Communication on the EU’s humanitarian action: new challenges, same principles

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 10 March 2021, setting out a plan aimed at strengthening the European Union's global humanitarian impact to meet rising needs in the wake of a number of challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Further information:

The Communication proposes a series of key actions to expedite the provision of humanitarian aid by expanding the resource base, supporting a better enabling environment for humanitarian partners and addressing the root causes of crises through a Team Europe approach. It highlights a renewed focus on international humanitarian law (IHL) and also sets out to tackle the dramatic humanitarian impact of climate change.

The plan includes the establishment of a new European Humanitarian Response Capacity (EHRC) to intervene directly in humanitarian crises, when traditional delivery mechanisms via EU partners or their capacities may be ineffective or insufficient. The EU also intends to put compliance with IHL at the heart of EU external action to protect civilian populations.

The Council of the European Union adopted a set of conclusions in reaction to this Communication at a Council meeting on 20 May 2021.

• Primary Source

News

EurActiv, 10/03/2021: EU unveils new humanitarian aid tools amid pressure on donors https://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/news/eu-unveils-new-humanitarian-aid-tools-amid-pressure-on-donors/

EUObserver, 11/03/2021: EU floats Ethiopia sanctions over humanitarian aid https://euobserver.com/foreign/151189

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Official

European Commission: Press Release, 10/03/2021: Humanitarian action: New outlook for EU's global aid delivery challenged by COVID-19 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1067

European Commission: Questions and answers: new outlook for EU humanitarian action (10 March 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_1082

European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Janez Lenarčič about Commission's new outlook for EU's global humanitarian action challenged by COVID-19 (10 March 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_1108

European Commission: Humanitarian action: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the press conference on the new outlook for the EU's humanitarian action in light of COVID-19 (10 March 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_1110

General Secretariat of the Council: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the EU’s humanitarian action: new challenges, same principles - Council Conclusions (20 May 2021) https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-8966-2021-INIT/en/pdf

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 20/05/2021: EU’s humanitarian action: Council adopts conclusions https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/05/20/eu-s-humanitarian-action-council-adopts-conclusions/

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