Routledge The European Union and Humanitarian Crises: Patterns of Intervention

Over the last few decades international organisations, national governments, and governmental and private actors have all multiplied their efforts to limit the extent to which natural catastrophes, man-made atrocities and political and economic breakdowns affect civil populations. The European Union and Humanitarian Crises: Patterns of Intervention addresses the allocation of foreign aid within the framework of the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid policy and analyses different Member States’ intervention strategies designed to cope with these emergencies. Joining the debate about bilateral and multilateral allocation of foreign aid in crisis situations and exploring the cooperative actions undertaken by the European Union and its Member States to cope with them the book questions how the context of the crises themselves impacts on strategies of intervention and investigates how strategies change depending on the characteristics of the crisis. Review ’This is a sophisticated and fascinating journey to the places where the European response to humanitarian emergencies is made. It uncovers the roots of Europe’s reputation in humanitarian aid and explains the Brussels game that mixes up the Union’s programmes and state synergies. A must to understand the European policy of humanitarian assistance.’ Fulvio Attinà, University of Catania, Italy ’This book shows that, despite expectations, multilateral humanitarian interventions by the European Union and bilateral ones by its member states are better explained by the systemic characteristics of humanitarian crises and there is no difference in the patterns and decision-making of humanitarian intervention between ex-colonial and non-colonial EU member states. This clearly written study breaks new and very interesting ground.’ Pierre Allan, University of Geneva, Switzerland About the Author Dr Francesca Pusterla holds a PhD in Political Science awarded by the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Geneva and a MA in European Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies by the College of Europe. She specializes in International Relations, Humanitarian Aid and European Union Policy Studies.