EPP Group supports emergency aid plan for refugees

02.03.2016 12:09

EPP Group supports emergency aid plan for refugees

The European Commission today unveiled an emergency aid plan providing financial assistance to Greece, and to any other EU state in the same predicament as Greece, to deal with the refugee crisis. The EPP Group welcomes this initiative. The Group’s Spokeswoman on migration, Roberta Metsola MEP, and its Spokesman in the Budgets Committee, José Manuel Fernandes MEP, outlined that the refugee crisis requires a European response on every level and this aid will ensure that the organisations on the ground have what they need.

"We have called on Europe to act and to act quickly to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Greece caused by the huge influx of refugees fleeing the war in Syria. Words are not enough. We need to ensure that Europe has the tools to properly respond and I therefore welcome the instrument piloted by Commissioner Stylianides that will now allow the Commission to react swiftly to a humanitarian situation within the European Union itself. This is about directly helping those most in need in our Union", said Metsola.

José Manuel Fernandes added: "The EU must do everything in its power to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe inside its own borders. We must stay true to our values of solidarity and respect for human dignity."

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 216 Members from 27 Member States

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