BETA


2020/0299(BUD) Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead BUDG CHASTEL Olivier (icon: Renew Renew) JARUBAS Adam (icon: EPP EPP), UŠAKOVS Nils (icon: S&D S&D), RZOŃCA Bogdan (icon: ECR ECR)
Committee Opinion REGI OMARJEE Younous (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:

Events

2021/01/27
   CSL - Draft budget approved by Council
2021/01/27
   Final act published in Official Journal
2020/11/24
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 682 votes to 8, with 2 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 Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency.

As a reminder, on 10 June 2020, Croatia submitted an application for assistance from the Fund following the earthquake of March 2020 which affected the city of Zagreb and the counties of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje. Poland submitted an application to mobilise the Fund on 24 August 2020 in response to the floods of June 2020 in the Podkarpackie voivodship.

On 24 June 2020, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain submitted applications to mobilise the Fund by way of an advance payment in relation to a major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

Parliament approved the proposal for a decision to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund in the framework of the 2020 budget as follows in commitment and payment appropriations:

- EUR 8 462 280 shall be provided to Croatia;

- EUR 15 499 409 shall be provided to Germany;

- EUR 4 535 700 shall be provided to Greece;

- EUR 26 587 069 shall be provided to Hungary;

- EUR 23 279 441 shall be provided to Ireland;

- EUR 37 528 511 shall be provided to Portugal;

- EUR 16 844 420 shall be provided to Spain.

Members welcomed the decision as a sign of the Union’s solidarity with the Union citizens and regions hit by natural disasters and the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. They stressed the urgency of releasing financial assistance through the EUSF to the affected regions.

Documents
2020/11/18
   EP - Budgetary report tabled for plenary, 1st reading
Documents
2020/11/18
   EP - Budgetary report tabled for plenary
Documents
2020/11/16
   EP - Vote in committee
2020/10/23
   EP - Specific opinion
Documents
2020/10/22
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2020/10/21
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2020/10/20
   EP - CHASTEL Olivier (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in BUDG
2020/10/14
   EP - OMARJEE Younous (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in REGI
2020/10/09
   EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Details

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency.

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

CONTENT: this decision covers the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 for an amount of EUR 823 548 633 to provide assistance to Croatia and Poland further to natural disasters that took place in these countries in the course of 2020, as well as for advances to seven Member States (Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Spain) in response to the major public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

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 major or regional natural disasters or major public health emergency. 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 for the years 2014-2020 (MFF regulation).

Natural disasters in Croatia and Poland

Earthquake in Croatia

On 10 June 2020, Croatia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the earthquake in March 2020 that affected the city of Zagreb and the counties of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje. Croatian authorities estimated that 26 000 buildings were damaged (about 5 % heavily, 20 % moderately and 74 % lightly). 30 000 people are estimated to be displaced.

The Croatian authorities estimate the total direct damage at EUR 11 572 586 387. This amount represents 22.9 % of Croatia's Gross National Income (GNI), and it exceeds the ‘major disaster’ threshold for mobilising the EUSF of EUR 303.3 million (0.6 % of Croatia’s GNI in 2020). Therefore, the disaster qualifies as a ‘major natural disaster’ and thus falls within the field of application of the Regulation.

Croatia estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations at EUR 2 270.1 million and presented it broken down by type of operation. The largest share concerns the costs for restoration to working order of infrastructure, in particular educational and health, and temporary accommodation.

Floods in Poland

On 24 August 2020, Poland submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the floods in June 2020 in Podkarpackie Voivodeship. About 251 km of regulated and unregulated watercourse were destroyed or damaged due to the floods. Floods caused damages to network infrastructure, as well as, to businesses operating in the affected area; many production sites, storage halls, machinery and equipment were destroyed or carried away. Over 2 000 farmers also suffered important damages, with an affected crop area of about 9 000 hectares and many farm buildings and machinery damaged.

The pluvial floods are of natural origin and therefore fall within the field of application of the EUSF.

The Polish authorities estimate the total direct damage at EUR 282 851 202. The damage caused represents 1.56 % of the GDP of the concerned NUTS 2 level region Podkarpackie and thus exceeds the threshold of EUR 270 961 950 (1.5 % of regional GDP). The application from Poland is therefore eligible for a contribution from the EUSF.

Poland estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations at EUR 216 180 849 and presented it broken down by type of operation. The largest share concerns the costs for restoration to working order of transport infrastructure, securing of preventive infrastructure and immediate restoration of affected natural zones to avoid immediate effects from soil erosion.

