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EU response to natural disasters

A coherent response

Providing aid is relatively easy following natural disasters, due to the goodwill of recipient governments. The main challenge is preparing for disasters – helping people help themselves.

This involves taking account of long-term development strategies such as the Cotonou Agreement.

As well as its existing external relations instruments, the EU can mobilise many internal policy tools to improve its overall response to disasters, in fields such as research, information technologies, justice, security and fisheries.

Such diverse capabilities (a strength of the EU) are essential to meet the dual challenge of responding rationally, rapidly and flexibly to emergencies and mobilising and developing resources coherently.

• Legislative instruments
• Preparatory acts
• Other acts

Legislative instruments

• 22005A0225(01)
  

  Exchange of letters between the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Commission of the European Communities concerning their cooperation in the framework of disaster response (in case of simultaneous interventions in a country affected by a disaster)

  Official Journal L 052 , 25/02/2005 P. 0044 - 0048

  Official Journal L 338 , 17/12/2008 P. 0181 - 0188

• 41991X0727
  

  Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 8 July 1991 on improving mutual aid between Member States in the event of natural or technological disaster

  Official Journal C 198 , 27/07/1991 P. 0001 - 0003

• 41990X1214(01)
  

  Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 23 November 1990 on improving mutual aid between Member States in the event of a natural or man- made disaster

  Official Journal C 315 , 14/12/1990 P. 0003 - 0003

• 32002R2012
  

  Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund

  Official Journal L 311 , 14/11/2002 P. 0003 - 0008

• 22000A1215(01)
  

  2000/483/EC: Partnership agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 - Protocols - Final Act - Declarations

  Official Journal L 317 , 15/12/2000 P. 0003 - 0353

• 41990X1214
  

  Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 23 November 1990 on Community cooperation on civil protection

  Official Journal C 315 , 14/12/1990 P. 0001 - 0002

• 32005D0707
  

  2005/707/EC: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument in favour of the rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to tsunami affected countries according to point 24 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999

  Official Journal L 269 , 14/10/2005 P. 0023 - 0023

  Official Journal L 349 , 12/12/2006 P. 0436 - 0436

• 32005R0485
  

  Council Regulation (EC) No 485/2005 of 16 March 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 as regards a specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by the tsunami in 2004

  Official Journal L 081 , 30/03/2005 P. 0001 - 0003

  Official Journal L 352 , 31/12/2008 P. 0114 - 0116

• 32005D0315
  

  2005/315/EC: Commission Decision of 20 October 2004 on the aid scheme implemented by Italy for firms investing in municipalities seriously affected by natural disasters in 2002 (notified under document number C(2004) 3893)Text with EEA relevance

  Official Journal L 100 , 20/04/2005 P. 0046 - 0053

• 32004D0089
  

  2004/89/EC: Commision Decision of 9 July 2003 on the aid scheme implemented by Italy for natural disasters up to 31 December 1999 (notified under document number C(2003) 2048)

  Official Journal L 031 , 04/02/2004 P. 0001 - 0020

• 32003D0785
  

  2003/785/EC: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2003 on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund in accordance with point 3 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 7 November 2002 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the financing of the European Union Solidarity Fund, supplementing the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (damage caused by the Prestige oil tanker, by the earthquake in Molise and Apulia, and by the eruption of Mount Etna)

  Official Journal L 290 , 08/11/2003 P. 0040 - 0040

• 32005H0885
  

  Commission Recommendation of 7 December 2005 on the release of security oil stocks following the supply disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina (notified under document number C(2005) 4655)

  Official Journal L 326 , 13/12/2005 P. 0037 - 0038

• 32010D0760
  

  2010/760/EU: Commission Decision of 6 December 2010 on the duty-free importation of goods intended to be distributed or made available free of charge to victims of the floods which occurred in Spring 2010 in Hungary (notified under document C(2010) 8482)

  Official Journal L 322 , 08/12/2010 P. 0046 - 0046

• 32010D0804
  

  2010/804/EU: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management

  Official Journal L 342 , 28/12/2010 P. 0016 - 0016

Preparatory acts

• 52010DC0600
  

  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Towards a stronger European disaster response: the role of civil protection and humanitarian assistance (Text with EEA relevance)

