Brussels, 16/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Having been on the qui vive since 11 March, ready to assist Japan following the terrible earthquake and tsunami, the EU was just waiting for the go-ahead from Tokyo to move. This was received on Tuesday evening 15 March. “In view of the difficulties on the ground, the Japanese authorities have asked for a coordinated EU response based on aid in kind to help the people affected”, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced immediately.
For the moment, the request is for essential goods: blankets, mattresses, bottles of mineral water and water tanks to assist the some 550,000 people left homeless. The Japanese authorities also suggested that member states might make donations to the Japanese Red Cross either directly or through European Red Cross organisations.
The request brought immediate offers from several member states, Commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde told press. She went on to say that France and Sweden had already offered assistance and that further offers were expected shortly. She was speaking on Wednesday 16 March, as the College of Commissioners was taking stock of the situation in Japan. European aid will be coordinated by the MIC, the Commission monitoring and information centre. A 10-strong civil protection team, responsible for coordination and logistics, is ready to leave at a moment's notice. This team “will be supported by a technical assistance and support team with a radiological nuclear component”, Ahrenkilde said. These experts will organise deployment of aid under the coordination of the Japanese authorities and in close cooperation with the Japanese Red Cross.
An ECHO humanitarian expert, who joined the United Nations disaster fact-finding mission on Saturday, is already in the field. Since 14 March, the EU delegation in Tokyo has been the base for a MIC liaison officer responsible for establishing direct contact with the Japanese authorities.
Since 11 March, the EU delegation in Tokyo has been in permanent contact with the Japanese authorities and member states' consular services. EU nationals have been asked to contact their embassies and also to follow the advice of the Japanese authorities. Most embassies are advising against travelling to Japan unless absolutely necessary. (A.N./transl.rt)