PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece further to the flooding and landslide disaster that took place in 2019.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision (EU) 2020/28 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece.

CONTENT: the European Parliament has decided to mobilise EUR 4 552 517 in commitment and payment appropriations for Greece from the European Union Solidarity Fund under the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019.

The Decision follows Greece’s application for assistance from the Fund submitted on 15 May 2019 following exceptionally heavy rain and storm which hit Crete and led to floods and landslides. Greece’s application fulfils the conditions for a financial contribution from the Fund.

The European Union Solidarity Fund aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters. The maximum annual amount allocated to the Fund may not exceed EUR 500 million (at 2011 prices).

The amount referred to in the first paragraph shall be financed from the appropriations mobilised for the payment of advances in the Union budget for the financial year 2019. The appropriations available for the payment of advances shall be reduced accordingly.

The European Parliament adopted by 669 votes to 7, with 17 abstentions, a resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece.

Parliament approved the decision annexed to the resolution to mobilise the amount of EUR 4 552 517 to Greece, in commitment and payment appropriations from the European Union Solidarity Fund as part of the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2019.

The abovementioned amount shall be financed from the appropriations mobilised for the payment of advances in the Union budget for the financial year 2019. The appropriations available for the payment of advances shall be reduced accordingly.

Parliament stressed the need to release the remaining amount as soon as possible and within a reasonable timeframe, as recovery operations in Crete should be concluded immediately due to severe weather conditions that tend to occur more and more often in Crete and other regions of Greece.

PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece further to the flooding and landslide disaster that took place in 2019.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and the Council.

CONTENT: the European Union Solidarity Fund aims to enable the Union to respond in a rapid, efficient and flexible manner to emergency situations in order to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by natural disasters. The Fund is not to exceed a maximum annual amount of EUR 500 million (2011 prices), as laid down in Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework (MFF).

This decision covers the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) for an amount of EUR 4 552 517 to provide assistance to Greece further to the flooding and landslide disaster that took place in 2019.

This mobilisation will be financed in full through the partial use of commitment and payment appropriations already entered into the 2019 budget for covering advances, after deducting the already paid advance of EUR 455 252. An amending budget is therefore not required.

Floods and landslides on the island of Crete

On 15 May 2019, Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following exceptionally heavy rain and storm which hit Crete between 23 and 26 February 2019 and led to floods and landslides.

The disaster is of natural origin and therefore falls within the field of application of the EUSF.

Greece estimates the total direct damage at EUR 182.1 million. The damage caused on Crete represents 2.1 % of the GDP of the concerned NUTS 2 level region Kriti and thus exceeds the threshold of EUR 129.8 million, i.e. 1.5% of regional GDP laid down in the Regulation.

In its application Greece requested the payment of an advance. The Commission awarded a 10 % advance of EUR 455 252 on the anticipated financial contribution from the Fund and subsequently paid it out in full to Greece.

Conclusion

The Commission considers that the disaster referred to in the applications submitted by Greece meets the conditions set out in the Regulation for mobilising the EUSF.

Financing

The amount that may be mobilised at this stage of the year 2019 is EUR 557 530 278. This corresponds to the total amount available for the mobilisation of the EUSF at the beginning of 2019 (EUR 851 082 072), minus the previous mobilisation (EUR 293 551 794).

In the framework of the general budget of the Union established for the financial year 2019, the Commission proposes to mobilise EUR 4 552 517 to Greece, in commitment and payment appropriations.

The amount shall be financed from the appropriations mobilised for the payment of advances in the Union budget for the financial year 2019. The appropriations available for the payment of advances shall be reduced accordingly.

In order to minimise the time taken to mobilise the Fund, this Decision should apply from the date of its adoption.