UM academic Prof. Anton Micallef elected to Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents of the Council of Europe’s EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement
Set up in 1987, the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement is a platform for co-operation in the field of major natural and technological disasters, involving 24 European and South Mediterranean member states; the latter provide ministerial representation, assisted by a committee of Permanent Correspondents, who interface between the national authorities and the Agreement.
The main objectives of this Agreement are to reinforce and to promote cooperation in a multi-disciplinary context to ensure better prevention, protection against risks and better preparation in the event of major natural or technological disasters.
At the scientific and technical level, specialised Euro-Mediterranean Centres have the role of developing projects, both at national and regional levels, which aim to improve the awareness of and resilience to, major risks within the population.
At a recent (February 2022) Joint Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents and Directors of Specialised Centres, Prof. Anton Micallef (Head of the Malta specialized centre at the Institute of Earth Systems, UM) was elected as Vice-Chair to the Bureau of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents; he previously held this position between 2007 - 2010. Between 2007-2012, Prof. Micallef also served as Vice-Chair and subsequently Chair of the Committee of Directors of Specialised Centres. In 2020, Prof. Micallef was additionally appointed as the Maltese Permanent Correspondent to this Agreement