REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION Annual Report on the European Union's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Policies and their implementation in 2010
Date: 2011-06-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: aid to disaster victims, civil defence, foreign aid

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 10.6.2011 
COM(2011) 343 final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND 
THE COUNCIL 

Annual Report on the European Union's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection 
Policies and their implementation in 2010 

{SEC(2011) 709 final} 

 
 
 
 
  
 
The European Union is one of the world’s biggest donors of humanitarian aid, and a key actor 
in providing emergency relief to victims of man-made and natural disasters. It also promotes 
respect for, and adherence to, international humanitarian law. 

The European Commission, notably through itsDirectorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and 
Civil  Protection  (DG  ECHO)  aims  to  save  and  preserve  life  but  also  the  environment  and 
property,  preventing  and  alleviating  human  suffering  and  safeguarding  the  integrity  and 
dignity of populations affected by natural or man-made disasters occurring inside or outside 
the  EU.  The  Commission's  mandate  encompasses  humanitarian  assistance  and  civil 
protection,  the  two  main  instruments  at  the  European  Union’s  disposal  to  ensure  rapid  and 
effective delivery of EU relief assistance to people faced with the immediate consequences of 
disasters.  

The  EU’s  humanitarian  assistance,  which  is  distinct  from  longer-term  development  aid  or 
foreign policy instruments, is based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, 
independence and neutrality. This commitment to principled humanitarian aid is anchored in 
the Lisbon Treaty. 

The European Union’s humanitarian aid and civil protection policies enable it to demonstrate 
in practical terms its commitment to supporting those inside and outside the Union in need of 
assistance  when  they  are  at  their  most  vulnerable.  This  contributes  to  fulfilling  one  of  the 
strategic  objectives  of  the  EU's  external  action,  as  set  out  in  the  Treaty  on  the  European 
Union. 

The importance of humanitarian aid policy is reflected in the appointment of a Commissioner 
dedicated  to  humanitarian  aid  and  crisis  response  in  the  new  Commission.  The  Civil 
Protection  Mechanism,  which  has  been  brought  together  with  humanitarian  aid  in  a  single 
Directorate-General  since  February  2010,  aims  to  facilitate  cooperation  in  civil  protection 
assistance interventions in the event of major emergencies requiring urgent response. 

The global context within which the assistance is being delivered 

Many  of  today’s  global  issues  have  an  impact  on  both  the  scale  and  the  nature  of  the 
humanitarian and civil protection challenges: 

Changing security threats. While there has been less conflict between countries since the end 
of the Cold War, other types of conflict have become more widespread and more complex to 
tackle. The growing number of weak and failing States has created conditions for protracted 
instability,  violent  crises,  and  civil  conflicts  throughout  South  and  Central  Asia,  the  Middle 
East and the African continent.  

Climate change. Never before has human activity placed the environment and climate of our 
planet  under  so  much  stress.  The  world  is  experiencing  more  extreme  weather  patterns  — 
drought, floods, storms — than ever before. Climate change is likely in the future to affect the 
frequency  of  natural  disasters  and  the  scale  of  their  consequences,  but  also  alter  the 
geographic  distribution  of  such  emergencies.  In  many  regions  of  the  world,  access  to  basic 
natural  resources,  water  and  agricultural  land  is  becoming  more  difficult,  creating  further 
tensions and ‘climate-induced migration’.  

1 

 
 
  
Changes in the world economy. Developing and emerging countries are now the new drivers 
of  world  growth.  It  is  estimated  that,  by  2020-2025,  the  aggregate  GDP  of  the  eight  major 
emerging economies will be greater than that of the current G-8. While millions of people are 
being  lifted  out  of  poverty  thanks  to  this  growth,  development  remains  very  unequal,  with 
Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDGs)  remaining  out  of  reach  for  large  sections  of  the 
population. 

The rising role of non-State actors. NGOs have emerged across the world as important social 
and political forces; the private sector has increasing power not just in international business 
and  finance  but  also  in  societal  issues;  and  the  global  media  influence  the  conduct  of 
diplomacy and politics through the immediate and emotional impact of their ‘breaking news’. 

The  financial  crisis  may  impact  on  the  resources  available  to  respond  to  emergencies.  This 
may lead to an even greater need for European solidarity, and underscores the importance of 
value for money and efficiency in the delivery of assistance. 

