Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre) with amending laws of:
22 September 2022 [shall
come into force on 17 October 2022];
12 January 2023 [shall come into force on 27 January
2023];
8 March 2023 [shall come into force on 22 March
2023];
8 June 2023 [shall come into force on 30 June 2023].
If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the
date of the amending law appears in square brackets at
the end of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or
clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears
in square brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph
or clause.
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The Saeima1 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:
Civil Protection and Disaster
Management Law
Chapter I
General Provisions
Section 1. Terms Used in this
Law
The following terms are used in this Law:
1) civil protection - a set of organisational,
engineering, economic, financial, social, educational and
scientific measures implemented by the State and local government
authorities and the society to ensure the safety of people, the
environment and property, and also implement corresponding
actions in case of a disaster or threats thereof;
2) disaster - an accident which has caused human
casualties or endangers human life or health, caused damage or
threat to people, the environment or property, and also inflicted
or inflicts significant material and financial losses and exceeds
the daily capacity of the responsible State and local government
authorities to prevent the devastating conditions;
3) threats of a disaster - a situation when risk
assessment, forecasts, information or other circumstances
reasonably indicate to the likelihood of a disaster;
4) disaster management - a set of managed and
coordinated preventive, preparedness, response, elimination of
consequences measures, and also recovery measures conducted to
ensure the implementation of civil protection tasks;
5) preventive measures - a set of measures performed to
prevent or reduce the threats of a disaster;
6) preparedness measures - a set of measures performed
to prepare for the required action in case of a disaster;
7) early warning - targeted and immediate provision of
information to persons and responsible authorities on a disaster
or threats of a disaster and the required action;
8) national early warning system - a technological
system functioning autonomously or a set of such systems which
ensures early warning;
9) response measures - a set of the measures which are
performed in order to reduce or eliminate devastating conditions
and the consequences caused thereby, to prevent or reduce harm to
people, the environment and property;
10) rescue operations - response measures and the
measures in the set of measures for the elimination of
consequences which are planned, managed and performed by the
State Fire and Rescue Service, except for the rescue operations
in the sea and internal waters from the baseline to shoreline
which are planned, managed and performed by the National Armed
Forces;
11) measures for the elimination of consequences - a
set of measures which are performed in order to ensure at least
the minimum basic needs of inhabitants related to the survival of
people and to stop or reduce threat to human health, the
environment and property;
12) recovery measures - a set of measures which are
performed in order to help victims in a timely and proportional
manner and to the extent possible to restore the environment and
property to the state it was before the disaster;
13) international assistance - a set of measures which,
in applying this Law, is performed to respond to the disaster and
eliminate the consequences of the disaster;
14) basic needs - food, housing, health care, medical
assistance, electricity supply, water supply, heating supply,
waste and wastewater collection, communication provision;
15) coordination - coordination of the action of the
State and local government authorities in the implementation of
preventive, preparedness, response, elimination of consequences
measures, and also recovery measures.
Section 2. Purpose of the Law
The purpose of this Law is to determine the competence of the
system of civil protection and disaster management subjects in
order to ensure, to the extent possible, the safety and
protection of people, the environment and property in case of a
disaster or threats thereof.
Section 3. System and Tasks of Civil
Protection
(1) The system of civil protection is a component of the
national security system which is formed by the State and local
government authorities, legal and natural persons whose rights,
tasks and responsibility in the field of civil protection are
laid down in the law.
(2) The principle of co-operation of territories shall form
the basis for the organisation of the system of civil protection,
and municipalities and republic cities shall be the territorial
basic units of the structure of the system of civil
protection.
(3) The system of civil protection shall have the following
tasks:
1) to ensure the safety of people, the environment and
property;
2) to ensure, to the extent possible, the minimal basic needs
for the public in case of a disaster or threats thereof;
3) to forecast in a timely manner the threats of a
disaster;
4) to plan and perform preventive measures in a timely
manner;
5) to provide assistance to victims of disasters and reduce
damage that has been or may be caused by the disaster to people,
the environment and property;
6) to plan and perform recovery measures;
7) to provide and receive international assistance in
accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and
regulations;
8) to support the national defence system if a military
invasion or war has begun.
Chapter II
Disaster, Risk Assessment and Disaster Management
Section 4. Disaster Types and
Scale
(1) The following disasters shall be distinguished in
conformity with the disaster cause:
1) natural disasters:
a) geophysical - earthquakes, landslides,
b) hydrological - fluvial flood, floods, ice jams,
c) meteorological - heavy rainfalls, hail, snow-drifts,
storms, whirlwinds,
d) climatological - intense cold or heat, icing, drought,
fires in forests and peat bogs,
e) biological - epidemics, epizootics and epiphytoties,
f) cosmic - fall of meteorites, geomagnetic storms;
2) man-made disasters or anthropogenic disasters:
a) technogenic disasters caused by a release of chemical,
radioactive and biological substances, fires in buildings and
structures, explosions, ruptures in dams and other hydrotechnic
structures, damages to energy networks, accidents in utility
networks, collapse of buildings and structures or vehicle
accidents,
b) public disorders, terrorist attacks and internal
conflicts.
