The Helsinki European Council called on the Commission in December 1999 to set up a Rapid Reaction Facility. This is designed to accelerate the provision of finance to support EU activities worldwide, to contribute to operations run by international organisations and to fund NGO activities. This will enable the EU to develop a comprehensive and coherent approach in security-related measures abroad while increasing EU visibility and efficiency. The scope of intervention builds upon existing Community instruments contributing to the alleviation of financial crises, human rights work, election monitoring, institution building, media support, border management, humanitarian missions, de-mining operations, police training and the provision of police equipment, civil emergency assistance, rehabilitation, reconstruction, pacification, resettlement and mediation. A dividing line has been drawn between the scope of this facility and the regulation concerning humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian action is focused on the individual.
It seeks to preserve life and relieve human suffering. Interventions under the RRF are rather aimed at the preservation or reestablishment of the civic structures necessary for political, social and economic stability. While ECHO is politically neutral, the RRF is intended to operate in the context of ESDP crisis management. The management of the Facility will be in charge of a small team in the new Crisis Management Unit of Directorate General External Relations which will be stregthened by other Commission services as needed and operate as counterpart of the Council s Situation Centre. This Committee will be consulted before any decision to intervene in a crisis situation.