Dividing the 1.69bn euros in EU aid for refugees in Greece

The total amount of emergency aid earmarked for the management of the refugee crisis by Greece is 1.69bn euros, according to data released on 10 October by the European Commission.

Of that amount, Greek authorities receive 794mn euros, 506.67mn euros go to the UNHCR (UN refugee agency) 119.7mn euros to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), 26mn euros to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), and 201 million to various NGOs partnered with the European Commission.

In addition, 44.6mn euros in funding earmarked for international organisations and NGOs remains undisbursed.

More specifically, the 1.69bn euros for the management of the refugee crisis in Greece is distributed as follows:

Firstly, in the framework of the 2014-2020 national programmes, Greece is entitled to 561mn euros, of which 322.8mn derive from the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and 238.2mn from the European Commission’s Internal Security Fund.

Of the 561mn euros, 164mn euros had been disbursed by October, 2018.

Secondly, via the two aforementioned funds, the European Commission from 2015 until now has approved 481mn euros in aid. Of that, 233mn euros are disbursed directly to Greek authorities, 150mn to the UNHCR, 72mn to the IOM, and 26mn to the European Asylum Support Office.

Thirdly, the EU Emergency Support Instrument, which is administered by Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Commissioner Christos Stylianides, has from March, 2016, until now, approved 650mn euros for Greece, of which 605.3mn euros concern contracts that have already been signed.

The recipients of EU Emergency Support Instrument funding are exclusively international organisations and NGOs.

Greece is the only EU member-state receiving humanitarian aid for refugees from that fund.

The EU partners through which humanitarian aid for refugees in Greece is funneled, and the amount received by each, are as follows:

UNHCR (356.67mn euros)

IOM (47.7mn euros)

Danish Refugee Council (44.5mn euros)

International Rescue Committee (28.74mn euros)

ΙFRC (17.6mn euros)

Norwegian Refugee Council (17.3mn euros)

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (15.26)

UNICEF (14.8mn euros)

Medecins du Monde (14.3mn euros)

OXFAM (13.5mn euros)

Save the Children (9.65mn euros)

Mercy Corps (6.57mn euros)

Terre des Hommes (5.83mn euros),

CARE Germany (3.73mn euros),

Spanish Red Cross (2mn euros)

Μetadrasi (1mn euros)

Smile of the Child (800,000 euroos)

As for the 233mn euros disbursed to Greece via the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and from the European Commission’s Internal Security Fund, the funds have been approved and are being disbursed as follows:

Defence Ministry: 127.73mn euros

Health Ministry: 27.45mn euros

Interior Ministry: 26.95mn euros

Infrastructure and Transport Ministry: 12.76mn euros

Migration Ministry: 10.42mn euros

Prior to the signing of the EU-Turkey Statement on refugees in March, 2016, the following sums had been disbursed:

First Reception Service: 8.35mn euros

Greek Police: 5.58mn euros

General Secretariat of Coordination: 6mn euros

Hellenic Coast Guard: 6.67mn euros

Asylum Service: 1.18mn euros