Public health emergency

By 24 June 2020, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain submitted applications to mobilise the Fund in relation to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. In their applications, all seven Member States requested the payment of an advance on the anticipated contribution from the Fund.

The Commission stated that the conditions for paying an advance to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are met for all seven applications for a financial contribution from the EUSF relating to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

Conclusion

The Commission considered that the applications of Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain fulfil the conditions for a financial contribution from the Fund as set out in Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. It therefore proposes to mobilise the EUSF within the framework of the general budget of the Union for the 2020 financial year, in order to provide in relation to a natural disaster:

- the amount of EUR 683 740 523 shall be provided to Croatia;

- the amount of EUR 7 071 280 shall be provided to Poland.

It also considered that the following amounts should be mobilised in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances in relation to a major public health emergency:

- EUR 8 462 280 shall be provided to Croatia;

- EUR 15 499 409 shall be provided to Germany;

- EUR 4 535 700 shall be provided to Greece;

- EUR 26 587 069 shall be provided to Hungary;

- EUR 23 279 441 shall be provided to Ireland;

- EUR 37 528 511 shall be provided to Portugal;

- EUR 16 844 420 shall be provided to Spain.

This mobilisation is accompanied by Draft amending budget (DAB) No 9/2020 , which proposes to enter the necessary appropriations in the general budget 2020, both in commitments and payments.

Documents

Documents

Votes

A9-0221/2020 - Olivier Chastel - Vote unique #

2020/11/23 Outcome: +: 682, -: 8, 0: 2
DE FR IT ES PL RO NL PT HU BE CZ EL AT BG SE SK IE HR DK LT FI LV SI CY MT LU EE
Total
92
79
75
58
49
32
28
21
21
20
21
21
19
17
21
14
13
12
14
11
13
8
8
6
6
6
7
icon: PPE PPE
183

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2
2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
143

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
66

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
73

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Belgium ID

2

Czechia ID

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2
3

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
60

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Romania ECR

1

Greece ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2
3

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
31

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Abstain (1)

1

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Ireland NI

For (1)

