Answer given by Mr Lenarčič on behalf of the European Commission

Global cooperation and solidarity are key to successfully address the COVID-19 pandemic and promote a sustainable global recovery. Since the start of the pandemic, the EU has provided support to partner countries through Team Europe to respond to the COVID-19 crisis globally.

In this framework, the Commission has provided EUR 450 million to address the humanitarian consequences of COVID-19, through new funding and adaptation of existing projects to strengthen the response in major pre-existing humanitarian crises. The EU Humanitarian Air Bridge allowed to temporarily facilitate the delivery of relief items and the movement of medical and humanitarian staff.

The Commission is closely cooperating with its partners, including the International Organisation for Migration, through a strong and longstanding partnership and as one of its largest donors. Moreover, the EU and its Member States together were the largest contributor to the 2020 United Nations Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

The Commission remains strongly committed to addressing the short and longer-term needs stemming from the pandemic, with over EUR 40 billion raised through the Team Europe approach that brings together the EU, EU Member States and financial institutions.

Besides, it has stepped up efforts to support equitable and fair access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics worldwide as a co-convener and contributor to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A).

The Commission has pledged EUR 1 billion to COVAX for an equitable access to vaccines, with 5% of doses for the Humanitarian Buffer. It has also announced EUR 100 million to support the vaccination rollout in Africa, which the Union Civil Protection Mechanism may complement with in-kind assistance or transport.