A good proposal

“Humanitarian action is a fundamental expression of the European value of solidarity”; “Europe’s long tradition of volunteering is a fundamental part of our common European identity”. These are the cornerstones of the written statement submitted to the EU Parliament, which focuses on the proposal of setting up a “European Humanitarian Aid Corps”.The Parliament’s questions. The statement (due to be adopted by the EU assembly after MEP majority endorsement) explicitly refers to Article 214 of the Lisbon Treaty which provides for “the creation of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps as a framework for a joint contribution from young Europeans to the provision of humanitarian aid”. Past November the Commission chaired by José Manuel Barroso presented a “Communication” to Parliament and Council with directions aimed at enforcing the Treaty’s provision. In May, Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva answered a written question submitted in Strasbourg’s Assembly by MEP Marian Harkin, asking: “In this the European Year of Volunteering 2011, can the Commission update Parliament as to where we currently stand in the legislative process establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (EVHAC)? In particular, what actions are likely to be taken based on the results of the public consultation, and, secondly, can the Commission indicate which specific pilot projects have been selected at this point?”The Commission’s proposal. In her answer, Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the work in progress. “Last year, 2010, we reviewed the existing situation of volunteering, through bilateral meetings, surveys and a dedicated conference”, which prompted the Communication of November 23 2010. “The first stocktaking phase – continued the Commissioner – allowed us to identify current gaps, needs and conditions for the voluntary corps to make a positive contribution to EU humanitarian assistance”. Accordingly, 2011 was to be devoted to further develop the approach leading to the establishment of the Community service, financing pilot projects aimed at selecting, training and deploying a limited number of volunteers in view of the adoption of a legislative proposal”. Georgieva equally underlined the need for an assessment of “the potential economic impacts” of the corps. “The results of these activities will feed into a proposal for a regulation which will be tabled in 2012”, concluded Commissioner Georgieva. The Hungarian presidency-in-office was thus involved in the procedures. Now a group of volunteers – namely Georgios Koumoutsakos, Hélène Flautre, Marian Harkin, Vittorio Prodi -, have urged EU Parliament and Council to intervene, “to determine the rules and procedures for the operation of the Corps in response to disasters and to work on setting up the Corps promptly”. According to MEPs – who link the issue to 2011 European Year of Volunteering – “the European Humanitarian Aid Corps will bring added value to European citizens by encouraging their active participation and contributing to a more cohesive society”.Guiding principles and concrete problems. The Commission’s extensive document outlining the profile of the EU Corps provides a snapshot of volunteering work across Europe, organizations, volunteer workers, and the fields of intervention for humanitarian aid (reaction to disasters, catastrophe prevention, assistance to populations, cooperation for development, civil protection etc.) along with the needs and the conditions enabling intervention by the EU. Emphasis is given to the lessons drawn from the recent humanitarian intervention in Haiti. A section is devoted to the “guiding principles” set to regulate the establishment of the Corps. The Commission’s Communication highlights the importance of solidarity: “Humanitarian action further promotes the value of solidarity towards those populations hit by natural disasters which the Volunteer Corps will express in concrete terms”. Follows the chapter highlighting the “humanitarian principles”. The document states: “The EU has a firm commitment to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, as established in the 2007 European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid. The perception and credibility of humanitarian actors is directly linked to the way in which these principles are adhered to in a context of humanitarian response”. The third chapter focuses on Professionalism and Safety. Finally, the Commission underlines the Added Value consisting in “coordination and cooperation with existing voluntary organisations”.