(2) Disasters shall be divided in conformity with the scale of
damage caused:
1) local disasters - the scale of damage caused by a disaster
does not exceed the borders of the administrative territory of
one local government;
2) regional disasters - the scale of damage caused by a
disaster exceeds the borders of the administrative territory of
one local government;
3) State disasters - the scale of damage caused by a disaster
affects the entire territory of the State or a significant part
thereof.
Section 5. Risk Assessment
(1) Risk assessment shall be a process involving risk
identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation.
(2) Risk identification shall be a process involving risk
detection, recognition and description.
(3) Risk analysis shall be a process that is carried out in
order to understand the essence of the risk and determine the
level thereof.
(4) Risk assessment shall be a process during which the
results of risk analysis are compared to risk criteria in order
to determine whether the risk and the level thereof is acceptable
or satisfactory.
(5) Risk criteria shall be reference points used in order to
assess the likelihood and consequences of the risk.
Section 6. Disaster Management
(1) The disaster management shall be coordinated by:
1) the Ministry of Defence - disasters at sea in accordance
with that laid down in the Maritime Administration and Marine
Safety Law, and also in the on-shore military buildings or
engineering structures that are under the ownership or possession
thereof;
2) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - disasters in the
buildings and engineering structures of the representations and
embassies of the Republic of Latvia in other countries;
3) the Ministry of Climate and Energy - disasters related to
energy generation or transport infrastructure of energy and
energy resources (a gas leak in main gas pipelines, an accident
in gas and fuel supply systems, an accident in energy generation
equipment or infrastructure of hydrotechnic structures of
hydroelectric power plants, damages to energy networks);
4) the Ministry of the Interior - disasters related to fires,
earthquakes, landslides, terrorist attacks, public disorders,
internal conflicts or transport accidents in internal waters to
the shoreline;
5) the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional
Development - disasters related to release of hazardous chemical
substances or mixtures, except release at sea and internal waters
from the baseline to the shoreline, including cases of sea shore
contamination, radiation accidents, and also storms, whirlwinds,
heavy rainfalls, fluvial flood, floods, hail, intense cold,
icing, snow-drifts, ice jams or intense heat;
6) the Ministry of Transport - disasters related to accidents
of carriage by rail, road or air and relevant engineering
structures, accidents of pipelines for oil and oil product
transit, and also accidents of hydrotechnical engineering
structures of ports and sea;
7) the Ministry of Health - disasters related to epidemics of
human infectious diseases;
8) the Ministry of Agriculture - disasters related to fires in
forests and peat bogs, drought, accidents of polders,
hydrotechnical engineering structures, except accidents of
hydroelectric power plants, hydrotechnical engineering structures
of ports and sea; epizootics and epiphytoties related to mass
animal illness or the outbreak of an infectious disease dangerous
to animals, or multiplying of organisms harmful to plants;
9) local governments - disasters within the administrative
territory of a local government related to the collapse of
buildings and structures, accidents in heating supply, water
supply, wastewater or collecting system.
(2) The ministry referred to in Paragraph one of this Section
involving the authorities that are subordinate to the Ministry or
local government (hereinafter - the disaster management subject)
in co-operation with other ministries, State and local government
authorities shall perform the following disaster management
coordination tasks:
1) to assess the risk;
2) based on risk assessment, to determine the preventive,
preparedness, response and elimination of consequences measures,
draw up planning documents for the development of the respective
field, laws and regulations and other documents;
3) based on risk assessment, to identify and plan resources
for disaster management.
(3) The incident commander of response and elimination of
consequences operations shall be determined in the State civil
protection plan or the civil protection plans of the co-operation
territories depending on the type of disaster.
(4) The incident commander of response and elimination of
consequences operations has the right to involve State and local
government authorities, legal and natural persons, and also
resources at their disposal in response and elimination of
consequences measures.
(5) After the disaster, the disaster management subject in
co-operation with other ministries, State and local government
authorities shall determine and perform recovery measures in the
sequence of priorities.
(6) Ministries, State and local government authorities shall
provide the necessary support for the implementation of disaster
management coordination tasks to the disaster management
subject.
[8 June 2023]
Section 7. Evacuation
(1) Evacuation shall be an independent movement to the
specified safe direction or moving to a safe location before or
during a disaster from the territory or room where the
circumstances pose a threat to human life and health.
