Brussels, 14/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - In the run-up to the emergency humanitarian aid instrument, EURO ECHO, becoming operational in the European Union, the humanitarian aid offered by the countries involved in the EU's civil protection mechanism is increasing, to help Greece to assist the thousands of refugees trapped on its territory.
According to a bulletin published on Monday 14 March by the European Commission, 13 member states of the EU and Norway have so far responded to the request for assistance made by the Greek authorities to the civil protection mechanism on 3 December of last year (see EUROPE 11486). They have made a total of 87,000 essential items available (blankets, medicines, tents, beds, mattresses).
On Monday, Luxembourg offered to increase its aid, providing 30 generators, 750 mattresses, 300 chairs, 1,000 jerry cans, 5,000 pillows and 500 bunkbeds. Last weekend, the Netherlands offered 12 vans and 90 generators, the United Kingdom has provided more than 1,000 tents and France four containers of sanitary equipment, 12 shelters and 5,000 jerry cans.
In the course of the week, Austria, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, Hungary, Norway and Sweden are expected to increase the aid they will provide.
Thanking these 14 countries for the support they have provided in the form of material goods, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management called for “more to be done so that the assistance urgently needed can be provided” in Greece, but also in other countries in which the capacity to meet migrants' needs has been exceeded.
Since June 2015, the migration crisis has forced Greece, but also Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia, to make use of the civil protection mechanism. In total, around 780,000 products have been made available by the countries participating in this solidarity mechanism. The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) of the Commission coordinates the offers of assistance to ensure that they are appropriate to the needs to be covered. The Commission co-finances the transport costs. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang).