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 2011

When disaster strikes, help is needed, and is needed fast. Helping the world’s most vulnerable populations in crisis situations is a moral imperative for the international community and can make the difference between life and death. Responding to this imperative, the European Union and its 27 Member States is the world’s leading humanitarian donor, providing about half of global funding for emergency relief to victims of man-made and natural disasters. The EU also promotes respect for, and adherence to, international humanitarian law.

This annual report focuses on the European Commission’s humanitarian aid and civil protection in 2011. The aim of these actions is saving and preserving life wherever people are in need of relief, and preventing and alleviating human suffering, whilst preserving the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural or man-made disasters.

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)489: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:489:FIN

European Commission: SWD(2012)254: Commission Staff Working Document http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2012:0254:FIN:EN:PDF

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