(2) The decision to evacuate inhabitants shall be taken by the
disaster management subject, the incident commander of response
and elimination of consequences operations or the owner or lawful
possessor of the object based on the following:
1) the information on the threat of a disaster;
2) the information on the consequences of a disaster that can
pose a threat to human life and health.
Chapter III
Duties, Tasks and Rights of the System of Civil Protection and
Disaster Management Subjects
Section 8. Tasks of Prime Minister
and the Cabinet
(1) The Prime Minister shall:
1) supervise the operation of the system of civil protection
and implementation of the tasks thereof;
2) decide on the proposal of local government to take over the
coordination of a local disaster management.
(2) The Cabinet shall:
1) decide on the financing that the State authorities require
for the implementation of the tasks laid down for them in the
field of civil protection and disaster management;
2) determine the procedures for establishment of the civil
protection commission, tasks, rights, work organisation thereof
and the co-operation territory of local governments present in
the civil protection commission;
3) regulate the procedures for identifying and determining the
objects of increased danger, planning and implementation of civil
protection and disaster management, and approve the list of
objects of increased danger;
4) determine the procedures by which the State and local
government authorities involve the resources at the disposal of a
legal or natural person in response and elimination of
consequences measures;
5) determine the procedures for compensating expenses or
losses to a legal or natural person which have incurred due to
the involvement of resources thereof in the response and
elimination of consequences measures, and also the procedures for
calculating the amount of compensation;
6) determine the procedures for establishing the national
contact point for civil protection and tasks and rights thereof,
and also procedures for its co-operation with the Emergency
Response Coordination Centre, the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response
Coordination Centre and other international organisations and
foreign countries;
7) determine the procedures for establishing, operating and
financing the national early warning system.
Section 9. Tasks and Rights of
Ministries, State Authorities and Heads Thereof
(1) The Ministry shall ensure the implementation of civil
protection tasks, development of draft laws and regulations
necessary in the field and disaster management coordination at a
national, regional and local level.
(2) The Ministry of the Interior shall coordinate the
development planning and operation of the system of civil
protection.
(3) The administrative head of a State authority shall ensure
and manage the implementation of civil protection tasks within
the State authority.
(4) The head of the State authority shall have the following
tasks:
1) to plan and implement the necessary action to ensure
uninterrupted operation of the State authority in case of a
disaster or threats thereof;
2) to develop the civil protection plan for the object or
object of increased danger that is under the ownership or
possession of the State authority, coordinate it with the State
Fire and Rescue Service, and approve it;
3) to ensure accurate and timely fulfilment of the measures
determined for the State authority in the State civil protection
plan and civil protection plan of the co-operation territory;
4) to ensure the safety of employees and visitors of the State
authority in the objects or objects of increased danger under the
ownership or possession thereof;
5) upon request of the disaster management subject, to provide
information on the resources available to the State authority to
be used in disaster management.
(5) The Ministry and the State authority, in accordance with
the field of activity thereof, shall develop and provide
recommendations to the State and local government authorities,
owners and lawful possessors of objects or objects of increased
danger and also provide recommendations to inhabitants regarding
action in case of a disaster or threats thereof.
(6) The Ministry and the State authority, within the scope of
their competence, have the right to request and receive free of
charge information from the State and local government
authorities, legal and natural persons that is necessary for
civil protection and disaster management.
(7) The Ministry and the State institution have the right to
enter into written service and co-operation agreements with other
State or local government authorities, legal and natural persons
in the field of civil protection and disaster management.
(8) The Ministry have the right to impose an obligation on the
authority subordinated to the Ministry to develop a civil
protection plan of the relevant object which is to be coordinated
with the State Fire and Rescue Service.
Section 10. Tasks and Rights of the
State Fire and Rescue Service
(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall have the following
tasks:
1) to manage, coordinate and control the operation of the
system of civil protection;
2) to revise and coordinate draft civil protection plans for
objects and objects of increased danger;
3) to establish and maintain the list of resources to be used
in fire service activities and rescue operations at their own
disposal and also under the ownership or possession of legal and
natural persons;
4) to perform inspections on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements;
5) to plan and organise training for the civil protection
commission of the co-operation territories;
6) to appoint an official from the State Fire and Rescue
Service to work in the civil protection commission of the
co-operation territory. This official shall be the vice-chair of
the relevant commission.
