EN Official Journal of the European Union C 67/11

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps: enabling and encouraging citizens from across the Union’s Member States to participate in EVHAC’ (exploratory opinion requested by the Lithuanian presidency)

2014/C 67/03

Rapporteur: Giuseppe IULIANO

On 15 April 2013, the Lithuanian presidency decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on the

European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps: enabling and encouraging citizens from across the Union's Member States to participate in EVHAC

(exploratory opinion requested by the Lithuanian presidency).

The Section for External Relations, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 25 September 2013.

At its 493rd plenary session, held on 16 and 17 October 2013 (meeting of 16 October 2013), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 110 votes, with 2 abstentions.

Introduction

Since its establishment, the European Economic and Social Committee has always paid special attention to voluntary work insofar as it is a practical expression of citizens working towards solidarity, social cohesion and the improvement of the communities where they carry out their activities. Voluntary work is said to be "a sign of a society's excess of goodwill" and it is a palpable reflection of the values underpinning the European Union.

The EESC has drawn up a number of opinions on aspects of national or cross-border volunteering within the EU. In fact, the EESC was the first EU institution to suggest holding a European Year of Volunteering. The EESC has also drawn up opinions on the role of civil society in EU external action and development cooperation.

Thus, since Article 214(5) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union specifically mentions setting up a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (EVHAC), later renamed the EU Aid Volunteers initiative, and the process for adopting a regulation in the near future to manage its implementation has been launched, it is appropriate for the EESC to set out a position that allows civil society's views to be incorporated in the regulation and its subsequent implementation.

1. Conclusions and recommendations

1.1 The EESC welcomes the establishment of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (EVHAC) or "Aid Volunteers" initiative because it believes that this will encourage EU citizens to participate in humanitarian activities, especially through civil society organisations such as specialised NGOs.

1.2 EVHAC should be used to facilitate the involvement of Member States with less experience in humanitarian activities. The EESC therefore suggests setting up specific actions to promote the participation of volunteers from these countries and foster their social and humanitarian organisations.

1.3 In order to promote public support for humanitarian action and recognition for the role of voluntary action, the EESC recommends also considering dissemination and awareness-raising activities for the general public on these issues.

1.4 The EESC endorses and supports the views expressed in the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid regarding the objectives and assets of humanitarian action and would like to express its conviction that humanitarian aid includes protecting people affected by humanitarian crises, maintaining their dignity and respecting their rights.

1.5 The EESC emphasises this broad concept of humanitarian action, which goes beyond the mere provision of assistance, and recalls the need to respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, and the essential nature of the laws that govern humanitarian action.

1.6 The EESC would like to emphasise the genuine nature of voluntary action and the risks of confusion with other types of action involving work. In times of economic crisis such as these, this aspect is particularly relevant, both within the EU and in its external action.

1.7 The EESC stresses that the existence of different laws on voluntary action in the various Member States could have a negative impact on the Aid Volunteers initiative.

1.8 Volunteer involvement must always be needs-based, following an analysis and assessment of the situation and the needs of populations affected by disasters or complex crises.

1.9 The proposal for a regulation (1) emphasises the need to establish standards for all stages in the process of volunteer participation. The EESC shares this concern and suggests basing these standards on good practices in the humanitarian sector and existing high-quality initiatives.

1.10 Volunteering is usually carried out through social organisations and, to a lesser extent, civilian public sector institutions. The quality of the institutions plays a key role in the success of the work. The EESC supports the need to develop certification mechanisms for organisations based on the humanitarian sector's experience and cumulative expertise. Certification criteria should also apply – albeit in an adapted form – to hosting organisations in the affected countries.

1.11 The EESC believes that the certification mechanism must be based on the sum of these experiences and that its implementation must incorporate the key criteria of transparency, free competition and equal opportunities, not to mention accountability. The initiative should enable NGOs from countries with less experience in this field to participate.

1.12 The EESC believes that in addition to technical vocational training – which is obviously important – there is a need to provide and prioritise training in values, respect for the affected populations, intercultural considerations, respect, and the psychosocial dimension of aid etc., in short, in many of the areas that make humanitarian action what it is, and go far beyond the merely technical.

1.13 The EESC believes that the participation of businesses that also have experience in corporate or other types of volunteering has to be studied carefully, also in order to enhance the role played by SMEs.

