The European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (DG ECHO) was created in 1992 as an expression of the European solidarity with the people in need across the world.

The department first started as the EU’s humanitarian aid office. We have been providing humanitarian assistance for over 30 years, with the help of our field network and humanitarian partners.

The EU’s humanitarian work is guided by the humanitarian principles grounded in international humanitarian law (humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence).

EU humanitarian action also embodies the principle of solidarity, as laid down in the Lisbon Treaty.

In 2010, our department integrated civil protection for a better coordination and disaster response inside and outside Europe, through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the work of the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre.