EU crisis response and prevention framework

1. EU crisis response and prevention framework 8th Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief Banda Aceh 5-6 December 2008Alessandro VillaEUROPEAN COMMISSION External Relations Directorate-General Crisis Platform - Policy Coordination in Common Foreign Security Policy

2. Presentation will look at: • EU Crisis management (framework and tools): • Managing crisis within EU • Managing crisis outside EU • Recent cases

3. Main EU institutions & organs Investment Bank Court of Justice Central Bank (ECB) Court of Auditors Parliament Directive Commission Council Regulation Economic and Social Committee Committee of the Regions

4. EU external action & aid • It includes external relations, development cooperation and crisis response in third countries • EU–level external action and aid combined and complemented with continued bilateral action of Member States • Reform of the EU external aid • Improve the quality and impact of EU assistance • Strengthen the role of the EU as an actor on the international scene • Agree the central policy priorities and resource-allocation criteria • 2007-13: A significant increase in funding for External Relations

5. EU Budget expenditures (2007-2013) 1,3% of MSs GDP External aid = € 10 billion/year

6. What drives EU external action? • Fundamental values (democracy, HR, RoL) • Development agenda (MDG) • Humanitarian response (relieve human suffering) • Domestic Political Agenda (pursuit of internal prosperity and security – through trade policy, energy security, protection of critical infrastructure, public health, police and judicial co-op, asylum & migr) • Security Agenda (integrity, security of population) • EU political project (assert the EU's identity on the international scene) • Promote international cooperation • Preservation of peace & strengthen international security in accordance to UN principles • International guidelines and frameworks - multilateralism (United Nations)

7. EU external relations tools • EU external relations’ tools • Political Dialogue • Diplomacy • Agreements with third countries and overall EU policy framework • Trade and economic measures • Restrictive measures • Development and co-operation assistance • Crisis response instruments

8. Crisis management’ in EU external action. Why EU? • Changed international environment: increasing crises (conflicts and natural disasters) within and between countries, fragile States, ‘soft’ security threats, etc. • A stronger role for EU as foreign and security policy actor is expected and now crucially depends on EUcapacity to respond to ‘crises’ in third countries • MSs capacities insufficient when playing separately

9. WHAT IS a ‘crisis’ ?

10. WHAT IS ‘crisis management’ ? • Civilian vs military ‘Crisis Management’ : EU more of a ‘civilian power’ for a civilian approach • Broad definition of CM: ‘processes, programmes and activities aimed at reducing tensions in a crisis and decreasing instability’ (preparedness & response) • Think broader about using all possible tools at EU disposal in a coherent manner during the whole cycle of the crisis

11. EU driving principles, objectives & priorities in the management of a crisis • Relief of human suffering through humanitarian ass. & civil protection • Restoring livelihoods, access to basic public services and reconstruction of critical infrastructure • Re-establishment of the conditions of stability allowing the restoration of political relations, resumption of ‘normal’ dev. and coop. policies • Building national & int. capacities to respond to crisis • Enhancing phasing of crisis (cycle relief/early recovery/ sustainable recuperation & reconstruction cycle) • Early recovery (ER activities are very important for achieving long term development objectives) • Crisis prevention, preparedness and risk reduction

13. Why Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is becoming a priority? • Disasters are currently increasing (frequency and magnitude) and undermine the results of development cooperation • Climate change is most likely to blame for this new sharp up-ward trend • A natural hazard does not necessarily need to translate into a disaster and therefore into a humanitarian catastrophe • Disasters divert important resources from development to crisis response • Prevention costs a fraction of what emergency relief and recovery cost; • EU biggest provider of development cooperation → mainstreaming DRR = good development policies and practice

14. EU- DRR Tools • Development cooperation • Crisis response instruments Policies • EU Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction in developing countries (Feb 09) • Commission working paper on Disaster Preparedness and Prevention (DPP) • European Consensus on Development • European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid • Communication on Reinforcing the Union’s Disaster in Response Capacity (march 08) • Green Paper on Adapting to Climate Change in Europe (2007) • Communication on Reinforcing EU Disaster and Crisis Response in third countries (2005)

15. Early Recovery (ER) • Importance of early recovery activities • Filling the gap between relief and development (offers opportunity the re-build back better including DRR) • National-international cooperation around a nationally-owned framework is essential • Post Crisis Needs (PCNAs) Assessment and recovery planning • Joint EU/UN/WB platform for partnership and action for Post Crisis Needs Assessment and recovery planningfor the delivery of an effective and sustainable international response to disaster and conflict-related crises

16. EU crisis response tools • Humanitarian Aid instrument (ECHO) • Civil Protection (MSs, MIC) • Science and technology (JRC) • Macro-financial assistance (enlarg., dev coop.) • Security Policy • Stability Instrument (IfS) • Common Foreign and Security Policy budget (CFSP)

17. Crisis response & tools ECHO & civil protection Development cooperation Instrument for stability relief recovery reconstruction PCNAs

18. Key EU actors in crisis response • HQs in Brussels: • EU Member States, both in second-pillar structures (PSC, CIVCOM, RELEX Counsellors) and in geographic working groups (AWG…) or programme committees • EU institutions (Council Secretariat, Commission) • In the field : • Commission Delegations (130, directly in charge of implementing most assistance; 6 regional with crisis response tasks, 900 officials, 3000 local staff, experts, crisis correspondents) • 30 ECHO offices with 150 experts • On-going EC / EU projects • MS embassies (including Presidency) • EUSR

19. Humanitarian aid -ECHO • “Humanitarian aid, the sole aim of which is to prevent or relieve human suffering, is accorded to victims without discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic group, religion, sex, age, nationality or political affiliation, and must not be guided by, or subject to, political considerations” (EC Regulation 1257/97) • EU largest single provider of humanitarian assistance, • ECHO operates through network of partner NGOs, capable of acting on the same day (tsunami)

20. RELEX / Instrument for StabilityCrisis Platform Delegations of the Commission

21. Recent Experiences • Bangladesh (2007) • Myanmar (2008) • Haiti (2008) • Yemen (2008)

22. Thanks for your attention