THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid1 ("the Humanitarian Aid Regulation"), and in particular Article 2, notably 2 (c), Article 4 and Article 15(2) and (3) thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community ("Overseas Association Decision")2 , and in particular Articles 21 and 30 thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Financial Regulation')3 , and in particular Article 84(2) thereof;
Whereas:
(1) Commission Decision C(2012)9883 adopted on 4 January 2013 provides for the financing of humanitarian aid operational priorities from the 2013 general budget of the European Union for a total amount of EUR 661 419 000 from budget articles 23 02 01, 23 02 02 and 23 02 03. The implementation period of this Decision runs from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2014. This amount was raised to EUR 826 637 746 by Decision C(2013) 3445 adopted on 11 June 2013.
(2) The Commission is committed to providing a humanitarian response in those areas where there are the greatest humanitarian needs. Accordingly, the humanitarian response may be subject to reorientation or scaling-up in the course of the implementation of actions when required by changing circumstances in the field which might affect existing humanitarian needs or generate new needs.
(3) The global humanitarian context has been characterised by an increase in humanitarian needs in the context of both man made crises in locations such as Sudan and South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sahel, Syria, Pakistan as well as epidemics. Budgetary allocations within the specific objective should be revised accordingly, without prejudice to the flexibility for non-substantial changes to be adopted by the delegated authorising officer.