Frictions of implementing EU humanitarian aid in Greece (2016–2019)—the Emergency Support Instrument and its practical ramifications

Abstract

With the closure of the border with then-Macedonia in early 2016, it was foreseeable that Greece would become the “last station” for a large number of refugees. Flanked by the agreement between Turkey and the European Union of March 2016, Greece underwent a profound transformation from a transit country to a recipient country. Through a new regulation, the Emergency Support Instrument, initially activated by the European Commission 2016–2019, international humanitarian aid operations were supported for the first time in the EU. The article analyzes the resulting frictions on the basis of empirical field research and a broad literature review. While frictions similar to those in other non-European humanitarian operations exist, specific peculiarities due to the operation taking place in an austerity-ridden member state of the EU must also be noted.

Kontextuelle Einbettung und Hintergründe des Buches

“…Die KFS widmet sich der Analyse historischer, gesamtgesellschaftlicher und internationaler Prozesse, Strukturen, Dynamiken und Zuständigkeiten an der Schnittstelle von Bevölkerungsschutz, humanitärer Hilfe sowie Flucht und Migration. Dazu werden neben der Analyse der nationalen Entwicklungen Case Studies in Griechenland zu grundsätzlichen Verschiebungen des Verhältnisses von Bevölkerungsschutz und humanitärer Hilfe durch das Engagement des Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) der Europäischen Kommission (siehe dazu auch [20][21][22]), in Südosteuropa/ Österreich (Balkanroute) und in Jordanien oder im Nordirak durchgeführt, um internationale Best Practices zu erarbeiten, die als internationaler Vergleichshintergrund für den nationalen Aufarbeitungsprozess dienen. Daran schließt sich die organisationsübergreifende quantitative Befragung aller beteiligten Bevölkerungsschutzorganisationen an, die es ermöglichen wird, einen quantifizierenden Überblick über Verfahren, Praktiken und Herausforderungen in der Betreuung großer Menschengruppen zu generieren.…”

A retrospective cross-sectional study of risk factors for communicable disease diagnoses among refugees in mainland Greek camps, 2016–2017

“…Altare et al 6 detailed the circumstances that contribute to infectious and communicable disease outbreaks in refugee camps, such as crowding, lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) implementation and uptake, and constrained clinical access and provision of care 6 . The European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the European Commission supported the mobilization of Médecins du Monde (MdM) teams to refugee camps and reception centers across mainland Greece to help mitigate health risks inherent to the escalating humanitarian crisis 7 – 9 . To better understand the health needs of refugees and asylum seekers in mainland camps and reception centers, the Hellenic Ministry of Health (MOH) set-up a syndromic surveillance system, with roughly 40 facilities reporting weekly number of cases for 14 syndromes.…”

Disease Burden in Refugees in Mainland Grecian Refugee Camps, 2016-2017: A retrospective cross-sectional study

“…These steps greatly limited the mobility of refugees, more or less con ning them to camps within Greece while Greece was experiencing its own signi cant economic and political challenges (11). To support Greece's shift from a predominantly "transit country" to a "receiving country," the EU's Directorate for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations activated Médecins du Monde (MdM) teams to run clinics in mainland Grecian refugee camps (12). Since 1980, MdM -Doctors for the World -has deployed to more than 30 countries to improve access to healthcare in complex and humanitarian settings (13).…”