Tag: Pakistan

The European Commission has launched a pilot programme, the 'European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps' (EVHAC), which will see just under 100 young people serve in various projects to help vulnerable and disaster-struck parts of the world. The experiences will help determine a formal EU proposal next year to create a permanent humanitarian volunteer programme.

A plan to liberalise trade with Pakistan following last year's devastating floods is under fire for its expected impact on the EU's biofuels and textiles industries, especially in crisis-hit Portugal, according to internal documents seen by EurActiv.

A free trade area rather than a strategic partnership is what the EU needs with India, writes Gauri Khandekar for Madrid-based think-tank FRIDE.

The European Union agreed on Thursday (16 September) to sign a free-trade pact with South Korea and grant Pakistan trade concessions after floods.

A proposal by EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht to temporarily open up the European textile market to flood-hit Pakistan was denounced by other commissioners as "disguised aid" and a threat to the textile industry.

Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva said yesterday (18 August) that she would strive to make sure that the EU, which is usually the biggest donor in disaster areas, sees its flag fly. She claimed this had not been possible so far because humanitarian organisations responsible for distributing EU aid had insisted on pushing their brand instead.