE. In the LSE, carried out in june 2014, the concept of MIRG EU was tested adn proved to work fine. The evauation delivered some points of attention and is the start of a continous learning program between the partners. The project management and coordnaition activities (4 and 5) organised a finala conference in the last part of the project to showcase the results of MIRG EU to stajkelholders and beneficiaries.

The most important result of the project is 4 teams ready to intervene at minor and major incidents in the 2 seas area. This maritime fire and rescue service was not available in France, Belgium and the Netherlands and was almost cancelled in the UK. Besides these well equiped and trained temas the project delivered some important tangible results. Most importantly the project delivered a standard operational procedure (SOP) which is used in 4 countries and will be jointly kept up to date after the end of the project. These procedures allow for workig together but also form a framework to introduce and addapt new ways of working or nest practices. With this all 4 countries can learn from eachother. Attached to the SOP a 2 year ETE program was delivered outlining the educational, training and exercise needs for the MIRG EU teams.

Furthermore a risk analysis was delivered on the risks of the 2 seas area and the likelyhood something might happen in this very bussy shipping lane. This report underlines the need to have some kind of respons ready in the case of an incident. Also a list of specilaised and interoperable equipement, including a risk analysis, was delivered allowing the MIRG teams to acquire the right gear for their work. Finnaly a video of the large scale exercise was made, outlining the concept of MIRG, and a eveluation of the MIRG exercise was made.

The following target groups are the beneficiaries:

• Emergency services across the 2 Seas area and further afield in the EU

• Port companies

• Salvage companies

• Environmental agencies

• Maritime agencies

• Economic players

• Coastal agencies

• Logistics and transport players (e.g. shipping companies)

• National, regional and local authorities

As final beneficiaries the follwing groups can be determined: passengers on (ferry)vessels, civilians in the coastal zone and fishing industry. These last two groups benefit from a beter respons to potential harmfull environmental incidents.

The outcome of the MIRG EU project is that people can move more freely and securly in the Channel zone and the the Nord Sea area as they now a better and dedicated repons in the case of an emergency. With passengers numbers every year on the increase that is a conforting thought. Also the poeple living close to shore or a harbour have a better chance of reduced exposure to dangerous chemicals as a better and swifter repons is available. Finnaly the project helps to prevent possible harmfull spills to the fishing industries operating in the area.

Maritime incidents often have an international character. MIRG EU partners have all identified maritime incidents as a significant threat to the population, environment and economy of their regions, as well as to the wider 2 Seas area. Effective incident control requires sufficient and specialized firefighters. Only by means of cross-border cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and experinces it is possible to guarantee the necessary quantity and quality for incident control over a longer period.

Yes, at the moment we are trying to have the MIRG-EU teams accepted within the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Also a collaboration of MIRG EU partners has been succesful in securing a grant from this Mechanism/ DG ECHO for the organsiation of a large scale maritime exercise called MIRG-EX in 2016.

The key message would be to invest in the relations before starting the project, to focus on a good understanding of the details of the project and to start communicating with stakeholders as soon as possible.

The project results are in the hands of the partners who have decided to keep working together after the end of the project in order to maintain a high level of quality. The first meeting is scheduled for early 2015. Also other MIRG teams, e.g. from the Nordic countries and the Baltic states have shown a lot of interest in the results of MIRG EU and want to start a cooperation and develop procedures for their own based on the work delivered by MIRG EU. In France and Belgium, who have more centralised knowledge based organsiations, work is ongoing to research the MIRG EU principles for national use and to validate it as a 'best practice'.

The partnership will continue to work together on the quality of the MIRG EU principles and is was decided to have an annual meeting on the further development of the MIRG concept, to share ideas and practices and to secure the future cooperation.

The partnership is looking at the possibilities to get MIRG-EU teams to be acceptedwithin the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,this way securing and enlarging valuable experience amongst the partners and within an EU context. In addition, six of the MIRG-EU partners, together with three additional Flemish partners have successfully submitted a bid for a grant in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism call for proposals to have a Large Scale Exercise (MIRG-EX) in front of the Flemish coast in 2016. Fruthermore, the partnership is looking for (funding) possiblities to set up a partnersip with the MIRG team from the Nordic countries.
All partners will partcipate in a lareg sclae exercise called MIRGEX funded by the DG ECHO, to be held in Belgium in 2016. The concept will then be tested in relation with shorebased emergency activities.