Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova relating to floods occurred in September 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to floods occurred in October 2024

The Committee on Budgets adopted the report by Andrzej HALICKI (EPP, PL) on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Moldova relating to floods occurred in September 2024 and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to floods occurred in October 2024.

Members called on the Parliament to approve the decision annexed to the draft resolution.

The Commission proposes to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 (EUSF regulation) for an amount of EUR 280 740 903 to provide assistance to Austria, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to the natural disaster (floods) that took place in 2024.

The report proposed that for the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2025, the European Union Solidarity Fund should be mobilised as follows in commitment and payment appropriations in relation to natural disasters:

For flooding:

- EUR 42 789 075 to Austria in relation to floods in September 2024;

- EUR 75 998 939 to Poland in relation to floods in September 2024;

- EUR 113 979 781 to Czechia in relation to floods in September 2024;

- EUR 2 108 187 to Slovakia in relation to floods in September 2024;

- EUR 195 196 to Moldova in relation to floods in September 2024;

- EUR 45 669 725 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to floods in October 2024.

Members considered that the budget of the EUSF or its equivalent should be substantially expanded in view of the upcoming Commission proposal on the new Multiannual Financial Framework and subsequent inter-institutional negotiations and that the EUSF or its equivalent must provide assistance commensurate to the magnitude of such disasters to citizens. Substantially increasing the EUSF would allow Member States to respond more effectively and quickly to disasters while other instruments, particularly cohesion funds whose primary purpose is not disaster response, could be preserved.

The Commission is also called on to:

- explore all possible avenues for accelerating the mobilisation of the EUSF, in particular by amending current rules and granting higher advance payments to applicant countries;

- develop dedicated crisis-response instruments for the post-2027 period;

- assess with due urgency any reasoned requests by Member States to reallocate funds within the National Recovery and Resilience plans to natural disaster assistance.

Lastly, Members stressed the urgent need to release immediate financial assistance through the EUSF to ensure that support can reach the affected regions in a timely manner.