European Commission Humanitarian Aid department The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department is under the direct responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. Since 1992, the Commission has funded relief to millions of victims of natural and man-made disasters outside the European Union. Aid is channeled impartially to the affected populations, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation. In the area of humanitarian aid, the Commission works with 200 operational partners, including specialised United Nation agencies, the Red Cross/Crescent movement and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The European Commission is one of the biggest sources of humanitarian aid in the world. In 2007 alone, it provided over 768 million Euros for humanitarian projects. This does not include the aid given separately by the EU’s 25 Member States. Support went to projects in more than 70 countries. The funds are spent on goods and services such as food, clothing, shelter, medical provisions, water supplies, sanitation, emergency repairs and mine-clearing.

The Commission also funds disaster preparedness and mitigation projects in regions prone to natural catastrophes. Under department of Disaster Preparedness (DIPECHO), the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department has been supporting a number of disaster preparedness initiatives in South Asia, including Nepal.