• 52010SC1243
  

  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT Accompanying document to the Towards a stronger European disaster response: the role of civil protection and humanitarian assistance COM(2010) 600 SEC(2010) 1242

• 52009BP0026
  

  Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund: Italy, the Abruzzo earthquake European Parliament resolution of 8 October 2009 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund, in accordance with point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management (COM(2009)0445 – C7-0122/2009 – 2009/2083(BUD))

  ANNEX

  Official Journal C 230 E , 26/08/2010 P. 0013 - 0014

• 52009AR0139
  

  Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on A Community approach on the prevention of natural and man-made disasters

  Official Journal C 079 , 27/03/2010 P. 0019 - 0022

• 52008IP0304
  

  European Union's disaster response capacity European Parliament resolution of 19 June 2008 on stepping up the Union's disaster response capacity

  Official Journal C 286 E , 27/11/2009 P. 0015 - 0020

• 52005IP0006
  

  European Parliament resolution on the recent tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean

  Official Journal 247 E , 06/10/2005 P. 0147 - 0151

• 52006DC0285
  

  Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 485/2005 of 16 March 2005 regarding a specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by tsunami in 2004

• 52006SA0003
  

  Special report No 3/2006 concerning the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Response to the Tsunami together with the Commission's replies

  Official Journal C 170 , 21/07/2006 P. 0001 - 0021

• 52008IP0231
  

  Burma European Parliament resolution of 22 May 2008 on the tragic situation in Burma

  Official Journal C 279 E , 19/11/2009 P. 0080 - 0082

• 52000SC1571
  

  Commission Working document - Venezuela - Programme to support regions affected by the floods of december 1999

• 52010IP0015
  

  Recent earthquake in Haiti European Parliament resolution of 10 February 2010 on the recent earthquake in Haiti

  Official Journal C 341 E , 16/12/2010 P. 0005 - 0008

• 52010IP0065
  

  Effects of the Xynthia storm in Europe European Parliament resolution of 11 March 2010 on the major natural disaster in the autonomous region of Madeira and the effects of the storm ‘Xynthia’ in Europe

  Official Journal C 349 E , 22/12/2010 P. 0088 - 0090

• 52008IP0232
  

  Natural disaster in China — European Parliament resolution of 22 May 2008 on the natural disaster in China

  Official Journal C 279 E , 19/11/2009 P. 0082 - 0083

• 52008IP0362
  

  Situation in China after the earthquake and before the Olympic Games European Parliament resolution of 10 July 2008 on the situation in China after the earthquake and before the Olympic Games

  Official Journal C 294 E , 03/12/2009 P. 0058 - 0059

• 52009IP0013(01)
  

  Forest fires in the summer of 2009 European Parliament resolution of 16 September 2009 on forest fires in the summer of 2009

  Official Journal C 224 E , 19/08/2010 P. 0001 - 0007

Other acts

• 92002E3245
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION P-3245/02 by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission. Natural disaster (earthquake) in Molise.

  Official Journal 110 E , 08/05/2003 P. 0192 - 0192

• 92000E2230
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION E-2230/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Compensation for damage caused by natural disasters (earthquake) in the Emilia Romagna region.

  Official Journal 113 E , 18/04/2001 P. 0075 - 0076

• 92000E1324
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION P-1324/00 by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission. Psychological support in the event of major accidents and natural disasters.

  Official Journal 046 E , 13/02/2001 P. 0170 - 0171

• 91998E1737
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1737/98 by Luciano SCHIFONE to the Commission. Commission response to the natural disaster in Campania

  Official Journal C 354 , 19/11/1998 P. 0120

• 91998E2815
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2815/98 by Fernando FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍN to the Commission. Floods in China

  Official Journal C 135 , 14/05/1999 P. 0122

• 91998E1719
  

  WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1719/98 by María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ to the Commission. Financial aid to alleviate the effects of the Doñana disaster

  Official Journal C 013 , 18/01/1999 P. 0069