EU Solidarity Fund: mobilisation for Italy following the Abruzzo earthquake in 2009

PURPOSE: to mobilise the EU Solidarity Fund to assist Italy following the earthquake in 2009.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 2009/844/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobilisation of the European Union 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: the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (IIA) allows for the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund through a flexibility mechanism, within an annual ceiling of EUR 1 billion, over and above the relevant headings of the financial framework.

On the basis of application for assistance from the Fund by Italy following an earthquake in April 2009 in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the European Parliament and the Council decided to mobilise the EUSF to provide the sum of EUR 493 771 159 in commitment and payment appropriations for the year 2009.

An amending budget was adopted in parallel in order to enter in the 2009 budget specific commitment and payment appropriations, as requested in Point 26 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 (BUD/2009/2087).