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1. The Commission shall establish a Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (the ‘Network’) to aggregate, process and disseminate knowledge and information relevant to the Union Mechanism, based on a multi-hazard approach and including relevant civil protection and disaster management actors, centres of excellence, universities and researchers. The Commission, through the Network, shall take due account of the expertise available in the Member States, at Union level, at the level of other international organisations and entities, at the level of third countries and at the level of organisations active on the ground. The Commission and the Member States shall promote gender-balanced participation in the establishment and the functioning of the Network. The Commission, through the Network, shall support coherence of planning and decision-making processes by facilitating the continuous exchange of knowledge and information involving all areas of activity under the Union Mechanism. To that end, the Commission, through the Network, shall inter alia:

(a) set up and manage a training and exercises programme for civil protection and disaster management personnel on prevention of, preparedness for and response to disasters. The programme shall focus on and encourage the exchange of best practices in the field of civil protection and disaster management, including in relation to disasters originating from climate change, and include joint courses and a system for the exchange of expertise in the area of disaster management, including exchanges of professionals and experienced volunteers, and the secondment of Member State experts. The training and exercises programme shall aim to enhance the coordination, compatibility and complementarity of capacities referred to in Articles 9, 11 and 12, and to improve the competence of experts as referred to in points (d) and (f) of Article 8(1);

(b) set up and manage a programme of lessons learnt from civil protection actions conducted within the framework of the Union Mechanism, including aspects from the entire disaster management cycle, in order to provide a broad basis for learning processes and knowledge development. The programme shall include:

(i) monitoring, analysing and evaluating all the relevant civil protection actions within the Union Mechanism;

(ii) promoting implementation of lessons learnt in order to obtain an experience-based foundation for the development of activities within the disaster management cycle; and (iii) developing methods and tools for gathering, analysing, promoting and implementing lessons learnt. That programme shall also include, where appropriate, lessons learnt from interventions outside the Union with regard to exploiting links and synergies between assistance provided under the Union Mechanism and humanitarian response;

(c) stimulate research and innovation, and encourage the introduction and use of relevant new approaches or technologies or both for the purpose of the Union Mechanism;

(d) set up and maintain an online platform serving the Network to support and facilitate the implementation of the different tasks referred to in points (a), (b) and (c).

2. When carrying out the tasks set out in paragraph 1, the Commission shall take particular account of the needs and interests of Member States facing disaster risks of a similar nature, as well as of the need to strengthen the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

3. The Commission shall strengthen cooperation on training, and promote the sharing of knowledge and experience, between the Network and international organisations and third countries, in particular in order to contribute to meeting international commitments, particularly those in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.