(2) The State Fire and Rescue Service has the rights:
1) to request and receive free of charge the information
necessary for the operational control of the system of civil
protection from the State and local government authorities, legal
and natural persons;
2) to supervise compliance with the requirements of the laws
and regulations governing the field of civil protection, prepare
reports regarding the infringements and drawbacks determined
during the inspections, and also provide recommendations to the
State and local government authorities, owners or lawful
possessors of objects or objects of increased danger regarding
the elimination of infringements and drawbacks and improvement of
the civil protection measures;
3) in performing rescue operations, to give instructions to
the involved authorities, and also to legal and natural persons
regarding the necessary action at the scene;
4) to involve in rescue operations State and local government
authorities, legal and natural persons, and also the resources at
the disposal thereof.
Section 11. Tasks and Rights of
Local Government Council, Chairperson Thereof, Local Government
Authority and Head Thereof
(1) The local government council shall have the following
tasks:
1) to provide financing that the local government authorities
require for the implementation of the tasks determined in the
field of civil protection and disaster management;
2) to approve the by-law and composition of the civil
protection commission of the co-operation territory;
3) to approve the civil protection plan of the co-operation
territory;
4) upon request of the disaster management subject, to provide
information on the resources available to the local government
council and local government authorities to be used in disaster
management;
5) to ensure evacuation of inhabitants from the territories
endangered or affected by a disaster, and also to keep a record
of these inhabitants, ensure temporary accommodation, feeding and
social care;
6) to the best of its ability, to ensure appropriate work and
living conditions for the officials of State and local government
authorities, and legal and natural persons involved in the
disaster management;
7) to participate in civil protection exercise and to organise
civil protection exercise of a local government.
(2) The local government council have the following
rights:
1) within the scope of the competence of local governments
laid down in this Law, to request and receive free of charge the
information necessary for civil protection and disaster
management from the State and local government authorities, legal
and natural persons;
2) to propose that the Prime Minister takes over the
coordination of a local disaster management;
3) to involve State and local government authorities, legal
and natural persons and also the resources at the disposal
thereof in the coordination of a local disaster management;
4) in case of a disaster or threats thereof, to limit the
assembly and movement of persons in the respective administrative
territory or a part thereof for a time period of up to two weeks
informing the Cabinet and the near-by local governments on the
restrictions and revocation thereof, and also publishing relevant
announcements in mass media;
5) to impose an obligation on the institution that is
subordinate thereto to develop the civil protection plan of the
relevant object which is to be coordinated with the State Fire
and Rescue Service.
(3) The chairperson of the local government council shall
manage the implementation of the civil protection tasks in the
local government and ensure the coordination of the local
disaster management referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one,
Clause 9 of this Law.
(4) If the chairperson of the local government council is
appointed as the chairperson of the civil protection commission
of the co-operation territory, he or she shall ensure the
following in co-operation with the State and local government
authorities, legal and natural persons:
1) development of the by-law of the civil protection
commission of the co-operation territory that is coordinated with
the State Fire and Rescue Service and submitted for approval to
every local government council;
2) determination of the composition of the civil protection
commission of the co-operation territory that is submitted for
approval to every local government council;
3) development and submission for approval of the draft civil
protection plan of the co-operation territory in each local
government council.
(5) The head of the local government authority shall ensure
and manage the implementation of civil protection tasks within
the local government authority.
(6) The head of the local government authority shall have the
following tasks:
1) to plan and implement the necessary action to ensure
uninterrupted operation of the local government authority in case
of a disaster or threats thereof;
2) to develop the civil protection plan for the object of
increased danger that is under the ownership or possession of the
local government authority, coordinate it with the State Fire and
Rescue Service, and approve it;
3) to ensure the fulfilment of measures determined for the
local government authority in the civil protection plan of the
co-operation territory;
4) to ensure the safety of employees and visitors of the local
government authority in the objects or objects of increased
danger under the ownership or possession thereof;
5) upon request of the local government council, to provide
information on the resources available to the local government
authority to be used in disaster management.
(7) The local government council and local government
authorities, in accordance with the field of activity thereof,
shall develop and provide recommendations to the State and local
government authorities, owners and lawful possessors of objects
or objects of increased danger, and also provide recommendations
to inhabitants regarding action in case of a disaster or threats
thereof.
(8) The local government council and local government
authority, in accordance with the field of activity thereof, have
the right to enter into written service and co-operation
agreements with other State or local government authorities,
legal or natural persons in the field of civil protection and
disaster management.
(9) If the co-operation territory is formed by several local
governments, the chairperson of the largest local government
council according to the number of inhabitants thereof or the
chairperson of the local government council who has been elected
by other chairpersons of local government councils with a simple
majority shall be the chairperson of the civil protection
commission of the co-operation territory, whereas other
chairpersons of local government councils and the official of the
State Fire and Rescue Service referred to in Section 10,
Paragraph one, Clause 6 of this Law shall be the vice-chairs
thereof.
(10) The civil protection plan of the co-operation territory
shall be approved by every local government council
separately.