Consequently,  the  implementation  of  humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection  is  increasingly 
complex and difficult. Due to the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters there 
are  more  sudden-onset  humanitarian  crises  and  in  particular  mega-disasters  such  as  those 
which occurred in 2010 in Haiti and Pakistan. Some 373 natural disasters occurred during the 
year, killing almost 300 000 people and affecting 207 million others worldwide1. Asia was the 
most  affected  region  with  89 %  of  the  total  number  of  victims.  2010  was  one  of  the  worst 
years  on  record  for  natural  disasters  in  the  past  two  decades.  Man-made  humanitarian 
disasters  are  still  mostly  caused  by  internal  civil  conflicts,  with  the  civilian  population 
increasingly  exposed  to  violence  and  suffering.  This  type  of  conflict  is  often  marked  by 
disregard  for  international  humanitarian  law  and  principles  by  belligerents  and  shrinking  of 
the humanitarian space. Humanitarian access to beneficiaries and the safety and protection of 
civilian populations and humanitarian workers have become more and more problematic. 

Another  defining  feature  is  the  multiplication  of  actors  appearing  on  the  humanitarian  aid 
scene.  In  addition  to  the  traditional  humanitarian  NGOs  and  international  humanitarian 
organisations,  private  foundations  and  companies  are  playing  an  increasing  role;  in  some 
countries  military  forces  are  conducting  quasi-humanitarian  operations;  and  some  peace-
keeping forces have protection mandates which may in some cases affect humanitarian action. 
In  some  regions,  government-to-government  assistance  or  the  deployment  of  military  assets 
are  playing  an  increasing  role.  This  large  number  of  actors  brings  a  variety  of  motivations, 
interests  and  practices.  Reaffirming  the  humanitarian  principles  of  neutrality  and  non-
discrimination becomes all the more important. 

The EU’s humanitarian aid and civil protection activities in 2010 

Through  the  Commission  (DG  ECHO),  the  EU  provided  needs-based  EU  humanitarian 
assistance and facilitated the provision of European in-kind civil protection assistance. 

DG ECHO intervenes  when and where  crises or natural disasters occur, helping millions of 
affected people throughout the world. In 2010, the EU's response to new or protracted crises 
totalled €

 1 115 million and consisted in: 

1 

Source: CRED (www.cred.be). 

2 

 
 
  
                                                 
–  providing humanitarian assistance to about 151 million people2 in 80 non-EU countries, of 
which  39  countries/territories  were  designated  as  being  in  a  situation  of  crisis  in 
DG ECHO’s initial planning; 

–  activating the civil protection mechanism for 28 crises inside and outside the EU. 

The initial 2010 budget of €
 835 million for humanitarian aid was stepped up several times in 
order to respond to new crises and natural disasters occurring during the year, in particular the 
two mega-disasters in Haiti and Pakistan. 

The humanitarian aid budget was increased by: using the Emergency Aid Reserve; using the 
European  Development  Funds  earmarked  for  humanitarian  aid  in  African,  Caribbean  and 
Pacific countries; and making transfers from budget lines for other external aid instruments. 

Of the total assistance provided in 2010 an estimated 44 % was for natural disasters, 41 % for 
protracted crises, and 15 % for ad hoc crises and interventions. 

Natural  disasters  continued  to  cause  severe  damage  throughout  the  world.  DG  ECHO 
follows a two-pronged strategy in dealing with this type of disaster: 

–  rapid  response,  by  providing  humanitarian  aid  and  by  facilitating  and  coordinating  civil 
protection  assistance  provided  by  EU  Member  States  and  countries  participating  in  the 
Civil  Protection  Mechanism  on  a  voluntary  basis  to  other  States  (EU  or  third  countries) 
upon activation of the Mechanism; 

–  disaster  preparedness,  by  identifying  those  geographical  areas  and  populations  most 
vulnerable to natural disasters and for which specific programmes on disaster preparedness 
are established. 

DG ECHO provided humanitarian assistance to cope with the consequences of the following 
disasters: 

•  floods in Benin, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh, Colombia and Pakistan;  

•  earthquakes in Chile, Indonesia and Haiti;  

•  cyclones in South Asia, Central America and Laos; 

•  droughts in the Greater Horn of Africa, the Sahel region, Bolivia and Djibouti;  

•  epidemics in the Republic of Congo, Haiti, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South-East Asia.  
•  Specific  assistance  was  also  provided  to  Mongolia,  affected  by  the  Dzud3  phenomenon, 
Bangladesh  (rodent  crisis),  the  Philippines  (El  Niño),  Guatemala,  affected  by  a  series  of 
natural  disasters  (volcanic  eruption,  tropical  storm,  tropical  depression  after  a  severe 
drought in 2009) and Tajikistan, affected by an earthquake, floods and a polio epidemic.  

