TITLE V - THE UNION'S EXTERNAL ACTION
CHAPTER IV - COOPERATION WITH THIRD COUNTRIES AND HUMANITARIAN AID
SECTION 3 - HUMANITARIAN AID
ARTICLE III-321
1. The Union's operations in the field of humanitarian aid shall be conducted
within the framework of the principles and objectives of the external action
of the Union. Such operations shall be intended to provide ad hoc assistance
and relief and protection for people in third countries who are victims of natural
or man-made disasters, in order to meet the humanitarian needs resulting from
these different situations. The Union's operations and those of the Member States
shall complement and reinforce each other.
2. Humanitarian aid operations shall be conducted in compliance with the principles
of international law and with the principles of impartiality, neutrality and
non-discrimination.
3. European laws or framework laws shall establish the measures defining the
framework within which the Union's humanitarian aid operations shall be implemented.
4. The Union may conclude with third countries and competent international organisations
any agreement helping to achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1 and
in Article III-292.
The first subparagraph shall be without prejudice to Member States' competence
to negotiate in international bodies and to conclude agreements.
5. In order to establish a framework for joint contributions from young Europeans to the humanitarian aid operations of the Union, a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps shall be set up. European laws shall determine the rules and procedures for the operation of the Corps.
6. The Commission may take any useful initiative to promote coordination between
actions of the Union and those of the Member States, in order to enhance the
efficiency and complementarity of Union and national humanitarian aid measures.
7. The Union shall ensure that its humanitarian aid operations are coordinated
and consistent with those of international organisations and bodies, in particular
those forming part of the United Nations system.