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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

2020/0299(BUD)

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.