1

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

commission
  • body: EC dg: Budget commissioner: HAHN Johannes
committees/1/rapporteur/0/group
Old
Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left
New
The Left group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE659.081
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/BUDG-PR-659081_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE659.000
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/REGI-AL-659000_EN.html
docs/3
date
2020-11-24T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0312_EN.html title: T9-0312/2020
type
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EP
events/1/type
Old
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New
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events/2/type
Old
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee
events/3/type
Old
Budgetary report tabled for plenary, 1st reading
New
Budgetary report tabled for plenary
events/4
date
2020-11-24T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
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EP
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url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0312_EN.html title: T9-0312/2020
summary
events/4
date
2020-11-24T00:00:00
type
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body
EP
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url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0312_EN.html title: T9-0312/2020
events/5
date
2021-01-27T00:00:00
type
Draft budget approved by Council
body
CSL
events/6
date
2021-01-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
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title
Decision 2021/75
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procedure/stage_reached
Procedure completed
docs/3
date
2020-11-24T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0312_EN.html title: T9-0312/2020
type
Budgetary text adopted by Parliament
body
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events/4
date
2020-11-24T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0312_EN.html title: T9-0312/2020
procedure/stage_reached
Awaiting Parliament's position on the draft budget
forecasts
  • date: 2020-11-23T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE659.000&secondRef=01
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE659.000
forecasts/0/title
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in plenary scheduled
docs/2/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2020-0221_EN.html
events/3/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2020-0221_EN.html
docs/2
date
2020-11-18T00:00:00
docs
title: A9-0221/2020
type
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body
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events/2
date
2020-11-16T00:00:00
type
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body
EP
events/3
date
2020-11-18T00:00:00
type
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body
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docs
title: A9-0221/2020
procedure/Other legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament's position on the draft budget
committees/0/shadows
  • name: JARUBAS Adam group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
  • name: UŠAKOVS Nils group: Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats abbr: S&D
  • name: RZOŃCA Bogdan group: European Conservatives and Reformists Group abbr: ECR
docs/0
date
2020-10-09T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2020/0960/COM_COM(2020)0960_EN.pdf title: COM(2020)0960
type
Non-legislative basic document
body
EC
docs/1
date
2020-10-23T00:00:00
docs
title: PE659.000
committee
REGI
type
Specific opinion
body
EP
docs/1/docs/0/url
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docs/2
date
2020-10-23T00:00:00
docs
title: PE659.000
committee
REGI
type
Specific opinion
body
EP
events/0/summary
  • PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Croatia and Poland in relation to a natural disaster and to provide for the payment of advances to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain in relation to a public health emergency.
  • PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.
  • CONTENT: this decision covers the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 for an amount of EUR 823 548 633 to provide assistance to Croatia and Poland further to natural disasters that took place in these countries in the course of 2020, as well as for advances to seven Member States (Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Spain) in response to the major public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.
  • 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 major or regional natural disasters or major public health emergency. 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 for the years 2014-2020 (MFF regulation).
  • Natural disasters in Croatia and Poland
  • Earthquake in Croatia
  • On 10 June 2020, Croatia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the earthquake in March 2020 that affected the city of Zagreb and the counties of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje. Croatian authorities estimated that 26 000 buildings were damaged (about 5 % heavily, 20 % moderately and 74 % lightly). 30 000 people are estimated to be displaced.
  • The Croatian authorities estimate the total direct damage at EUR 11 572 586 387. This amount represents 22.9 % of Croatia's Gross National Income (GNI), and it exceeds the ‘major disaster’ threshold for mobilising the EUSF of EUR 303.3 million (0.6 % of Croatia’s GNI in 2020). Therefore, the disaster qualifies as a ‘major natural disaster’ and thus falls within the field of application of the Regulation.
  • Croatia estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations at EUR 2 270.1 million and presented it broken down by type of operation. The largest share concerns the costs for restoration to working order of infrastructure, in particular educational and health, and temporary accommodation.
  • Floods in Poland
  • On 24 August 2020, Poland submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, following the floods in June 2020 in Podkarpackie Voivodeship. About 251 km of regulated and unregulated watercourse were destroyed or damaged due to the floods. Floods caused damages to network infrastructure, as well as, to businesses operating in the affected area; many production sites, storage halls, machinery and equipment were destroyed or carried away. Over 2 000 farmers also suffered important damages, with an affected crop area of about 9 000 hectares and many farm buildings and machinery damaged.
  • The pluvial floods are of natural origin and therefore fall within the field of application of the EUSF.
  • The Polish authorities estimate the total direct damage at EUR 282 851 202. The damage caused represents 1.56 % of the GDP of the concerned NUTS 2 level region Podkarpackie and thus exceeds the threshold of EUR 270 961 950 (1.5 % of regional GDP). The application from Poland is therefore eligible for a contribution from the EUSF.
  • Poland estimated the cost of emergency and recovery operations at EUR 216 180 849 and presented it broken down by type of operation. The largest share concerns the costs for restoration to working order of transport infrastructure, securing of preventive infrastructure and immediate restoration of affected natural zones to avoid immediate effects from soil erosion.
  • Public health emergency
  • By 24 June 2020, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain submitted applications to mobilise the Fund in relation to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. In their applications, all seven Member States requested the payment of an advance on the anticipated contribution from the Fund.
  • The Commission stated that the conditions for paying an advance to Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are met for all seven applications for a financial contribution from the EUSF relating to the major public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
  • Conclusion
  • The Commission considered that the applications of Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal and Spain fulfil the conditions for a financial contribution from the Fund as set out in Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002. It therefore proposes to mobilise the EUSF within the framework of the general budget of the Union for the 2020 financial year, in order to provide in relation to a natural disaster:
  • - the amount of EUR 683 740 523 shall be provided to Croatia;
  • - the amount of EUR 7 071 280 shall be provided to Poland.
  • It also considered that the following amounts should be mobilised in commitment and payment appropriations for the payment of advances in relation to a major public health emergency:
  • - EUR 8 462 280 shall be provided to Croatia;
  • - EUR 15 499 409 shall be provided to Germany;
  • - EUR 4 535 700 shall be provided to Greece;
  • - EUR 26 587 069 shall be provided to Hungary;
  • - EUR 23 279 441 shall be provided to Ireland;
  • - EUR 37 528 511 shall be provided to Portugal;
  • - EUR 16 844 420 shall be provided to Spain.
  • This mobilisation is accompanied by Draft amending budget (DAB) No 9/2020 , which proposes to enter the necessary appropriations in the general budget 2020, both in commitments and payments.
events/1
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committees/1/rapporteur
  • name: OMARJEE Younous date: 2020-10-14T00:00:00 group: Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left abbr: GUE/NGL