Launch of EU-IDRL synthesis report
Launch of EU-IDRL Report – 15 December 2010 - Brussels
The RC/EU Office organised a launch event in Brussels for the EU-IDRL synthesis report with the Federation Secretariat and the European Policy Centre (EPC). About 45 participants from permanent missions and agencies based in Brussels attended the event. Peter Zangl, Director-General of DG ECHO and Jerome Glorie, Director-General of the Belgian Directorate-General for
Civil Protection (representing the Belgian presidency) were on the panel along with Elise Baudot, IFRC Legal Counsellor, who summarised our findings and recommendations.
Johannes Richert from the German Red Cross could not be present and he was replaced by David Fischer, IDRL Coordinator. Both Messrs Zangl and Glorie highlighted the importance of the IDRL project and affirmed their intention to make active use of it. Mr Glorie noted that the Presidency had already begun to do so, by drawing on IDRL preliminary findings to underpin the Council Conclusions on Host Nation Support, which were adopted in December. The discussion focused particularly on the role of the RC and NGOs in cross-border relief in the EU and some more technical questions about VAT and data protection. There were also some more political questions around the evolving role of civil protection/humanitarian assistance in the EU system, the recently adopted Communication and Council Conclusion on strengthening EU disaster capacity. Contact Flaminia Gallo for more information.
