Central Crisis Staff

The Government of the Czech Republic, under Resolution No 33 of 11 January 1999, as amended by Resolution No 813 of 22 August 2001, Resolution No 35 of 9 January 2002, Resolution No 164 of 12 February 2003 and Government Resolution No 1109 of 10 November 2004, inter alia approved the Statutes of the Central Crisis Staff.

Statutes of the Central Crisis Staff

Article 1
Introductory provisions

1. The Central Crisis Staff (hereinafter referred to as ‘"CCS"’) is a working body of the Government responsible for crisis management.

2. The CCS was set up under Government Resolution No 33 of 11 January 1999, as amended by Government Resolution No 53 of 10 January 2001, and was incorporated by the Government into the structure of the National Security Council’s bodies.

Article 2
Competence of the CCS
1. Following the declaration of a state of emergency, a state of national danger or a state of war (hereinafter referred to as ‘crisis situation’), in cases where there is a threat of a crisis situation, in cases of the fulfilment of allied commitments abroad, in cases of the participation of the Czech Republic’s armed forces in international operations to restore and keep peace, in cases of the organization of large-scale humanitarian aid of the Czech Republic abroad, and in cases of the Czech Republic’s involvement in large-scale rescue actions abroad, except for the deployment of rescue units, or in the event of other serious situations relating to the Czech Republic’s security interests, the CCS prepares proposals to handle the situation.

2. The proposals for the handling of the situation under paragraph 1 are submitted by the CCS at a meeting of the National Security Council or, if delay could be dangerous, directly at a meeting of the Government pursuant to a decision of the Prime Minister and the National Security Council.

3. The CCS is responsible for the operative coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of measures adopted by the Government, ministries and other administrative authorities (hereinafter referred to as ‘ministries’) to prevent the occurrence of or to deal with a crisis situation or other serious situation, and provides support for activities carried out by the crisis management bodies of territorial administrative authorities and local and regional government bodies.

4. In particular, the CCS
a) is responsible for the operative coordination of measures implemented by administrative authorities and local and regional government bodies,
b) is responsible for operative cooperation with the emergency management authorities of international organizations,
c) is responsible for assessing developments in the situation, the content and adequacy of measures adopted by administrative authorities and local and regional government bodies, and provides information to the National Security Council,
d) assesses, discusses and coordinates the adoption of measures of an interdepartmental nature proposed by ministries,
e) prepares, for the National Security Council, draft measures on the handling of the situation and documentation for the adoption of decisions requiring Government approval or approval by the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Article 3
Activation of the CCS

1. The CCS is activated if there is a risk of the occurrence of, or after the occurrence of, a crisis situation or other serious situation relating to the Czech Republic’s security interests, in cases of the fulfilment of allied commitments abroad, in cases of the participation of the Czech Republic’s armed forces in international operations to restore and keep peace, in cases of the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid abroad, and in cases of the Czech Republic’s involvement in international rescue operations in the event of an accident or natural disaster.

2. The decision to activate the CCS rests with the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council, or if he is not present in the Czech Republic or on other serious grounds, with the Deputy Prime Minister delegated by the Prime Minister. A member of the Government may submit a proposal to activate the CCS to the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council or to the delegated Deputy Prime Minister. Where the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid is required abroad, or where the Czech Republic’s involvement in international rescue operations is required in the event of an accident or natural disaster, a proposal to activate the CCS is submitted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Article 4
Composition of the CCS

1. The CCS has 36 members.

2. The Chairman of the CCS is appointed by the Prime Minister and the President of the National Security Council depending on the nature of the situation:
a) the Minister for Defence in the event of an external military threat to the Czech Republic, in the event of the fulfilment of allied commitments abroad and in the event of the involvement of Czech Republic’s armed forces in international operations to restore and keep peace,
b) the Minister of the Interior in case of other types of threat to the Czech Republic, in case of the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid abroad, and in case of the Czech Republic’s involvement in international rescue operations relating to an accident or natural disaster.

3. Other CCS members are
a) the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs,
b) the Deputy Minister for Defence,
c) the Deputy Minister of the Interior,
d) the Deputy Minister for Justice,
e) the Deputy Minister for Finance,
f) the Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade,
g) the Deputy Minister for Agriculture,
h) the Deputy Minister for Transport,
i) the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs,
j) the Deputy Minister for Health,
k) the Deputy Minister for Regional Development,
l) the Deputy Minister for Culture,
m) the Deputy Minister for Education, Youth, and Sports,
n) the Deputy Minister for Informatics,
o) the director of the Office of the Ministry of the Environment,
p) the President of the State Office for Nuclear Safety,
q) the director of the National Security Office,
r) the director of the Secretariat of the National Security Council,
s) the President of the Administration of State Material Reserves,
t) the Vice-Governor of the Czech National Bank,
u) the Manager of the Office of the President of the Republic,
v) the President of the Czech Telecommunications Office,
w) the Attorney General of the Czech Republic,
x) the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic,
y) the Police President of the Czech Republic,
z) the Director General of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic,
aa) the director of the Security Information Service,
bb) the director of the Office for Foreign Relations and Information,
cc) the director of Military Intelligence – director of the Military Defence Intelligence,
dd) the Chief of the Military Intelligence Service,
ee) the Director General of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic,
ff) the Central Director of the State Veterinary Administration,
gg) the Chief Health Officer of the Czech Republic,
hh) the director of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute,
ii) the director of the Office of the Czech Red Cross.

