The European Union is of particular interest to the NRC as a global humanitarian actor. Together with its Member States, the European Commission contributes to more than half of all humanitarian and development assistance in the world. In 2020, the European Commission provided humanitarian assistance in a total amount of EUR 2.082 billion.
As an operational funding partner, the EU, in particular the Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA), and the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) are thus of great importance to the NRC, as they together provide around 15 per cent of NRC funding. In 2020, the NRC signed 27 ECHO projects for a total amount of EUR 80,079,907 and five INTPA and NEAR projects for a total amount of EUR 14,805,000.
The NRC Europe team has grown from three people to the current number of ten. Besides the Director there are two Senior EU Partnerships Advisers, two Institutional Partnership officers, one Finance and Administration Manager, two Senior EU Advocacy Advisers, one EU Advocacy coordinator and one Intern.
In order to develop close working relationships with the EU, both at the level of policy issues and of specific humanitarian operations, NRC Europe plays an important role. The NRC Europe Partnership team assists 27 NRC Country Offices on strategic engagement with and implementation of ECHO, INTPA, NEAR and EU Member States (Belgium, France, The Netherlands) funded projects, to maintain quality and to ensure that the projects are in line with donor’s rules.
The EU Partnership team also regularly travels to NRC field offices to provide training on donors' rules and compliance. Since the NRC Europe office is based in Brussels, it allows a direct contact with the European institutions to effectively work together to provide protection and support to refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.
NRC Europe continues to play a significant role in advocacy at EU and member state level, focussing on respect for international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles, protection of the rights of displaced persons and durable solutions for displaced persons, and counter-terrorism. The advocacy team supports all areas of NRC's operations but has, over the years, built particular geographic expertise on Syria and the region, Palestine, Libya, Yemen, the Sahel, and Iran, as well as providing immediate support to emerging crises.
Thematically, NRC Europe provides expertise on durable solutions for displaced persons, international humanitarian law and principled humanitarian action, counterrorism, the nexus and education in emergency and protracted crisis.
NRC Europe regularly organises both public and private high-level events with key decision-makers at EU or member state level to bring about policy change and serve as a platform for discussion. For years, NRC Europe has helped shape the civil society discussions and agenda of the Brussels Conference Supporting Syria and the Region, it played a crucial role in the advocacy around the Hodeidah ceasefire (Yemen) and has successfully worked on mitigating the impact of sanctions on humanitarian action.
The EU advocacy team also works directly with key member states to influence decision-makers on EU foreign policy.
The NRC Europe team holds regular meetings with representatives from the European Commission (ECHO, INTPA, NEAR), the European Parliament, the European External Action Service and the EU Member States to advocate for protection and support to displaced persons.
NRC Europe is registered in the Transparency Register and its number is 750447615329-96.
Visit NRC Europe:
Rue de la loi 42
1040 Bruxelles
Belgium