In view of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, the European Commission considers power cuts and other emergencies within the EU possible. “It is quite possible that emergency aid is needed,” said EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic on Tuesday. The EU therefore works with two scenarios.
If only a small number of Member States are affected by an incident such as a power outage, “other EU states can supply power generators through us, as happens in natural disasters,” the EU commissioner explained to the editorial network Germany. If a large number of countries were to be affected simultaneously, forcing EU countries to limit their emergency aid supplies to other Member States, the Commission could meet the needs from its strategic reserve.
According to Lenarcic, this emergency reserve includes generators, water pumps, firefighting planes and fuel – as well as medical equipment and now medicines. The European Commission had already prepared for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies in the course of the corona pandemic. “We have now been able to deliver five million iodine tablets to Ukraine,” said the EU commissioner.
Anyone can ask for help
All EU Member States, as well as all other countries in the world, can call on the EU Civil Protection Program to help with forest fires, floods, earthquakes and similar acute crises. Aid with equipment and materials from other EU countries is then coordinated and forwarded by the program under the Crisis Protection Commissioner. In case of emergency, this can be done the same day.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