2. General aspects

2.1 Although volunteering and voluntary sector activities have become part of the EU acquis, and the EU institutions have been launching such projects and programmes for decades, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union alone includes a specific reference to voluntary aid in Article 214(5) in the chapter on humanitarian aid, where it mentions setting up a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (EVHAC) in order to involve young Europeans in humanitarian aid.

2.2 Setting aside the surprise generated by this inclusion for a variety of reasons, it is the only reference to volunteering in the Treaty. The humanitarian sector is one of the most professionalised areas of cooperation. There are no references to volunteering in other sectors where European experience exists, such as youth or social policy, etc. The fact is that following the Treaty of Lisbon's entry into force, the EU institutions have taken action to launch this initiative. As a result, the Commission has carried out a number of feasibility and impact studies on this initiative and has implemented a number of pilot projects to draw lessons and put them into practice (2). The changes adopted include the decision to change its name to the Aid Volunteers initiative, and progress in discussions on a regulation to implement the initiative.

2.3 The EESC would like to recall that volunteering has always been part of what European social organisations do and this is why, in its work, the EESC has always given attention to its support, promotion, etc.

2.4 At the same time, the EESC has set out its positions in a range of opinions on different aspects of EU development cooperation and external action, placing special emphasis on areas connected with its mandate, including, inter alia, the role of civil society and labour and social standards.

2.5 Humanitarian aid is one aspect of EU external action and is, precisely, one of the areas where the participation and key role of European civil society is clearest. More than 47 % of the European Commission's humanitarian aid is channelled through NGOs (3) and this is similar to what happens in most Member States. Furthermore, it is among the EU policies that enjoy the greatest public support, as indicated in the Eurobarometers (4).

2.6 Since 1996, following the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 1275/1996, the European Commission has had a solid foundation for its humanitarian work, subsequently complemented by the adoption of the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, signed in 2007 by the three institutions (the Council, the Commission and the Parliament) and which sets out the general policy framework for humanitarian assistance. The document defines the common vision, policy objectives and principles of EU humanitarian aid and sets out an EU vision that responds to humanitarian needs with one voice, and more effectively. It also defines the role of the Member States and EU institutions. Finally, Article 214 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establishes humanitarian aid as an independent policy.

2.7 The EESC agrees with the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid that "the objective of EU humanitarian aid is to provide a needs-based emergency response aimed at preserving life, preventing and alleviating human suffering and maintaining human dignity wherever the need arises if governments and local actors are overwhelmed, unable or unwilling to act. EU humanitarian aid encompasses assistance, relief and protection operations to save and preserve life in humanitarian crises or their immediate aftermath, but also actions aimed at facilitating or obtaining access to people in need and the free flow of assistance. EU humanitarian assistance is provided in response to anthropogenic (including complex emergencies) and natural disasters as needed" (5). The EESC particularly welcomes the references to protecting victims and maintaining human dignity, believing that this takes aid beyond the concept of assistance.

2.8 As a result, the EESC emphasises that beyond international humanitarian law definitions, which define victims' rights, or the EU legal instruments cited above, some recognised humanitarian organisations, such as Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders consider that: "Humanitarian action is an act of solidarity by civil society for civil society, from person to person, which seeks to preserve life and to alleviate suffering. Unlike other types of aid, it does not aim to transform a society but to help it through a critical period. It is committed to people, not States". Civil society plays a fundamental role in humanitarian action.

2.9 The EESC would like to point out that the concept of humanitarian aid has evolved in recent decades and includes preventative action, risk reduction, assistance, protection and post-disaster or post-conflict rehabilitation. The EU itself, through the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, has been a pioneer in this area. At the same time, humanitarian aid not only seeks to meet needs but also includes aspects that have a "rights-based focus" and seeks to restore human dignity. Within this rights-based approach, the EESC can make its own unique contribution.

2.10 The EESC would also like to highlight that the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid and the Aid Volunteers initiative can also help to involve Member States with less experience in humanitarian action but with considerable potential and capacity to contribute new insights, energy and volunteers. One of the contributions of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative should be to promote voluntary humanitarian action among citizens throughout the EU.

2.11 The EESC therefore welcomes the EU Aid Volunteers initiative and would like to contribute its own ideas to the preparation of a regulation on this initiative, with particular emphasis on the aspects most closely connected to its mission and experience as an EU civil society advisory body.

