EU: Towards a consensus on humanitarian aid policy
The EC has put forward a Communication in favour of more efficient and coherent humanitarian aid delivery following a year long consultation with humanitarian organisations
The European Commission has put forward a Communication in favour of more efficient and coherent humanitarian aid delivery following the conclusion of a year long consultation with humanitarian organisations last week.
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, renewed his commitment to the international reform effort that is underway to make global humanitarian aid more effective and said that this Declaration will ?set out the values, guiding principles and policy scope of EU humanitarian aid?. He also said that Europeans have the ?moral duty to lead the way in helping millions of victims of violent conflicts and natural disasters – it is time for us to speak up collectively against the growing number of violations of international law?.
The next step will be a joint declaration voicing an EU consensus on the best practices for humanitarian action, an important step considering that the last time the EU issued a joint document on humanitarian aid policy was in 2006. ?A European consensus is important because it will strengthen our capacity to help people suffering in crisis zones across the globe? said Louis Michel.
The extensive consultation process, that involved Member States, NGOs, UN agencies and other specialised bodies like the Red Cross/Crescent, highlighted the complexity of humanitarian crises and the difficulties posed by access and security. Considerable consensus was shown regarding the challenges faced by humanitarian aid agencies and on the principles for Community humanitarian aid, which were identified as being humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.
Caritas Europa said that it ?considered the consultation process a good opportunity to reach an agreement between the European governments and the civil society on important Humanitarian Aid framework conditions?.
Europe cares
The EU as a whole is the world?s largest humanitarian aid donor spending around 800 million euros a year providing relief aid to crisis victims outside the EU.
A recent survey on attitudes towards humanitarian aid revealed that 91% of Europeans think that supplying humanitarian aid is justified, and 88% believe that EU funding in this area is important.
?Opinion polling highlights the solidarity of EU citizens with the world's most vulnerable commmunities – and also shows that they favour a common European approach in humanitarian aid? said the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner.
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