In terms of ‘man-made crises’, the inter-ethnic clashes in Southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 
led to an emergency intervention covering a broad range of sectors including shelter, food and 
medical assistance, legal counselling and protection. In Yemen, the political and humanitarian 
situation deteriorated, with several open internal conflicts across the country. Instability in the 
Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia, is generating an increasing flow of persons landing on 
Yemen’s  shores  and  a  growing  number  of  refugees  and  asylum  seekers.  The  military 

2 

3 

151 million, of which 101 million through humanitarian aid, 22 million through food aid and 28 million 
through disaster preparedness activities. 
Natural  phenomenon  arising  from  continuous  heavy  snowfall  combined  with  extreme  cold  and 
preceded by dry summers. 

3 

 
 
  
                                                 
operations  which  followed  the  2009  internally  displaced  people  (IDPs)  crisis  in  Pakistan 
triggered new displacements prompting DG ECHO to address the needs of about three million 
people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. At the end of the year, the Ivory Coast faced a 
post-electoral crisis, also affecting neighbouring countries. 

In addition to these crises, the Commission had to manage several protracted and complex 
emergencies. Some examples are: 

•  Sudan, where increased insecurity, including frequent targeted kidnapping and harassment 
of  humanitarian  actors,  and  extremely  limited  access  has  contributed  to  the  almost 
complete disappearance of humanitarian space in Darfur. Interventions are largely limited 
to the camps, with partners working under extremely precarious conditions. 

•  The occupied Palestinian territory, where the combined effects of the blockade, restriction 
on access and movements and the impact of the occupation regime in Gaza, Area C of the 
West Bank and East Jerusalem, maintain the population in a state of high vulnerability and 
of reliance on external humanitarian assistance. 

•  In  the  Democratic  Republic  of  Congo,  fighting,  sexual  violence  and  displacement  of 
populations  have  persisted  throughout  the  year  although  gradual  stabilisation  has  been 
noted in some parts of the country. 

Despite  the  increase  in  natural  and  man-made  disasters  and  the  heavier  toll  that  complex 
emergencies  have  taken  during  the  last  few  years,  and  despite  the  lack  of  respect  for 
humanitarian  principles  and  the  safety  and  security  of  humanitarian  workers,  there  are  also 
cases  where  the  humanitarian  situation  has  improved.  There  are  definitely  hopeful  signs 
that  humanitarian  interventions  are  succeeding  where  funding  is  followed  by  development. 
This  was  the  case  in  Sri  Lanka  and  the  Philippines  in  2010.  In  Sri  Lanka,  the  humanitarian 
situation evolved significantly. To date, 75 % of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have 
returned to their place of origin while the remainder continue to live with host families or in 
camps. Through its budget, the EU is still one of the most engaged humanitarian aid donors. It 
funded humanitarian de-mining, where the actions funded have facilitated the safe return of 
former  IDPs.  In  addition,  there  was  greater  focus  on  multi-sector  interventions,  including 
shelter, livelihood and food assistance components. Protection concerns persisted, with a high 
proportion  of  returning  families  headed  by  women.  Finally,  the  security  situation  has 
remained  stable  since  the  end  of  the  conflict  and  while  access  for  ECHO  partners  remains 
restricted, the general trend shows improvement. In the Philippines, the security situation has 
started  to  improve  along  with  progress  in  the  peace  talks  between  the  parties,  and  with  the 
ceasefire supervised by a Joint Coordination Committee for the  Cessation of  Hostilities and 
by  an  International  Monitoring  Team,  under  Malaysian  command.  DG  ECHO  continued  to 
provide  assistance  to  displaced  persons  still  living  in  evacuation  centres,  and  supported  the 
IDP return process. At the end of 2010, the number of people still displaced did not exceed 
25 000, which confirmed the relevance of phasing out humanitarian aid in favour of longer-
term instruments. 

As  regards  civil  protection,  the  EU  Civil  Protection  Mechanism  was  activated  28  times 
during  the  year  (11  times  within  and  17  times  outside  the  EU),  to  respond  to  e.g.  floods  in 
Pakistan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Benin, 
Tajikistan and Colombia; earthquake and cholera epidemics in Haiti; an earthquake in Chile; 
an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; a violent windstorm (Xynthia) affecting Western Europe; 
forest  fires  in  France,  Portugal  and  Israel;  snowfalls  in  the  UK  and  the  Netherlands; 
hurricanes  and  tropical  storms  in  Guatemala  and  Haiti;  and  finally  the  chemical  accident  in 
Hungary where several villages were flooded by red sludge from a local aluminium plant. 48 

4 

 
 
  
experts were dispatched inside and outside the EU as part of 12 assessment and coordination 
missions. 

