Demining can be speeded up
The European Union's Demining Technology Action Plan could speed up the release of land for rehabilitation, according to Acting European Commissioner Edith Cresson in the preface to the "Proceedings of the Demining Technologies International Exhibition, Workshops and Training Seminars". At the start of the 430-page volume, she deplores the misery that anti-personnel landmines (APLs) cause to thousands of civilian victims every year. The European Commission is at the forefront of support for world-wide demining action and is committed to contributing to the elimination of APLs with 10 to 15 years. For example, the Commission is setting out to develop new tools for civilian demining within the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) for Research, Technological development and Demonstration (RTD) - through systematic sharing of information with other countries and setting up an international test and evaluation programme. Also, the Commission's Joint Research Centre has been involved in demining research for several years and now has a key role in spearheading the EU's efforts in demining.