DG ECHO has prepared a new set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Certified Financial Statements ("CFS") applicable to certain Grant Agreements (MGAs).

The FAQs clarify the nature, scope, and applicability of the CFS. DG ECHO Partners are advised that, as of 1 January 2025, the CFS will apply to:

(i) mono-beneficiary MGAs with Partners identified as having a high error rate (>2%), when DG ECHO’s contribution is ≥ EUR 325,000;

(ii) multi-beneficiary MGAs (‘consortia’), to all co-beneficiaries who receive a DG ECHO contribution that is ≥ EUR 325,000;

(iii) Programmatic Partnership Projects (PPs).”

The DG ECHO Country Office in Haiti is very pleased to announce the presentation of the ECHO Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) 2025 for Haiti where the main features of the HIP and evolution across different sectors will be reviewed.

-          Modality: Hybrid

-          Date: 21 November 2024

-          Time: 9h (Haiti time)

Participation in person: only the presence of 1 person per organization will be accepted. Given the limited space in the meeting room we can only accept a limited number of participants. Please confirm your attendance to SERRAND Wideline (ECHO Port-au-Prince) wideline.serrand@echofield.eu before 15th of November.

Participation remotely: MS-TEAM through the following link:

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 313 277 688 373

Passcode: xK5VTX

El equipo DG-ECHO Caribe, le invita a la presentación del Plan de Implementación Humanitaria (HIP) 2025 para el Caribe (excluyendo Haiti).

Modalidad: Online

Fecha: Martes 19 de Noviembre

Hora: 10.00 AM (hora local Panamá)

La reunión se realizará a través de MS-Teams, la presentación será en inglés con servicio de traducción al español. Puede acceder a la reunión a través del siguiente link:

HIP 2025 Caribbean

The DG-ECHO Caribbean Team, invite you to the presentation of the ECHO Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP)  2025 for the Caribbean (excluding Haiti)

Modality: Online

Date: Tuesday 19 of November 

Time:  10,00 (Panama local time)

The meeting will be held via MS-Teams, the presentation will be in English with translation service into Spanish. You can access the meeting using the following link:

HIP 2025 Caribbean

Dear Partner NGOs,

DG ECHO is pleased to invite you to the DG ECHO NGOs Partners’ Online Event, taking place on 28 November 2024 at 14:00 CET via Webex.

This event will bring together DG ECHO Directors to share insights into their respective portfolios, policy directions, and DG ECHO’s strategic priorities for 2025.

The session will open with remarks from DG ECHO Director General Maciek Popowski, followed by individual presentations from each Director on their portfolio areas.

A Q&A session will conclude the event, offering an opportunity for dialogue.

Event Details:

• Date: 28 November 2024
• Time: 14:00 CET
• Platform: Webex - Join from the meeting link  https://ecconf.webex.com/ecconf/j.php?MTID=m58e2ea9a735d4c17d43305c308f32ea5

Dear Partner NGOs,

DG ECHO is pleased to invite you to the DG ECHO Partners’ Online Event, taking place on 28 November 2024 at 14:00 CET via Webex. This event will bring together DG ECHO Directors to share insights into their respective portfolios, policy directions, and DG ECHO’s strategic priorities for 2025.

The session will open with remarks from DG ECHO Director General Maciek Popowski, followed by individual presentations from each Director on their portfolio areas. A Q&A session will conclude the event, offering an opportunity for dialogue.

Event Details:

• Date: 28 November 2024
• Time: 14:00 CET
• Platform: Webex - Join from the meeting link  https://ecconf.webex.com/ecconf/j.php?MTID=m58e2ea9a735d4c17d43305c308f32ea5

The Regional Office DG-ECHO for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has invited partners to the presentation of the ECHO Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) 2025 for LAC. The main features of the HIP and evolution across different sectors will be reviewed.

• Modality: Hybrid
• Date: Monday 18th of November
• Time: 9h (Panama time)

Participation in person: only the presence of 1 person per organization will be accepted. Given the limited space in the meeting room we can only accept 25 participants. Please confirm your attendance to karla.aleman@echofield.eu before 15th of November.

Participation remotely: MS-TEAM through the following link: HIP 2025 or https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e7445b13-3c5c-4880-bf27-ec28c414ed60@35df470f-eb34-4dd0-b390-c79de26d4906

DG ECHO has updated Chapter 7.2 and 7.3 of the Single Form to allow for the encoding of multiple Key Result Indicators (KRIs).