3. Volunteering in European aid

3.1 The EESC agrees with the definitions of volunteering set out in the proposal for a regulation, and which have been included in other opinions. The EESC would like to emphasise the genuine nature of voluntary action and the risks of confusion with other types of action involving work. In times of economic crisis such as these, this aspect is particularly relevant, both within the EU and in its external action. This is why the EESC suggests that in certain cases the possible economic impact of EU voluntary action on beneficiary countries should be evaluated.

3.2 The EESC would like to recall the need for consistency in legislative frameworks for volunteering in the EU, especially on the international activities of volunteers. The EESC stresses that the existence of different legal frameworks on voluntary action in the various Member States could have a negative impact on the EU Aid Volunteers initiative (6).

3.3 At the same time, the EESC is convinced that this type of initiative should serve to promote the inclusion of Member States with less experience in humanitarian aid volunteering. The initiative should ensure that the participation of organisations from these countries is facilitated and should promote equal opportunities for the inclusion of both organisations and volunteers from across the EU. The EESC suggests carrying out specific actions to promote the participation of organisations and volunteers from Member States which so far have been less active in the humanitarian sector.

3.4 Although the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union originally confined itself to humanitarian aid, in fact, the funded pilot projects and jobs assigned to volunteers have, for the most part, concerned development cooperation, disaster risk reduction, rehabilitation and reconstruction, mitigation, resilience, etc. The EESC considers this adjustment to be logical and suggests studying ways to develop future voluntary action in EU development cooperation.

3.5 Volunteering in European humanitarian aid and, more generally, in development cooperation must be consistent, complementary and integrated into other actions of the EU institutions. The EESC believes that volunteering can be useful in other areas of international development cooperation, but must be based on a cautious (do no harm) or precautionary approach that restricts the situations in which volunteers can be deployed.

3.6 This is why the EESC agrees with the European Parliament's decision to restrict the participation of volunteers in situations of conflict, insecurity or in complex emergencies. The safety of beneficiaries, volunteers and staff in general, especially in the sort of situations where humanitarian operations are conducted, must come first.

3.7 As a result, the EESC suggests further refining the definition of the types of projects that are best suited to volunteer participation or, at least, more stringently defining the types of operation from which volunteer involvement under the initiative would be excluded. Humanitarian action is wide-ranging and diverse and we need to identify which of its contexts are most suited to voluntary work.

3.8 At the same time, the EESC welcomes the fact that the concept of youth volunteering as set out in the Treaty has turned into something more realistic, which addresses the various types of volunteering, the skill-sets required, different values, etc. The EESC believes that an effort is needed to ensure an appropriate gender balance in the project.

4. Challenges for the implementation of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative

4.1 The EU institutions have taken a cautious approach to the practical implementation of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. The evaluation of the pilot schemes and initiatives carried out so far should play a key role in setting and taking on a number of future challenges. The results of these evaluations should be shared with all interested parties and the lessons learnt should be discussed.

4.2 Volunteer involvement must always be based on needs and requests, following an analysis and assessment of the situation and the needs of populations affected by disasters or complex crises. It is essential to link this with EU coordination mechanisms (the COHAFA, DG ECHO instruments, etc.) and, internationally, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

4.3 Furthermore, clear mechanisms need to be established with specialised humanitarian networks (for the moment) such as, inter alia, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, VOICE (Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies) or ICVA (International Council of Voluntary Agencies).

4.4 The proposal for a regulation emphasises the need to establish standards for all stages of the deployment of volunteers to third countries. The EESC shares this concern and suggests basing these standards on good practices in the humanitarian sector and relevant existing high-quality initiatives (7).

4.5 These standards must attach particular importance to safety and security and conditions that allow volunteers to carry out their activities and add value to humanitarian projects.

4.6 Volunteering is usually carried out through social organisations and, to a lesser extent, civilian public sector institutions. The quality of the institutions plays a key role in the success of operations. The EESC supports the need to develop certification mechanisms for organisations based on the humanitarian sector's experience and cumulative expertise. The EESC therefore advocates analysing and assessing the experience which DG ECHO has accumulated through the framework agreements establishing cooperation with NGOs and with the UN agencies (8).

4.7 The EESC wishes to express its conviction that the certification mechanism must be based on the sum of these experiences and that its implementation must incorporate the key criteria of transparency, free movement and equal opportunities, not to mention accountability. The initiative should enable NGOs from countries with less experience in this field to participate. The EESC therefore advocates developing specific actions to disseminate the Aid Volunteers initiative and humanitarian action in general in those Member States.

