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Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France relating to six natural disasters occurred in 2023

2024/0212(BUD)

PURPOSE: to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to assist Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France relating to six natural disasters occurred in 2023.

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

BACKGROUND: the European Union Solidarity Fund, set up by Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, 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.

Major disasters

- On24 July 2023, Italy submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in May 2023. The Italian authorities estimate the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 8.5 billion. Italy estimated the cost of operations at EUR 681.8 million. The largest share of the cost of emergency operations concerns securing the preventive infrastructure and measures of protection of cultural heritage amounting to over EUR 293.7 million.

- On 20 October 2023, Slovenia submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in August 2023. The Slovenian authorities estimate the total direct damage caused by the disaster at close to EUR 10.0 billion. Slovenia estimated the cost of operations at EUR 6 786.0 million. The largest share of cost concerns the restoration of the working order of infrastructure and plants in the fields of water, wastewater, telecoms, transport, health, and education amounting to EUR 5 089.0 million.

- On 19 October 2023, Austria submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in August 2023. Austria estimates the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 208 million. Austria estimated the cost of operations at EUR 76.5 million. The largest share of cost concerns the restoration of the working order of infrastructure and plants in the fields of energy, water, wastewater, and transport amounting to EUR 65.6 million.

- On 20 November 2023, Greece submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in September 2023. The Greek authorities estimate the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 2.3 billion.

Greece estimated the cost of operations at EUR 1 941.0 million. The largest share of cost concerns the restoration of the working order of infrastructure and plants in the fields of energy, water, wastewater, telecoms, transport and education amounting to EUR 1 657.0 million.

Regional disasters

- On 19 January 2024, Italy submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in October and November 2023 in the Tuscany Region. The Italian authorities estimate the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 2.7 billion. Italy estimated the cost of operations at EUR 175.6 million. The largest share of the cost of emergency operations concerns the restoration of the working order of infrastructure and plants in the fields of energy, water, wastewater, telecoms, transport, health, and education amounting to EUR 74.3 million.

- On 24 January 2024, France submitted an application for a financial contribution from the EUSF to finance emergency and recovery operations following the floods in November 2023. The French authorities estimate the total direct damage caused by the disaster at EUR 1.9 billion.

France estimated the cost of operations at EUR 160.2 million. The largest share of the cost of emergency operations concerns the restoration of the working order of infrastructure and plants in the fields of energy, water, wastewater, telecoms, transport, health, and education amounting to EUR 120.1 million.

The above-mentioned applications meet the conditions for providing a financial contribution from the Fund.

CONTENT: this proposed 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 1 028 541 689 to provide assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France in relation to the natural disasters (floods) that took place in these countries in 2023.

For the general budget of the Union, the European Union Solidarity Fund will be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in relation to natural disasters:

- EUR 378 833 540 will be provided to Italy in relation to floods in the Emilia-Romagna Region in May 2023;

- EUR 428 405 059 will be provided to Slovenia in relation to the flood in August 2023;

- EUR 5 199 245 will be provided to Austria in relation to floods in August 2023;

- EUR 101 528 949 will be provided to Greece in relation to floods in September 2023;

- EUR 67 811 826 will be provided to Italy in relation to floods in the Tuscany Region in October and November 2023;

- EUR 46 763 069 will be provided to France in relation to floods in the former Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region in November 2023.

This mobilisation is accompanied by DEC No 08/2024 that proposes to transfer the amount of EUR 796 760 300 from the European Solidarity Reserve (hereinafter referred as ‘the ESR’) reserve line to the EUSF operational budget line, both in commitments and payments appropriations.

In addition to the transferred appropriations from the ESR reserve line, this mobilisation is financed through the use of an amount of EUR 37 073 004 in commitments and payment appropriations already inscribed in the EU general budget 2024 and EUR 194 708 385 from appropriations of the EU general budget 2023, already paid as advances.