What do EU citizens think about humanitarian aid?
Europe cares. A special Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid reveals a high level of solidarity among EU citizens with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the Union.[1] Nine out of ten citizens (91%) think it is justified to help by supplying humanitarian aid. Only 5% take the opposite view. There is also a strong endorsement of the Commission’s mandate to provide relief aid, which is undertaken through its Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO). 88% think that EU funding in this area is important. There are no striking differences at Member State level on the issue of providing relief aid to crisis victims outside the EU. More than half (57%) know that the European Union funds relief actions (31% for the EU15 in 2001)[2]. An overall majority of EU citizens (56%), and a relative majority in all Member States, think that humanitarian aid is more efficient when provided through the EU. Just over a quarter (26%) prefers relief funds to be channelled through Member States. Eu
