EU Solidarity Fund: mobilisation for Greece and Slovenia, respectively affected by forest fires and floods in 2007

PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund in favour of Slovenia and Greece, both affected by serious fires and flooding in 2007.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2008/469/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund in accordance with point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management.

CONTENT: this Decision provides that the European Union Solidarity Fund shall be mobilised to provide the sum of EUR 98 023 212 in commitment and payment appropriations for the general budget of the EU for the financial year 2008. Greece submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by forest fires in August

2007, and Slovenia submitted an application to mobilise the Fund, concerning a disaster caused by flooding in September 2007. The applications were for direct damage in the sum of EUR 2 118 273 411 for Greece and EUR 233 395 389 for Slovenia. This will be allocated under heading 3b of the financial framework.

In parallel, the Commission has adopted an amending budget (AB) in order to enter in the 2008 budget the specific commitment and payment appropriations, as requested in Point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (see BUD/2008/2095).

The European Union has created the EU Solidarity Fund to show solidarity with the population of regions struck by disasters. The Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 allows the mobilisation of the Fund within the annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion. Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 contains the provisions whereby the Fund may be mobilised.