4. The CCS members referred to in paragraph 3(u) to (ii) participate solely in an advisory capacity.

5. CCS members may be represented by a delegated member of staff from their office at CCS meetings only in exceptional cases. In this case, the delegated person has the same rights and obligations as a full member of the CCS.

6. In cases where special veterinary measures are ordered in accordance with special legislation and the threat concerned has the nature of an emergency situation, the consequences of which culminate in a national crisis situation, and therefore the CCS is activated, the Central Disease Panel is convened within the scope of the CCS and becomes part thereof in accordance with Act No 240/2000 on crisis management and amending certain laws.

7. In cases where, at a time of flooding, a state of danger or a state of emergency is declared and therefore the CCS is activated, the Central Flood Panel is convened within the scope of the CCS; members of the Central Flood Panel become members of the CCS in accordance with Act No 240/2000 on crisis management and amending certain laws, unless they are already members of the CCS.

Article 5
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the CCS

1. The CCS Chairman
a) convenes meetings of the CCS, manages the activities thereof, and is accountable for such activities to the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council,
b) sets the time and venue of CCS Meetings; as a rule, the venue of the meeting is at a predefined building, in rooms providing building security in accordance with Act No 148/1998 on the protection of classified information and amending certain laws, as amended (hereinafter referred to as ‘CCS centre’),
c) may, by agreement with the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council, or with CCS members, specify which CCS members need not attend meetings,
d) regularly informs the National Security Council, or the Government directly on the instructions of the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council, about the CCS’s activities, the development in the situation, and the measures adopted and implemented.

2. The CCS Vice-Chairman is
a) the Deputy Minister for Defence in the event of an external military threat to the Czech Republic, in the event of the fulfilment of allied commitments abroad and in the event of the involvement of Czech Republic’s armed forces in international operations to restore and keep peace, or
b) the Deputy Minister of the Interior in case of other types of threat to the Czech Republic, in case of the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid abroad, and in case of the Czech Republic’s involvement in international rescue operations relating to an accident or natural disaster.

3. The CCS Vice-Chairman
a) manages the CCS’s activities in the absence of the CCS Chairman,
b) manages the head of the operating centre and the heads of expert working groups.

Article 6
Obligations of CCS members

CCS members:
a) are responsible for cooperation with the management of the ministry or other component which they represent in the CCS (hereinafter referred to as ‘components’),
b) appointment a responsible representative of their component for expert working groups,
c) are responsible, within their component, for the operative assessment of materials prepared for discussion by other CCS members,
d) are responsible for the accomplishment of tasks within their component which have been laid down in CCS resolutions,
e) arrange for the designation of a delegated representative from their component to cover their exceptional absence from CCS meetings.

Article 7
External cooperation

The CCS may invite the representatives of other ministries, local and regional government bodies and other experts to its meetings as and when required. The CCS Chairman makes decisions on such invitations.

Article 8
Expert working groups and the Operating Centre

1. The CCS may set up expert working groups composed of its members, the representatives of relevant components and invited experts, and appoint the leaders thereof, in order to discuss material issues.

2. The head of an expert working group manages the meetings thereof and submits its proposals to the CCS.

3. The Operating Centre, i.e. the centre for the operational management of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence, and expert working groups arrange the following in particular for the CCS:
a) the monitoring and analysis of developments in the situation;
b) the collection, processing, sorting and transmitting information required for assessments of the situation and the adoption of decisions,
c) the processing of analyses of collected information and background documentation for draft alternative solutions,
d) information and organizational synergies with the Office of the Government – Secretariat of the National Security Council, the task forces if ministries, other central administrative authorities, administrative authorities with nationwide operations and local and regional task forces.

Article 9
CCS centre

1. The CCS centre is activated by
a) the Ministry of Defence in the event of an external military threat to the Czech Republic, in the event of the fulfilment of allied commitments abroad and in the event of the involvement of Czech Republic’s armed forces in international operations to restore and keep peace,
b) the Ministry of the Interior in case of other types of threat, in case of the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid abroad, and in case of the Czech Republic’s involvement in international rescue operations relating to an accident or natural disaster.

2. The CCS centre is connected to an uninterruptible power supply and is fitted out with the necessary computer, communication and office technology; it includes:
a) a CCS meeting room,
b) an operating centre,
c) rooms for the meetings of expert working groups and the activities of liaison offices,
d) the necessary premises for catering, rest and liaising with the media.

3. The CCS Secretariat is responsible for the organizational preparations and material equipment of the CCS centre. The role of the secretariat is played by a delegated department of the ministry whose minister is the Chairman of the CCS.

Article 10
Round-the-clock accessibility of CCS members

1. The time limit for ensuring that CCS members or their delegated representatives are assembled at the centre is 180 minutes as of the issue of an instruction by the CCS Chairman to convene a CCS meeting.

2. The Minister for Defence in the first half of the calendar year and the Minister of the Interior in the second half of the calendar year check up on the constant accessibility of CCS members and the feasibility of the convocation plans once every two months.

3. Screening of constant accessibility is conducted by contacting CCS members by means of telecommunication equipment and receipt of confirmation that they can assemble at the designated CCS centre.

4. The minister screening the constant accessibility of CCS members is obliged to notify the Prime Minister and President of the National Security Council of the results.

Article 11
Rules of Procedure

The CCS’s rules of procedure and amendments thereto are subject to the approval of the National Security Council.

Article 12
Final provisions

1. Amendments to the Statutes of the Central CCS are subject to the Government’s approval.

2. These Statutes are publicly accessible on the website and at the registered office of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. The consolidated text of the current Statutes is published on the website.

3. These Statutes enter into effect on 11 January 1999.