4.8 Certification criteria should also apply – albeit in an adapted form – to hosting organisations in the affected countries. The capacity building of hosting organisations must be a priority and should include technical, logistical, and financial support from the project. The initiative could be used to support partner organisations in the South and to strengthen hosting communities. The EESC has been particularly sensitive to this issue and has adopted a number of opinions on the subject (9).

4.9 The EESC emphasises that the institutions sending and hosting volunteers must be civilian in nature, to ensure that due regard is shown for humanitarian principles and values and that they are accepted by the affected communities.

4.10 The EESC believes that the participation of businesses that also have experience in corporate or other types of volunteering has to be studied in depth so that mechanisms can be put forward for this type of participation. The EESC considers that in any case the role of SMEs has to be promoted and not, as has sometimes occurred, just the role of large corporations with corporate social responsibility (CSR) or similar departments.

4.11 The training of candidate EU Aid Volunteers is vital to ensure the smooth running of operations. The EESC would like to express its conviction that in addition to technical vocational training – which is obviously important – there is a need to provide and prioritise training in values, respect for the affected populations, intercultural considerations, respect, and the psychosocial dimension of aid, etc. in short, in many of the areas that make humanitarian action what it is, and go far beyond the merely technical. If there is one thing that distinguishes humanitarian action, it is this emphasis on principles and values, which must be an essential part of volunteer training.

4.12 This is why it is necessary to work with experienced bodies in the different Member States and with EU-wide training networks, not just university networks but also non-profit networks. The assessment of training activities included in pilot projects that have already been completed should be given particular attention. The EESC calls for good practices in this field to be gathered as soon as possible so that they can be used as benchmarks for future proposals.

4.13 The proposal for a regulation considers the establishment of a database of candidate volunteers to be deployed at a later stage by accredited organisations or, possibly, by the Commission's services. The EESC would like to point out that the placement of volunteers with organisations does not depend purely on technical requirements but also on a certain affinity in terms of shared values and an acceptance, inter alia, of the organisation's mandates and missions. As a result, whatever the final arrangements established by the Commission for the volunteer database, the EESC is convinced that this particular aspect must be taken into account.

4.14 The implementation of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative is an opportunity to broaden European public awareness and education campaigns about solidarity and the need to keep aid flowing even in times of crisis, and to promote universal values. Beyond the mere "high profile" of operations, the EESC would like to stress the need to strengthen relations with the general public, as it has done in other opinions. And civil society organisations, many of which are represented within the EESC, have a key role to play in this respect. The EESC believes that these public awareness activities should concentrate on Member States with less experience in the field of humanitarian action.

Brussels, 16 October 2013. The President of the European Economic and Social Committee Henri MALOSSE

(1) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps EU (COM(2012) 514 final).

(2) DG ECHO commissioned evaluations in 2006, 2010 and 2012: Review concerning the establishment of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps» (2006); Review concerning the establishment of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps - Final report - (2010); Impact Assessment on the establishment of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (2012), drawing various conclusions.

(3) Data from ECHO's 2012 report: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/funding/figures/budget_implementation/AnnexV.pdf.

(4) According to the March 2012 Eurobarometer survey on this issue, 88 % of EU citizens are in favour of EU humanitarian funding. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_383-384_fact_es_es.pdf.

(5) Article 8 of the Consensus (OJ C 25, 30.1.2008, p. 1-12). The Consensus also mentions initiatives such as the Sphere Project, which set out the rights of people affected by humanitarian crises and their protection. Sphere 'Humanitarian Charter' and Minimum Standards.

(6) EESC opinion on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on EU Policies and Volunteering: Recognising and Promoting Cross-border Voluntary Activities in the EU. (COM(2011) 568 final), OJ C 181, 21.6.2012, pp. 150-153.

(7) The EESC advocates specific monitoring with respect to the Joint Standards Initiative (JSI), set up by three of the most significant initiatives for improving humanitarian action, i.e. the Sphere Project, the HAP Initiative (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership Initiative) and the People in Aid Code of Good Practice.

(8) The recommendations of the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response currently under discussion should also be followed up, while the accreditation mechanisms established in some Member States should be studied in order to seek consistent approaches and avoid duplication.

(9) EESC opinion on Civil society involvement in the EU's development policies and in development cooperation, OJ C 181, 21.06.2012, pp. 28-34,