The Single Form Guidelines have been adapted to reflect this change, and an explanatory PowerPoint presentation "MULTI-KRI PER SUBSECTOR Single Form" is available to help you navigate the updated chapter on the DG ECHO Partners Website under the Reference Documents tab.

The new version of the Single Form will be fully accessible starting 6 November.

DG ECHO has published the List of standard supporting documents for ECHO financial audits of partners. You can find it in the Audit section and on the Reference Documents page. 

DG ECHO has published updated guidelines for Partners on Humanitarian aid actions implemented under Exceptional Extreme Operating Conditions.

Please have a look at the newly created pages and dedicated reference documents on the NGO and IO Partners' Website sectios. 

The French and Spanish versions of the Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union-funded Humanitarian Aid Actions are now available in the Reference Document Page. Have a look.

A new page on crisis modifier has been created under the NGOs and IOs sections. Have a look!

A new version of the Certificate on the Financial Statement (CFS) has been published on the Reference Documents. It applies as of 1 September 2024 and only to Agreements with the obligation to submit CFS signed after this date. Agreements signed before 1 September 2024 will be subject to the previous version of the CFS.

Upcoming Partners workshop Peru and Ecuador:

Session 1: International, National and Local NGOs (including Red Cross)

Modality: In-person only

Date: 16 July in Lima and 18 July in Quito 

Time: 8:30-11:30am

Session 2: UN Agencies and Programs

Modality: In-person only

Date: 16 July in Lima and 18 July in Quito 

Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm

For both sessions, the details of the location will be sent to confirmed participants, determined on a first come first serve basis considering room capacity.

Contact person: CHAIX Jessica (ECHO Bogota) jessica.chaix@echofield.eu

Non-essential changes are unilateral modifications of the Grant Agreement. 

Upon submission, the request is classified as a Non-Essential Change, a specific type of Modification Request that is immediately favourable. DG ECHO does not need to approve these changes, unless it identifies that one of the changes pertains to an essential element of the Action (e.g., modifications to cash distribution activities). In such cases, DG ECHO will inform the Partner of the reasons for considering the request invalid and give instructions to withdraw the NEC request. Please have a look at this link for more information.

A final version of the Annotated Grant Agreement (AGA) is now available! It includes clarifications to the general parts of the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) and the Specific Rules for the implementation of Humanitarian Aid Operations (Annex 5 – HUMA).

A new form which could be used for sensitive/significant SEAH allegations has been uploaded on the reference documents sections.

Upcoming partners meetings in the LAC region:

May 16, 2024: “Defining Strategies for more effective disaster preparedness and emergency response in the Caribbean” in person and hybrid.

Venue: Auditorium UN house, Bridgetown, Barbados

Contact person: Daniela D´Urso (Daniela.durso@echofield.eu)

18 y 19 de Junio de 2024: “Estrategias Innovadoras para la Preparación ante Desastres y la Respuesta Humanitaria en Centroamérica y México”, in person (possibility of hybrid sessions to be confirmed).

Venue: Ciudad del Saber Casa 39 (tbc), Panama City, Panama.

Contact person: Liesbeth Schockaert (Liesbeth.schockaert@echofield.eu)

The page related to Force Majeure has been modified and a new Force Majeur Reporting Form has been published on the Reference Document Page (under the Template section)

When the partner becomes aware of an incident of suspected aid diversion, it needs to inform ECHO as soon as possible of the circumstances and impact of the aid diversion incident, which may be done using an Aid Diversion Reporting Form  which has been published on the Reference Document page.

DG ECHO Protection Key Outcome Indicator (PKOI) - Technical Guidance and Toolkit has been published in the French version.

The Financial Statement (CFS) and related ToR have been published in the French versions in the Reference documents for the HUMA MGA.

Clarification on Annex “Checklist”: please note that the Checklist annexed to the Visibility and Communication Manual is not a new reporting requirement. It is rather a tool aiding Partners to fulfill their regular reporting obligations via the e-Single Form. It can also be used as an aide-mémoire for Partners’ regular contacts with the Regional Information Officers.

The Certificate on the Financial Statement (CFS) to be filled by the auditor and the related ToR have been published on the NGOs' Reference document page.

A new document explaining what the European Humanitarian Response Capacity (EHRC) is and how partners can access the services has just been published in the Reference Document section. Have a look!