ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ: ΕΞΕΛΙΞΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΕΔΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

Maria Daniella Marouda 57 of ECHO and the -until then- external humanitarian aid management tool, for ac- tions it normally performs in third countries. The disbursement procedures were also tailored to the nature of emergency support in order to ensure the neces- sary speed and flexibility. The implementation of emergency response operations would be performed by partner organisations - that had already signed FPAs and included UN agencies, the IFRC and Red Crescent Societies, non-profit non-govern- mental organisations, as well as specialised services of Member States. The Regu- lation allowed grants and public procurement contracts to be awarded directly and to cover up to 100 % of eligible costs, with some degree of retroactivity (p. 4). 3. The added value of Regulation 2016/369 on the establishment of an emergency support operation designated for major disasters within the EU as an expression of solidarity between people: assistance offered to Greece March 2016- to March 2019 3.1. Preamble: exceptional circumstances, scale and effect According to the Preamble of the Council Regulation on the provision of emer- gency support within the EU “ mutual assistance and support in the face of dis- asters is both a fundamental expression of the universal value of solidarity be- tween people, and a moral imperative as such disasters may lead to a significant number of people being unable to meet their basic needs ”. Humanitarian aid is therefore provided not only as solidarity towards other member states (article 122 TFEU), but most importantly towards the beneficiaries of assistance, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers in need for meaningful international protection 44 . As a mechanism, ESI, refers to assistance linked to other possible disasters such as cli- mate change, as well as “external factors and circumstances” that could unfold in the EU’s neighborhood (armed conflicts, internal disturbances, terrorists attacks, violence). Refugee and migrant flows in the EU, is such an example, “which might affect the economic situation of member states” - a direct and timely reference to Greece. The term “exceptional” is present in almost every sentence of the Regulation, making sure that it is an extreme measure not to be activated in any type of emer- gency. Rather, it can only be activated where “exceptional” scale and impact of 44. Solidarity, in the TEU is among the key guidelines of the project of European integration and in 1957 is already addressed to the Member States as well as to individuals in need’ as also confirmed in the interpretation of the notion by Advocate General Bot in the Opinion, delivered on 26 July 2017 (Cases C-643/15 and C-647/15 Slovak Republic, Hungary v Council of the European Union).