THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No.1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid , and in particular Article 2(a), Article 4 and Article 13 thereof;
Whereas:
(1) Haiti was affected by a powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale on 12 January 2010;
(2) The epicentre was at a depth of 10km in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince;
(3) At present, only preliminary information is available about the damage caused by the earthquake but electricity and telecommunications have been clearly affected and major damage to infrastructure is reported;
(4) With Haiti being one of the most disaster-prone, vulnerable and poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the earthquake has created an urgent need for medical assistance, food and water supplies, non-food items and emergency shelter as well as telecommunications and logistics assistance;
(5) To reach populations in need, humanitarian aid should be channelled through Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and International Organisations including United Nations (UN) agencies. Therefore, the European Commission should implement the budget by direct centralized management or by joint management;
(6) Humanitarian aid Actions financed by this Decision should be of a maximum duration of three months;
(7) It is estimated that an amount of EUR 3,000,000 from budget article 23 02 01 of the general budget of the European Union is necessary to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable population affected by the earthquake, taking into account the available budget, other donors' contributions and other factors. The activities covered by this Decision may be financed in full in accordance with Article 253 of the Implementing Rules of the Financial Regulation;
(8) The present Decision constitutes a financing Decision within the meaning of Article 75 of the Financial Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, Article 90 of the detailed rules for the implementation of the Financial Regulation determined by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, and Article 15 of the internal rules on the implementation of the general budget of the European Union.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. In accordance with the objectives and general principles of humanitarian aid, the Commission hereby approves a total amount of EUR 3,000,000 for the financing of primary emergency humanitarian Actions in Haiti from budget article 23 02 01 of the 2010 general budget of the European Union.
2. In accordance with Articles 2(a) and 4 of Council Regulation No.1257/96, the principal objective of this Decision is to save and preserve lives in the emergency caused by the earthquake of 12 January 2010, and its aftershocks, in Haiti.
The humanitarian Actions shall be implemented in the pursuance of the following specific objectives:
- To provide multi-sector emergency assistance to victims of the earthquake and its aftershocks
The full amount of this Decision is allocated to this specific objective.
Article 2
1. The period for the implementation of the Actions financed under this Decision shall start on 12 January 2010. Expenditure under this Decision shall be eligible from the same date. The duration of individual humanitarian aid Actions financed under this Decision shall be limited to a maximum of three months.
2. If the implementation of individual actions is suspended owing to force majeure or other exceptional circumstances, the period of suspension shall not be taken into account in the implementing period of the Decision in respect of the Action suspended.
3. In accordance with the contractual provisions ruling the Agreements financed under this Decision, the Commission may consider eligible those costs arising and incurred after the end of the implementing period of the Action which are necessary for its winding-up.
Article 3
1. In accordance with Article 253 of the Implementing Rules and having regard to the urgency of the Action, the availability of other donors and other relevant operational circumstances, funds under this Decision may finance humanitarian Actions in full.
2. Actions supported by this Decision will be implemented either by Non-profit-making organisations which fulfil the eligibility and suitability criteria established in Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 or International Organisations.
3. The Commission shall implement the budget:
* either by direct centralised management, with Non-governmental Organisations
* or by joint management with international organisations that are signatories to the Framework Partnership Agreements (FPA) or the EC/UN Financial Administrative Framework Agreement (FAFA) and which were subject to the four pillar assessment in line with Article 53d of the Financial Regulation
Article 4
This Decision shall take effect on the date of its adoption.
Article 5
This Decision is addressed to the delegated authorising officer.
Done at Brussels,
For the Commission
Peter Zangl, Director-General