The European Parliament adopted by 602 votes to 11, with 22 abstentions a resolution on the situation in Nepal following the earthquake of 25 April 2015 and the subsequent earthquake of 12 May.

The resolution was tabled by the EFDD, ECR, GUE/NGL, EPP, Greens/EFA, ALDE, and S&D groups.

Parliament expressed its deepest condolences to all those affected, including the families of the more than 8 800 people who lost their lives in Nepal, India, China and Bangladesh. It applauded the efforts of the Nepalese and welcomed the swift aid provided by the Commission and the Member States to Nepal.

Vulnerable children: Members began by calling on the Government of Nepal and the international community to ensure that children who had been separated from their families were reunited with them as quickly as possible and to place children at the heart of the humanitarian intervention. Furthermore, special attention should be paid to the many cases of malnutrition and the risks of abuse and trafficking. Parliament was concerned at reports of abuse and harassment of women and children in makeshift camps, and called on the Government of Nepal to take additional measures to ensure their safety and the swift investigation of such reports.

International aid:  the EU and its Member States had provided significant financial assistance, with the immediate release of EUR 6 million for urgent needs and a total outlay to date of EUR 22.6 million on the part of the Commission, in addition to offering relief items and search and rescue teams through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. However, Members highlighted that the UN had estimated that an additional USD 298.2 million was urgently required in order to provide humanitarian assistance, in particular in light of the approaching monsoon season, and they called for a renewed global effort to meet these urgent funding needs. They noted the UN humanitarian coordinator stated on 4 June 2015 that international funding in support of Nepal remained unsatisfactory and that the UN has only received USD 120 million out of the total of USD 422 million pledged. Parliament called on the international community to continue to assist the Government of Nepal with short-term humanitarian support and long-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts, with a special focus on the agricultural sector and hard-to-reach areas, and to honour its pledges.

Customs procedures: noting that problems still existed with regard to lengthy customs procedures for humanitarian supplies, and that import duties were now levied on some of the relief items, Members urged the Nepalese Government to resolve the remaining problems with customs procedures, to lift any ‘relief taxes’ being levied on humanitarian supplies by local police at Nepal’s borders.

Discrimination in aid distribution: Parliament pointed to worrying signs that gender, caste and ethnic discrimination was inhibiting the aid effort, noting that more than half the country’s Dalit community was still waiting for shelter and food rations. It called on the Government of Nepal to ensure that aid reached those who need it, regardless of who they were and where the aid was coming from. The Vice-President / High Representative was asked to address this issue at the highest possible political level in her contacts with Nepal.

Local elections and new constitution: Members stressed the primary importance of organising the long overdue local elections, given that successful reconstruction efforts would be dependent on the administrative capacities of local authorities. They called on Nepalese political forces to work together in a spirit of constructive cooperation with a view to the adoption of a new, democratic and inclusive constitution. In this connection, they welcomed the agreement reached on 8 June 2015 by Nepal’s main political parties.