The preparatory action on an EU rapid response capability for 2010 (a European Parliament 
initiative  which  started  in  2008  and  was  renewed  in  2009  and  for  the  last  time  in  2010) 
yielded good projects and supported further development in the area of modules. In 2010, four 
European  rapid  response  capabilities  developed  and  on  standby  under  this  programme  were 
deployed for the first time to emergencies, namely an advanced medical post with surgery and 
a water purification unit to Haiti following the earthquake, a high capacity pumping module to 
the floods in Poland and in Moldova and a technical assistance and support team to Haiti for 
the cholera epidemics. 

The number of transport operations increased dramatically in 2010 (55, of which 50 through 
direct grants and 5 under the framework contract with a transport broker).  

A review of the current civil protection policy started in 2010 is still ongoing.  

The  table  below  shows  how  EU  funding  for  humanitarian  aid  and  civil  protection  was 
allocated by region in 2010, according to the needs-based principle (in thousands of euros). 

Region/country

Amount

Africa
  Sudan & Chad
  Central Africa
  Horn of Africa
  West Africa
  Southern Africa, Indian Ocean
Middle East, Mediterranean, Caucasus
  Middle East, Mediterranean 
  Caucasus
Asia
  Central and South West Asia
  Central South Asia
  South East and East Asia
Latin America, Carribean & Pacific
  Latin America  
  Caribbean & Pacific
Civil Protection
  Inside EU
  Rapid Response preparatory action
  Outside EU
Worldwide (capacity building, technical assistance, support)
TOTAL

468.550
169.000
84.750
96.000
87.100
31.700
98.000
96.000
2.000
281.445
198.295
34.400
48.750
158.500
34.500
124.000
28.061
14.407
6.846
6.808
80.304
1.114.860

%
42%

9%

25%

14%

3%

7%
100%  

Unlike  civil  protection,  DG  ECHO  does  not  in  general  deliver  humanitarian  aid  directly  on 
the ground but fulfils its mandate by providing funding to about 200 partners composed of 
non-governmental  organisations,  United  Nations  agencies,  other  international  organisations 
such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red 
Cross and the Red Crescent Societies and some specialised agencies from EU Member States. 

5 

 
 
  
It  is  important  for  DG  ECHO  to  have  a  wide  range  of  partners,  as  this  allows  it  to  cover  a 
growing list of needs in different parts of the world, often in increasingly complex situations. 
DG  ECHO-managed  grants  and  contributions  are  made  by  selecting  the  best  proposals 
received  for  covering  the  needs  of  the  most  vulnerable.  In  2010,  funding  was  distributed 
among  DG  ECHO’s  partners  as  follows:  NGOs  50 %,  UN  agencies  39 %  and  international 
organisations 11 %. 

Humanitarian  organisations  are  faced  with  increasingly  limited  access  to  beneficiaries,  on 
the  one  hand  due  to  tightening  of  the  humanitarian  space  by  governments  and  non-
governmental  actors,  who  disregard  even  the  most  basic  protection  afforded  under 
international humanitarian law, and on the other hand as a result of security constraints. More 
and more, governments are imposing restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid (e.g. Sri 
Lanka).  In  many  conflict  zones  (e.g.  DRC,  Somalia,  Sudan)  humanitarian  workers  see 
particularly brutal methods of warfare, including the targeting of civilians and frequently the 
use  of  sexual  violence  as  a  weapon  of  war.  The  incidence  of  attacks  on  humanitarian  aid 
workers, including expulsions and killings, appears to be on the rise. Donors have to face the 
fact  that  not  only  is  the  safety  of  humanitarian  staff  at  risk,  but  also  the  funding  and 
infrastructure  that  they  provide.  Some  governments  are  willing  to  go  to  the  extreme  of 
expropriating  or  ‘borrowing’  funds  and  property  financed  by  donors  and/or  expelling 
humanitarian aid organisations once they have been stripped of their assets. 

Humanitarian and civil protection assistance policy 

At  policy  level,  many  of  the  overarching  policy  issues  regarding  humanitarian  aid  are 
reflected  in  the  2007  European  Consensus  on  Humanitarian  Aid  and  its  Action  Plan.  A 
mid-term  review  of  the  Consensus  Action  Plan  was  completed  in  autumn  20104,  which 
confirmed solid progress in implementing all action areas. Results of the mid-term review are 
available at http://ec.europa.eu/echo/policies/consensus_en.htm.  