[22 September 2022]
Section 12. Duties and Rights of
Legal and Natural Persons
(1) Legal and natural persons shall have the following duties
in the field of civil protection:
1) in accordance with this Law and other laws and regulations,
to ensure the maintenance and exploitation of the property at the
disposal or under the ownership thereof in a way to prevent harm
to the safety of people, the environment and property;
2) to notify immediately the relevant State or local
government authorities regarding a disaster or threats
thereof;
3) in case of a disaster or threats thereof, to act in
accordance with the information provided by the responsible State
or local government authorities and instructions given by the
officials thereof;
4) to ensure accurate and timely fulfilment of measures
determined for the legal person in the State civil protection
plan and civil protection plans of the co-operation
territories.
(11) The electronic communications merchant which
provides voice communications services in a public mobile
electronic communications network shall ensure compatibility and
interoperability of its electronic communications networks with
the national early warning system in order to ensure early
warning of inhabitants and responsible authorities using cell
broadcasting technology. The electronic communications merchant
which provides voice communications services in a public mobile
electronic communications network shall transmit the inhabitant
early warning notification using cell broadcasting technology
free of charge.
(2) Legal and natural persons have the following rights in the
field of civil protection:
1) to receive an early warning and recommendations regarding
action in case of a disaster or threats thereof;
2) in case of a disaster or threats thereof, to receive
assistance from the State and local government authorities.
[12 January 2023]
Chapter IV
Objects and Objects of Increased Danger
Section 13. Object, Duties and
Rights of the Owner or Lawful Possessor of the Object
(1) An object shall be a building or an engineering structure,
or part of an engineering structure connected with a particular
plot of land.
(2) The owner or lawful possessor of the object shall be
responsible for and ensure the following:
1) the safety of the object, and also the maintenance and
exploitation thereof in accordance with the requirements laid
down in the laws and regulations and in a way to prevent harm to
the safety of people, the environment and property;
2) the possibility to perform the inspection on the compliance
with the civil protection requirements at the object.
(3) The owner or lawful possessor of the object shall be
responsible for and in case of a threat ensure the following:
1) timely early warning and informing of people on the
required action and evacuation from the object;
2) immediate informing of the respective State or local
government authorities on the threat and the performed measures
for the prevention thereof;
3) evacuation of property from the object under condition it
is possible and does not endanger human life and health;
4) provision of all the necessary support upon request of
officials of the respective State or local government
authorities.
(4) In order to fulfil the requirements laid down in
Paragraphs two and three of this Section, the owner or lawful
possessor of the object shall ensure the following:
1) the development of the floor-plan of the object indicating
the layout of the buildings, rooms and engineering structures,
the power line cut-out switches and water, gas or fuel cut-off
valves, locations of dangerous equipment;
2) the development of the internal regulatory instruments of
the object;
3) the familiarisation of the persons employed at the object
with the internal regulatory instruments and the floor-plan of
the object and also the storage of copies thereof and the
controlling of compliance with the requirements laid down in
internal regulatory instruments.
(5) The owner or lawful possessor of the object, by
transferring the object for use or management to the State or
local government authority, legal or natural person, has the
right to agree in writing on the transfer of their competence
regarding civil protection and disaster management to the
administrative head of the relevant State and local government
authority or the respective legal or natural person in compliance
with the requirements laid down in the laws and regulations
governing other fields.
(6) The owner or lawful possessor of the object shall develop,
coordinate with the State Fire and Rescue Service and approve the
civil protection plan of the object if the object has been
included in the aggregate of critical infrastructures and it has
the capacity of over 100 people.
Section 14. Object of Increased
Danger, Duties and Rights of the Owner or Lawful Possessor of the
Object of Increased Danger
(1) An object of increased danger shall be a building or an
engineering structure used in an economic or any other way which
is connected to the generation and accumulation of energy,
electromagnetic radiation, processing, treatment, production,
use, storage and transportation of flammable, explosive,
dangerous chemical substances and mixtures, hazardous waste,
plant quarantine organisms, biological and radioactive
substances, nuclear materials and waste thereof.
(2) The objects of increased danger shall be classified in the
following categories:
1) Category A object of increased danger - an object, which
due to effects of different factors, can cause a national
disaster or significant harm to the safety of people, the
environment and property;
2) Category B object of increased danger - an object, which
due to effects of different factors, can cause a regional
disaster or harm to the safety of people, the environment and
property;
3) Category C object of increased danger - an object, which
due to effects of different factors, can cause a local disaster
or harm to the safety of people, the environment and
property.
