EU Presidency Statement on South Asian Earthquake

SOUTH ASIAN EARTHQUAKE: STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENCY ON BEHALF OF EU LEADERS MEETING AT HAMPTON COURT, 27 OCTOBER 2005

EU leaders meeting at Hampton Court today expressed their sympathy and solidarity for all those affected by the South Asian earthquake. The EU is committed to supporting the UN's renewed appeal for assistance to help with the ongoing tragedy as winter approaches. The EU and its Member States have pledged over €200m and Member States have also contributed helicopters, aircraft and engineers to the international relief effort. We stand ready to do more. The Commission has pledged an additional €80m on top of the €13.6m it committed in the immediate aftermath.

The EU emphasises the importance it places on reacting swiftly and effectively to disasters of this kind, including the hurricanes and tropical storms that have devastated parts of Central America and the southern United States of America, in the same spirit of solidarity and sympathy. The last GAERC agreed conclusions in this regard on the South Asian Earthquake and Tropical Storm Stan. Following these, and in light of the Tsunami last year, we are determined to make our disaster response across the board more effective.

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• UE Commissaire Michel à la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le tremblement de terre en Asie du Sud  (26/10/2005)
• Pakistan earthquake: EU Commission proposes €93.6 million aid package  (24/10/2005)
• EU Council Conclusions - Earthquake in South Asia (18/10/2005)
• EU Commission boosts humanitarian funding for South Asia earthquake victims by €10m  (14/10/2005)
• Humanitarian support for South Asia earthquake victims: EU Commission's immediate response (10/10/2005)