Acute  food  and  nutrition  insecurity  continued  to  affect  a  large  number  of  vulnerable 
populations, i.e. some 10 % of the close to one billion food-insecure people in the world. In 
March, the Commission adopted a Communication on Humanitarian Food Assistance5. It 
sets out the policy framework for EU humanitarian action to strengthen efforts to address food 
insecurity  in  humanitarian  crises,  looking  for  the  most  appropriate  mix  of  response  tools  to 
provide the most efficient and effective food assistance in a given humanitarian context. 

The  Commission  also  presented  proposals  to  reinforce  the  EU’s  capacity  to  respond  to 
disasters.  The  Communication6  aims  to  improve  effectiveness,  coherence  and  visibility  by 
building on the main components of its response, i.e. humanitarian aid and civil protection, as 
well  as  military  support  where  needed  and  appropriate,  within  and  outside  the  EU.  Lessons 
learnt  from  Haiti  and  Pakistan,  as  well  as  from  recent  natural  disasters  within  Europe,  will 
shape proposals for the way ahead.  

Following  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Lisbon  Treaty,  the  Commission  is  working,  in  close 
consultation with Member States and other stakeholders, on the establishment of a European 
Voluntary  Humanitarian  Aid  Corps  (EVHAC)7  as  required  by  Article  214(5).  A 

4 
5 
6 

7 

COM(2010) 722, SEC(2010) 1505. 
COM(2010) 126 (http://ec.europa.eu/echo/policies/food_assistance_en.htm). 
COM(2010) 600 final and SEC(2010) 1243/1242  
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-
2014/georgieva/hot_topics/european_disaster_response_capacity_en.htm 
COM(2010) 683   
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/georgieva/hot_topics/voluntary_humanitarian_en.htm 

6 

 
 
  
                                                 
 
Communication  was  adopted  in  November,  with  the  aim  of  enabling  European  citizens  to 
make  a  contribution  to  aid  efforts  and  underlining  European  values  such  as  solidarity  with 
people in need. The Communication will be followed by pilot actions in 2011, the European 
Year of Volunteering, and by the preparation of a legislative proposal to set up the EVHAC. 

A  special  Eurobarometer  survey  carried  out  in  2010  on  humanitarian  aid  revealed  a  high 
level of solidarity among EU citizens with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the 
EU. Eight out of ten citizens think it is important that the EU funds humanitarian aid outside 
its borders. 

The  Commission  supports  disaster  preparedness  actions  in  regions  prone  to  natural 
disasters, so as to help local communities to react rapidly and efficiently when disaster occurs, 
allowing  many  lives  to  be  saved.  The  Commission  continued  its  support  to  the  DIPECHO 
programmes  launched  in  2009  and  new  ones  in  Southern  Africa,  Central  Asia,  South-East 
Asia and Central America. Contribution to disaster preparedness goes well beyond DIPECHO 
action  plans  as  many  of  the  major  humanitarian  financing  decisions  include  disaster 
preparedness  or  mitigation  of  disaster  impacts  as  an  objective.  Mainstreaming  is  based  on 
activities  related  to  infrastructure  support,  advocacy  and  public  awareness,  small-scale 
mitigation, mapping and data computerisation, early warning systems, education, institutional 
strengthening and climate change activities. 

Under  its  civil  protection  mandate,  DG  ECHO  encourages  and  facilitates  cooperation 
between  the  31  States8  participating  in  the  Civil  Protection  (CP)  Mechanism  and  Financial 
Instrument. In doing so, it seeks to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and 
protecting  against  natural,  technological  or  man-made  disasters  in  Europe.  For  example  in 
2010 the Commission issued a guidance paper on national risk assessment and mapping for 
disaster management, which was drafted together with the national authorities of the Member 
States. It is now expected that Member States will further develop national risk management 
processes,  in  the  context  of  which  they  will  make  use  of  those  guidelines.  This  will  be  an 
important  step  towards  enhancing  disaster  risk  management  culture  in  the  EU.  The 
implementation  of  the  CP  Mechanism  and  Financial  Instrument  ensures  that  people,  the 
environment,  property  and  cultural  heritage  are  better  protected  in  the  event  of  disasters.  In 
the area of preparedness EU support focuses on early warning systems, modules and the Civil 
Protection Mechanism’s training programme (over 870 experts were trained in 2010 and four 
full-scale exercises were supported). In addition, the Commission gave financial support to a 
number of preparedness cooperation projects (e.g. improvement of the early warning system 
for  30  European  countries,  by  extending  the  forecast  periods  to  five  days  and  by  including 
rain and flood warnings). 

Assistance  based  on  resources  made  available  by  Member  States  is  provided  within  the  EU 
and  third  countries  struck  by  disasters,  following  a  request  from  the  government  of  the 
country concerned.  

8 

The 27 EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Croatia. 

7