DG ECHO – European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Why it matters

DG ECHO operates at the front line of the EU’s global engagement, where information can save lives. Its humanitarian communication and visibility efforts influence how crises are understood, how aid is delivered, and how public trust is maintained. In an era when disinformation shapes perceptions of conflict and humanitarian response, ECHO’s role extends beyond logistics — it is part of Europe’s information integrity infrastructure.

By supporting access to verified, impartial information and protecting those who report from crisis zones, DG ECHO contributes directly to both humanitarian effectiveness and democratic credibility. Reliable information allows affected populations to make life-saving decisions; credible storytelling helps the EU counter narratives that politicise aid or discredit multilateral action.

“In humanitarian contexts, information can save lives—but visibility can kill.” — DG ECHO Field Officer, Sahel

Opportunities and Challenges ⚖️

Opportunities:

ECHO’s comparative advantage lies in its speed, presence, and credibility. Its global network of field experts and implementing partners can rapidly integrate risk-aware communication, journalist safety, and information-integrity measures into emergency operations.

• Integrating “do no harm” communication. ECHO can operationalise visibility risk assessments across all missions, ensuring that communications never endanger partners or beneficiaries.

• Strengthening humanitarian information ecosystems. By funding local information networks and humanitarian media, ECHO can improve accountability and situational awareness.

• Coordination with INTPA and EEAS. Joint programming can link humanitarian communication with longer-term governance, media-freedom, and resilience agendas.

• Leveraging innovation. Partnerships with fact-checking groups and satellite or AI-based verification tools can enhance the accuracy and transparency of crisis information.

Challenges:

ECHO faces a persistent tension between humanitarian visibility and operational safety. Public-communication requirements can sometimes expose partners in hostile or contested areas.

“We always granted visibility waivers when justified, but partners must explain why it matters for their safety.” — EU Delegation Officer, North Africa

Short funding cycles and fragmented communication mandates also limit the continuity of local information initiatives. Moreover, coordination between Brussels and field offices varies, leading to inconsistent application of safety protocols or visibility exceptions.

Finally, ECHO’s communication work is sometimes siloed from the broader EU narrative on democracy, development, and security. This separation can weaken the collective impact of Europe’s external messaging and leave space for hostile narratives to dominate.

🧩 Recommendations

1. Institutionalise visibility-risk assessments across all ECHO operations; integrate safety and data-minimisation clauses into communication contracts.

2. Create rapid-response funding lines for local humanitarian media and journalists during crises.

3. Coordinate communication strategies with INTPA and EEAS to ensure coherence and avoid duplication.

4. Build staff capacity on “information integrity in humanitarian contexts,” including digital-security and misinformation-response training.

5. Document and share lessons on safe visibility to inform EU-wide guidance under the OECD “Do No Harm” principle.

Field voices

“Flexibility and long-term funding are crucial to avoid harm.” — Member-State donor representative

“The biggest danger is the leak of information—security is essential.” — Humanitarian communications lead, Eastern Europe

“Sometimes the best visibility is silence.” — ECHO partner, Middle East