Despite difficult times Europeans care and show solidarity on humanitarian aid issues

According to special Eurobarometer survey 343 on humanitarian aid commissioned by EU's humanitarian aid and civil protection department (ECHO), EU citizens show a high level of solidarity with victims of conflict and natural disasters outside the Union. Almost eight out of ten citizens think it is important that the EU funds humanitarian aid outside its borders, although this approval rate dropped 9% since 2006 rates, due to financial and economic crisis.

The special 343 Eurobarometer survey on humanitarian aid looks at views held generally across the EU about action in humanitarian aid, how these views vary from country to country, significant variations by gender, age, education and other socio-demographic variables, etc. It also looks how attitudes have changed over recent years by comparing the results of this survey with the previous Eurobarometer on humanitarian aid, namely one conducted in the summer of 2006.

In general terms, the vast majority of EU citizens think that it is important that the European Union funds humanitarian aid activities outside its borders. Although a a significant drop of 9% compared to figures in 2006, 79% Europeans support EU funding to humanitarian aid. The financial and economic crisis has taken its toll and the personal financial situation of those interviewed plays an important role. Europeans who are regularly having problems paying their bills express less support for EU funding of humanitarian aid beyond the EU borders.

18% of EU citizens spontaneously name the Union, the European Commission and/or the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), as an actor funding humanitarian aid, and although it is not its role, 12% also name it as as a provider of humanitarian aid on the ground.

Although awareness for donor organisations is lower than for implementing ones, even in countries with the lowest identification rate a large proportion of the population is able to identify one or more organisations involved in humanitarian aid. In this sense, the organisations better known by EU citizens as active in humanitarian field are the Red Cross and UNICEF.

The strongest support for a common action is found in Cyprus (71%), Spain and Portugal (both 68%), Belgium (66%), France (65%) as well as in Bulgaria, Germany, Greece and The Netherlands (all 62%). Support for a common action below 50% is found in four Member States: Ireland and Romania (both 43% support), Lithuania (46%) and the UK (49%).

Major issues addressed by Special Eurobarometer 343 on Humanitarian Aid

  • Awareness of humanitarian aid: this section looks at respondents’ awareness of organisations that provide the actual aid at the scene of a disaster, as well as at the bodies who provide the finance to fund these aid activities.
  • Knowledge and information on EU humanitarian aid activities: this section examines EU citizens’ knowledge of EU involvement in such activities and assesses whether citizens believe they have enough information.
  • Importance of EU humanitarian aid activities: EU citizens are asked whether they consider the EU’s activities in these areas to be important.
  • Common or national approach to humanitarian aid: citizens of the 27 EU Member States were polled as to whether they believed it would be more efficient if aid were provided by Member States on an individual basis or provided by the EU through the European Commission.