Text tabled : A7-0332/2010

  Laima Liucija Andrikienė (PPE), in writing. – I supported this resolution as it is obvious that the multiplication of major disasters outside the European Union in recent years has led to increased calls to improve the effectiveness of the existing EU disaster response capacity. One of the major steps towards a more integrated response has been the inclusion of civil protection and humanitarian aid under the portfolio of one single Commissioner to create opportunities for enhanced coherence and coordination of the EU disaster response. It is, however, regrettable that two years after the publication of the 2008 Commission Communication, many actions from the Action Plan still remain to be implemented, while the EU response to recent crises has revealed the limitations of the existing system.

If efforts have recently been made to reinforce coherence and coordination between the civil protection and humanitarian aid dimensions of the EU response, steps towards the creation of a European civil protection force have remained minimal. Therefore, a strong political will is needed for a more efficient and rapid response to emergencies.