(3) The owner or lawful possessor of the object of increased
danger shall be responsible for and ensure the following:
1) the safety of the object of increased danger and also the
maintenance and exploitation in accordance with the requirements
laid down in the laws and regulations and in a way to prevent
harm to the safety of people, the environment and property;
2) the possibility to perform the inspection on the compliance
with the civil protection requirements at the object of increased
danger;
3) the planning and implementation of civil protection
measures;
4) familiarisation of the persons employed at the object of
increased danger with the civil protection plan for the object of
increased danger, and also the storage of the copy thereof and
the controlling of compliance with the plan;
5) the training of the persons employed in the field of civil
protection and disaster management.
(4) The owner or lawful possessor of the object of increased
danger shall develop, coordinate with the State Fire and Rescue
Service, and approve the civil protection plan of the object of
increased danger.
(5) The owner or lawful possessor of the object of increased
danger shall submit the approved and coordinated civil protection
plan of the object of increased danger to the relevant local
government.
(6) The owner or lawful possessor of the object of increased
danger by transferring the object of increased danger for use or
management to a State or local government authority, legal or
natural person, has the right to agree in writing on the transfer
of their competence regarding civil protection and disaster
management to the administrative head of the relevant State and
local government authority or the relevant legal or natural
person in compliance with the requirements laid down in the laws
and regulations governing other fields.
Chapter V
Planning of Civil Protection
Section 15. Procedures for Planning
Civil Protection
(1) The State civil protection plan, civil protection plan of
the co-operation territory, civil protection plan of the object
of increased danger and civil protection plan of the object shall
be documents which are drawn up by taking into account risk
assessment and wherein measures for disaster management and
implementers thereof are determined.
(2) The Cabinet shall determine the structure of the State
civil protection plan, civil protection plan of the co-operation
territory, civil protection plan of the object of increased
danger and civil protection plan of the object and information to
be included therein.
(3) The Ministry of the Interior shall ensure that the
up-to-date version of the State civil protection plan and civil
protection plans of the co-operation territories are placed on
the website of the Ministry of the Interior and the State Fire
and Rescue Service.
(4) The local government shall ensure that the up-to-date
version of the civil protection plan of the respective
co-operation territory and the civil protection plan of the
objects of increased danger located in the administrative
territory of the respective local government are available on the
website of the local government.
Section 16. The State Civil
Protection Plan
(1) The State Fire and Rescue Service shall develop the State
civil protection plan in co-operation with other authorities.
(2) The Ministry of the Interior shall evaluate the fulfilment
of the State civil protection plan, submit the respective
informative report to the Cabinet until 1 May each year and, if
necessary, draft amendments to the State civil protection
plan.
Section 17. The Civil Protection
Plan of Local Government or Co-operation Territory
(1) The local government council shall approve the civil
protection plan of the local government or co-operation territory
at least once every four years.
(2) The civil protection commission of the local government or
co-operation territory shall submit proposals to the relevant
local government council regarding the necessary amendments to
the civil protection plan of the local government or co-operation
territory.
Section 18. The Civil Protection
Plan of the Object of Increased Danger
The owner or lawful possessor of the object of increased
danger shall approve the civil protection plan of the object of
increased danger at least once every four years.
Chapter VI
Inspections on the Operation and Conformity of the System of
Civil Protection
Section 19. Inspections on the
Operation of the System of Civil Protection
(1) The head of the State or local government authority shall
control the implementation of civil protection tasks of this
authority, and also the implementation of civil protection tasks
of the authorities that are subordinate to this authority.
(2) The State and local government authorities shall organise
civil protection and disaster management exercise in order to
ensure the preparedness inspection for the system of civil
protection.
(3) The Ministry of the Interior shall coordinate the planning
of the civil protection and disaster management exercise and
organisation thereof at a national and regional level in
accordance with the tasks laid down for the State and local
government authorities in the State civil protection plan.
(4) The types of civil protection and disaster management
exercise and procedures for organising thereof shall be
determined by the Cabinet.
Section 20. Inspections on the
Compliance with the Civil Protection Requirements
(1) The inspections on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements at the objects and objects of increased
danger shall be performed by an official with special service
rank of the State Fire and Rescue Service (hereinafter - the
official with special service rank).
(2) The inspections on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements at the objects and objects of increased
danger of the Ministry of Defence, the National Armed Forces and
national security agencies shall be performed by the person
responsible for civil protection or the official with special
service rank in accordance with a memorandum of understanding
concluded between the Ministry of Defence, the National Armed
Forces or national security agencies and the State Fire and
Rescue Service. The official with special service rank shall
perform the inspections on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements at the objects and objects of increased
danger of foreign diplomatic and consular missions on the basis
of a written submission of the relevant foreign diplomatic or
consular mission.
(3) The official with special service rank shall perform
planned and occasional inspections on the compliance with the
civil protection requirements. The planned inspection on the
compliance with the civil protection requirements (hereinafter -
the planned inspection) shall be performed in accordance with the
plan of the inspection on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements approved by the State Fire and Rescue
Service. The occasional inspection on the compliance with the
civil protection requirements (hereinafter - the occasional
inspection) shall be performed on the basis of a written decision
by the State Fire and Rescue Service.
(4) The official with special service rank who performs the
inspections on the compliance with the civil protection
requirements shall have the following duties:
1) to inform in advance the owner or lawful possessor of the
object or object of increased danger on the planned
inspection;
2) prior to commencement of the inspection on the compliance
with the civil protection requirements, to introduce oneself by
providing his or her surname, position and present his or her
service identification document to the owner or lawful possessor
of the object or object of increased danger, or to their
authorised person;
3) prior to commencement of the occasional inspection, to hand
over the written decision of the State Fire and Rescue Service to
the owner or lawful possessor of the object or object of
increased danger, or to their authorised person;
4) to inform the owner or lawful possessor of the object or
object of increased danger, or authorised person thereof on the
results of the inspection on the compliance with the civil
protection requirements;
5) to instruct the owner or lawful possessor of the object or
object of increased danger, or authorised person thereof to
eliminate the infringements of the civil protection requirements
laid down in the laws and regulations.
(5) In the process of performing the inspection on the
compliance with the civil protection requirements, the official
with special service rank has the following rights:
1) to inspect the compliance of the object or object of
increased danger with the civil protection requirements laid down
in the laws and regulations;
2) by taking photos and making video recordings, to record the
infringements of civil protection requirements laid down in the
laws and regulations;
3) to request that an identity document or other personal
identification document is presented;
4) to suspend or restrict the exploitation of the object or
object of increased danger;
5) to issue a statement on the compliance of the object or
object of increased danger with the civil protection requirements
laid down in the laws and regulations;
6) to draw up statements of administrative infringements, to
examine cases of administrative infringements and impose
administrative penalties for the infringements the examination of
which is under the jurisdiction of the State Fire and Rescue
Service;
7) to request and receive free of charge information related
to the civil protection issues.
Chapter VII
Scientific Research, Education and Training in the Field of Civil
Protection and Disaster Management
Section 21. Scientific Research
In order to facilitate the development of the system of civil
protection, the State and local government authorities, legal and
natural persons may implement scientific research work in the
field of civil protection and disaster management.
Section 22. Training of
Specialists
The training of civil protection specialists shall be
performed by the State accredited institutions of higher
education and vocational secondary education institutions.
Section 23. Educating
Inhabitants
(1) An educational institution shall ensure the provision of a
mandatory course in civil protection to educatees of higher,
general and vocational education institutions. The minimum
requirements for the content of the mandatory course in civil
protection shall be determined by the Cabinet.
(2) The educating of inhabitants in civil protection matters
by using mass media and electronic mass media and also by
distributing informative materials shall be performed by the
State and local government authorities and also legal and natural
persons in accordance with the field of activity thereof.
(3) Training of employees in civil protection matters shall be
organised by the employer. The minimum requirements for the
training of employees in civil protection matters shall be
determined by the Cabinet.
Chapter VIII
International Assistance in Case of Disaster or Threats of
Disaster, Financing of the System of Civil Protection
Section 24. Request for and
Provision of International Assistance
(1) In case of a disaster or threats thereof, the decision on
the request for or provision of international assistance shall be
taken by the Cabinet, upon the proposal of the disaster
management subject or the Cabinet's own initiative.
(2) In case of a disaster or threats thereof, the disaster
management subject shall, if there is a justified necessity, make
a proposal to the Cabinet to decide on the request for
international assistance in disaster management and indicate the
grounds for the necessary international assistance, the type,
scope and the estimated costs thereof and also the responsible
State authorities and co-authorities providing host nation
support.
(3) If information with a request for international assistance
has been received from a state affected by a disaster or a state
in crisis, or an international organisation, the disaster
management subject, coordinating it with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, shall submit to the Cabinet a proposal to evaluate the
specified information and take a decision on the provision of
international assistance, and indicate the requester of the
international assistance, the grounds for the necessity of the
assistance, the type, scope and estimated costs thereof.
(4) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for receipt and
provision of humanitarian aid.
(5) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which the
State and local government authorities submit proposals to the
Cabinet in relation to taking a decision to request international
assistance in case of a disaster or threats thereof to ensure
disaster management.
(6) Once a year until 20 January, the disaster management
subject shall evaluate the capacity thereof to provide
international assistance, if necessary, to a state affected by a
disaster or a state in crisis and submit the relevant information
together with the information on the fulfilment of the State
civil protection plan and proposals regarding the amendments
necessary to the State civil protection plan to the Ministry of
the Interior.
Section 25. Financing of the System
of Civil Protection
The State authority shall finance the implementation of the
civil protection tasks within the field of activity thereof from
the State budget resources intended for this purpose in its
budget, whereas local government authorities - from the resources
intended for this purpose in their budgets, and legal and natural
persons - from their own resources.
Transitional Provisions
1. With the coming into force of this Law, the Civil
Protection Law (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru
Kabineta Ziņotājs, 2006, No. 22; 2008, No. 16; 2009, No. 7,
No. 17; Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2009, No. 182; 2013, No. 61)
is repealed.
2. Until 1 February 2017, the Cabinet shall issue the Cabinet
regulations provided for in Section 8, Paragraph two, Clauses 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, Section 15, Paragraph two, Section 19,
Paragraph four, Section 23, Paragraphs one and three, and Section
24, Paragraphs four and five of this Law. Until the date of the
coming into force of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but no
longer than until 1 December 2017, the following Cabinet
regulations shall be applicable, insofar as they are not in
contradiction with this Law:
1) Cabinet Regulation No. 423 of 26 June 2007, Structure of
the Civil Protection Plan of a Local Government, Merchant and
Institution, Procedures for the Development and Approval
Thereof;
2) Cabinet Regulation No. 530 of 7 August 2007, Procedures for
the Establishment, Use and Financing of the Civil Alarm and
Notification System;
3) Cabinet Regulation No. 612 of 11 September 2007, Minimum
Requirements for the Content of the Course in Civil Protection
and Content of the Training of Employees in Civil Protection;
4) Cabinet Regulation No. 626 of 18 September 2007,
Regulations Regarding Criteria for the Specification of Objects
of Increased Danger and the Duties of the Owners (Possessors,
Managers) of Such Objects for Ensuring Measures for Reduction of
Risk;
5) Cabinet Regulation No. 842 of 11 December 2007, Procedures
by which Expenses and Losses Caused by Involving Resources of
Persons in Response Measures, Suppression of Fire or Rescue
Operations are to be Compensated to Legal and Natural Persons,
and the Procedures by which the Amount of Compensation is to be
Calculated;
6) Cabinet Regulation No. 772 of 22 September 2008,
Regulations Regarding the Types and Organising Procedures of
Civil Protection Exercise;
7) Cabinet Regulation No. 659 of 30 June 2009, Procedures for
the Receipt and Provision of Humanitarian Assistance;
8) Cabinet Regulation No. 1072 of 22 September 2009,
Regulations Regarding the List of the Civil Protection
Commissions of Local Governments, the Territory of Operation of
the Commissions and the Procedures for the Establishing
thereof;
9) Cabinet Regulation No. 1078 of 22 September 2009, Model
Regulations of the Civil Protection Commission of a Local
Government;
10) Cabinet Regulation No. 1260 of 3 November 2009,
Regulations Regarding the Competence of Persons Responsible for
the State Supervision of Fire Safety and the Procedures by which
the State Supervision of Fire Safety and the Controlling of
Compliance with the Civil Protection Requirements are to be
Carried Out;
11) Cabinet Regulation No. 910 of 28 September 2010,
Regulations Regarding the Establishment, Maintenance, Training,
Financing, the Determining of Social Guarantees ant Involvement
in the International Assistance Provision of the Quick Response
Units and Medical Support Units.
3. Until 1 May 2017, the Cabinet shall approve the list of
objects of increased danger provided for in Section 8, Paragraph
two, Clause 3 of this Law.
4. The State civil protection plan approved before the date of
the coming into force of this Law shall be in effect until 1
August 2017. The Cabinet shall approve the State civil protection
plan until 2 August 2017.
5. The local government councils shall approve the by-law and
composition of the civil protection commission of co-operation
territory provided for in Section 11, Paragraph one, Clause 2 of
this Law until 1 August 2017.
6. The civil protection plans of co-operation territories
approved before the date of the coming into force of this Law
shall be in force until 30 December 2017. The local government
councils shall approve the civil protection plan of co-operation
territory provided for in Section 11, Paragraph one, Clause 3 of
this Law until 31 December 2017.
7. The owners or lawful possessors of the objects or objects
of increased danger shall approve the civil protection plan of
the object or object of increased danger provided for in Section
9, Paragraph eight, Section 13, Paragraph six and Section 14,
Paragraph four of this Law until 31 December 2017.
8. [8 March 2023]
The Law shall come into force on 1 October 2016.
The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 5 May
2016.
President R. Vējonis
Rīga, 25 May 2016
1 The Parliament of the Republic of
Latvia
Translation © 2023 Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre)
